Finished:Windows Home Briefcase

Here is my creation: The Windows Home Briefcase

We took a large aluminum briefcase (scooped off of Ebay), and started cutting! Using a dremel saw, we cut holes for the laptop dvd-burner, the power switch, the ethernet line, power cord and switch, e-SATA, and fan holes for the top, and two of the sides. We cut the backing from an older computer case down, and mounted it into the case with industrial double-sided tape, and used it as a mounting plate for the motherboard. We went with such a large case, because we wanted to build the server without having to use a mini-ITX board. This particular one is micro-ATX, though we could have fit a bit bigger. Once we had the motherboard in place, we mounted the PSU, and DVD-burner, along with the harddrive, which is underneath the Plexiglas in the pictures above. Used a bunch of cheap aluminum trim to make our own mounts for all of those.

As for the e-SATA and ethernet ports, we ran short wires to make the plugs on the outside of the case, as none of the motherboard onboard connections were available on the sides. Monitor was mounted with 4 screws on the back right through into the mounting holes on the monitor. We soldered the power cord for the monitor into the power supply, so it could all run off of 1 power cord. This way, if you wanted too, you could through a USB wireless adapter in there, and have only one cord for the entire server.

Power switch was a simple wiring to the motherboard headers, just a momentary vandal switch. The fans are all held into place both by being very tight fits in their respective holes, as well as the fan grills screwed though the case into the fans. We took two sheets of Plexiglas together to make a surface for the mouse (which hides underneath when the case is closed), as well as a mount for the mini-usb keyboard in there.

All things said and done, the case runs open or closed, and as its our WHS, its usually running upright and closed as pictured, and we just remote into it. All and all, took us about 5 months, working on it casually, as we both have full-time jobs as it is, and tried to use as many parts as we had lying around, rather than spending a fortune on it. If one were so inclined to make one from scratch, I would wager it could be done well for about $1000-$1500 and a decent month’s worth of work.

Check the link at the top for more pictures, tell me what you think!