YEAR ONE RANGE BUILD
We need one additional enterprise server, compatible ECC memory, enterprise SSDs, telemetry storage, and 10 GbE server networking. This equipment will run two realistic student enterprise networks for live defense, incident response, recovery, and authorized attack-and-defense exercises.
THE HARDWARE LIST
We are not collecting general office technology. We are assembling a specific virtualization and telemetry platform.
One additional dual-socket x86-64 server will complete the first two-host compute cluster.
Memory determines how many Windows and Linux guests can operate together. Our target is approximately 512 GB per compute host.
Fast storage lets us clone, boot, reset, and redeploy entire student environments without turning event transitions into a storage bottleneck.
A separate telemetry system preserves student-environment performance while indexing the evidence used for scoring, after-action review, and competency records.
Existing 1 GbE networking can support the pilot. A small 10 GbE fabric improves VM deployment, reset, storage, and telemetry transfer as the cluster grows.
THE RANGE STACK
The hardware supports an existing open-source range framework. We are adapting it for our students and competition—not inventing the underlying platform.
Workstations, identity, DNS, email, web, file services, firewalls, segmented networks, and monitoring agents.
Uses compute · RAM · active SSDCrucible components coordinate infrastructure-as-code deployment, participant access, scenario actions, and event operation.
Uses compute · RAM · active SSDTwo hosts run the virtual machines. VLAN-aware switching and virtual firewalls keep management, team, and evidence systems separated.
Uses servers · SSD · 10 GbELogs, service checks, endpoint and network events, scoring evidence, and selected packet captures support review and verified competency records.
Uses telemetry compute · SSD · bulk storageWHY CRUCIBLE
Crucible is an open-source cyber-simulation framework developed by Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute. Its Caster component supports infrastructure-as-code deployment to Proxmox VE, allowing environments to be versioned, cloned, reset, and expanded instead of rebuilt by hand.
BEFORE YOU MOVE IT
Send the exact model and configuration first. We would rather decline equipment responsibly than accept hardware we cannot use.
HARDWARE DONATIONS
Tell us what you have, where it is located, and whether transport or a pickup deadline is involved. We will confirm compatibility before asking you to move anything.
Subject: Cyber Range Hardware Donation