pablovillaronga

Interesting VMware Homelab Kits for 2025

05.14.2025 by pablovillaronga //

Interesting VMware Homelab Kits for 2025

Where did 2024 go!? I can not believe there is only a few more months left before the end of the year!

During VMware Explore US, I had several folks ask whether I was going to publish a 2024 edition of my annual interesting VMware homelab kit blog post, simliar to HERE and HERE for 2023 and 2023 respectively. While I had planned for this originally, I was pretty busy this year and getting hands on with some of the latest Intel 14th Generation systems did not happen until much later and hence why I had not put anything together.

I was recently reminded of this request again and it feels like the right time to summarize the various kits that I have come across and/or have gotten hands on throughout the year.
Homelab Trends

There are also some interesting trends that I have observed in 2024, especially as it pertains to VMware Homelabs/Development/Testing purposes:

The support for non-binary DDR5 SODIMM memory modules has become the new norm and can enable small form factor systems to get up to 96GB of memory
Intel 14th (Consumer) CPU introduces a third core type (LPE) into its Hybrid architecture which has some implications as mentioned in my review of the ASUS NUC 14 Pro as an example
Having more M.2 NVMe or general NVMe slots will be extremely advantageous with the introduction of vSphere NVMe Memory Tiering capability
OCuLink supported peripherals, especially for external GPU and storage is slowly becoming a reality after its initial introduction in 2012 and may finally give Thunderbolt some competition

Aoostar WTR Pro

Aoostar is not a brand that I have worked with personally before, but I have seen some of their kits around. Thanks to colleague Burke Azbill, who was able to confirm with Aoostar that the WTR Pro can run ESXi 8.x without any issues, especially as it contains two Intel multi-gig NIC adaptors. While the WTR Pro primary use case is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system, because of the plentiful storage, compute & networking, it can also make for an interesting platform to run ESXi, especially for use with vSAN and NVMe Tiering.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7
Memory: 64GB (DDR4)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 4 x SATA (3.5″)
Network: 2 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 228mm x 150mm x 185 mm
Website: https://aoostar.com/products/aoostar-wtr-pro-4-bay-90t-storage-amd-ryzen-7-5825u-nas-mini-pc-support-2-5-3-5-hdd-%E5%A4%8D%E5%88%B6

ASUS NUC 14 Pro

The ASUS NUC 14 Pro is the first official NUC that has been released under ASUS after acquiring the Intel NUC business last year. The classic 4×4 kit continues to be a community favorite due to its small form factor and supporting up to 96GB of memory, you can certainly do quite a bit. For a complete review of using the ASUS NUC 14 Pro with ESXi, check out my write-up HERE.

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 1 x SATA
Network: 1 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 120mm x 130mm x 58 mm
Website: https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/nucs/nuc-mini-pcs/asus-nuc-14-pro/

ASUS NUC 14 Performance

If you are looking for a more powerful ASUS NUC, especially with more graphics capabilities, the NUC 14 Performance might be of interests and can also go up to 96GB of memory and support up to 3 x M.2 NVMe, perfect for running ESXi as well as taking advantage of the new NVMe Memory Tiering capability.For a complete review of using the ASUS NUC 14 Performance with ESXi, check out my write-up HERE.

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 3 x M.2 NVMe (2280)
Network: 1 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 120mm x 130mm x 58 mm
Website: https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/nucs/nuc-kits/asus-nuc-14-performance/

ASUS PN65

Similiar to the ASUS PN64-E1, which I am a HUGE fan of (see my review HERE), the ASUS PN65 is an updated version with support for the latest Intel 14th Generation CPUs. The only big difference that I could find between the PN65 and PN64-E1 is the lack of support for a dTPM add-on, which made the ASUS PN64-E1 really standout for a 4×4 form factor. If you do require a compatible TPM with ESXi, the PN64-E1 is still a viable and recommended system.

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 1 x SATA
Network: 1 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 120mm x 130mm x 58 mm
Website: https://www.asus.com/us/displays-desktops/mini-pcs/pn-series/asus-expertcenter-pn65/

GMKtec NucBox M7

GMKtec is another player in the 4×4 small form factor kits and while I have not had any personal hands on experience, I came to learn about the NucBox M7 from a fellow VMware colleague who had success running ESXi. The NucBox M7 is interesting for a few reasons, not only is it an AMD kit but it also uses Intel-based NICs, which is why it works with ESXi compared to most AMD-based kits which prefers Realtek-based NICs which ESXi drivers do not exists. Support for multiple NVMe slots and network interfaces, makes this a very nice kit without having to deal with the Intel Hybrid CPU architecture and what stands out on the NucBox M7 is the inclusion of an OCuLink port.

Similiar to Thunderbolt, the OCuLink interface allows users to add additional capabilities, initially the use case for OCuLink is to add external graphics and there are a few OCuLink eGPU chassis from the AOOSTAR AG01 to the Minisforum DEG1. While OCuLink accessories is mostly focused on adding eGPU capabilities, I was able to find some M.2 expansion chassis using OCuLink such as NFHK Oculink M.2 (1 x NVMe) and AOOSTAR TB4S-OC (4 x NVMe) that is fairly inexpensive when compared to a Thunderbolt-based chassis, a nice benefit with a new competitor in this space.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280)
Network: 2 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 127mm x 132.08mm x 58.42 mm
Website: https://www.gmktec.com/products/amd-ryzen-7-pro-6850h-mini-pc-nucbox-m7

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra

The ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is a new form factor from Lenovo and gives off a strong Apple Mac Studio vibe. In addition to supporting the latest Intel 14th Generation CPU and potentially up to 96GB (officially it only lists 64GB DDR5), the larger form factor of the Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra embeds an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and can also be configured with an additional Discrete NPU (Neural Processing Unit) accelerator based on Kinara Ara-2. I recently wrote about using the Lunar Lake Intel NPU with ESXi for workload acceleration, the additional NPU option with the GPU could be an interesting capability for those looking to play with AL/ML workloads.

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 64GB (DDR5)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280)
Network: 1 x 1GbE (i219)
Dimensions: 107mm x 195mm x 196mm
Website: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/desktops/thinkcentre/thinkcentre-neo-series/lenovo-thinkcentre-neo-ultra-intel-usff/12w1cto1wwus1

Lenovo P3 Tiny

The Lenovo P3 Tiny is a kit that I have reviewed before (see HERE) and it is great to see Lenovo updating this kit to support the latest Intel 14th Generation CPUs. I also like the configurations options that P3 Tiny provides which includes adding additional networking options (see website below for details) or adding an NVIDIA T400 (4GB), T1000 or T1000 (8GB) for more graphics capabilities that can be used variety of different workloads.

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 2 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 1 x SATA
Network: 1 x 1GbE (i219)
Dimensions: 179mm x 182.9mm x 37mm
Website: https://psref.lenovo.com/Product/ThinkStation/ThinkStation_P3_Tiny

Minisforum MS-01 or SimplyNUC Onyx

Minisforum has really made a name for itself in recent years, introducing a number of interesting and unique small form factor systems. The MS-01 really stood out to me as it checks off many of the boxes for an ideal ESXi homelab setup from supporting multiple NVMe slots to having both 2.5GbE & 10GbE (SPF+) connectivity. While I would love to more hands on with Minisforum portofolio from a VMware perspective, thanks to a fellow colleague, I did get a chance to play with the MS-01, which you can read the full review HERE.

CPU: Intel 13th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 3 x M.2 NVMe (2280) OR 2 M.2 NVMe (2280) and 1 x U.2 SSD
Network: 2 x 2.5GbE (i226) & 2 x 10GbE SFP+ (X710)
Dimensions: 196mm × 189mm × 48mm
Website: https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-ms-01 or https://simplynuc.com/product/nuc24oxgv9/

Protectli Vault Pro 6650/6670

The Vault Pro 6650/6670 is another interesting kit that I came to across from the VMware Community and is an excellent system for those needing a bunch of network interfaces that includes 4 x 2.5GbE and 2 x 10GbE SFP+ ports. The fanless design of the Vault Pro 6650/6670 also means you will have both a capable and quiet system, which is not always the case with the amount of capabilities this system includes. I did a full review of the Vault Pro 6650/6670 earlier this year, which you can read more about HERE.

CPU: Intel 12th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 1 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 2 x SATA
Network: 4 x 2.5GbE (i226) & 2 x 10GbE SFP+ (X710-BM2)
Dimensions: 191mm x 178mm x 76mm
Website: https://protectli.com/vault-6-port

SimplyNUC extremeEDGE 3000

The extremeEDGE 3000 from SimplyNUC is the third generation of their Edge-focused product line and packs some really useful capabilities across compute, storage and networking as you can see from the stats below. I was pretty impressed with their latest extremeEDGE 3000, which I had the opportunity to get hands on with and you can read the full review HERE. Whether you have an Edge use case or want something that is compact and quiet, the extremeEDGE is a great choice and provides AMD-based CPU for those looking for more compute options.

CPU: AMD Ryzen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 3 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 1 x M.2 NVMe (2242)
Network: 4 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 163 mm x 149 mm x 72.94 mm
Website: https://www.simplynuc.media/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NUC_134_BMC-enabled-3000-Series-Spec-Sheets.pdf

Vecow TGS-1500

The last time I saw a modular and stackable system was from Hivecell back in 2019, so it was refreshing to learn about the flexible TGS-1500 platform from Vecow. The base configuration of the TGS-1500 includes all the latest compute, storage and networking capabilities that you would expect in 2024 and with their modular design, you can add additional I/O or AI Accelerator using their compact MXM form factor.

You can tell that the TGS-1500 is aimed at supporting graphics intensive and/or AI/ML workloads with the list of supported AI accelerators: NVIDIA RTX A2000 Ada, NVIDIA RTX A2000, NVIDIA Quadro T1000, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, NVIDIA Quadro RTX A3500 Ada, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 Ada or Intel Arc A370M. Per NVIDIA vGPU documentation, it looks like both the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 & Quadro RTX 5000 Ada can support vGPU, so that would be another added bonus for those interested in playing with Private AI Foundation for NVIDIA (PAIF-N).

CPU: Intel 14th Gen
Memory: 96GB (DDR5)
Storage: 1 x M.2 NVMe (2280) & 1 x M.2 NVMe (2242)
Network: 1 x 2.5GbE (i226)
Dimensions: 117mm x 120mm x 88.3mm
Website: https://www.vecow.com/dispPageBox/vecow/VecowCT.aspx?ddsPageID=PRODUCTDTL_EN&dbid=5975100935

More from my site

Updated Dashboard for VMware Community Homelabs using Dashimo
Slick Jonsbo D31 computer case with embedded LCD screen for homelab
ESXi on Protectli Vault Pro 6650/6670
ESXi on Minisforum MS-01
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 running on Intel NUC

Categories // ESXi, Home Lab Tags // homelab

Create as relational CMDB in MS SQL for inventory

05.13.2025 by pablovillaronga //

Let’s enhance the previous database design with sample data and a visual schema diagram to provide a comprehensive understanding.

🗂️ Enhanced Database Schema with Sample Data

1. Items Table

Stores metadata about storage devices.

CREATE TABLE Items (
    item_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    serial_number VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    model VARCHAR(100),
    manufacturer VARCHAR(100)
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO Items (item_id, serial_number, model, manufacturer)
VALUES
(1, 'SN123456789', 'StoragePro 5000', 'TechCorp'),
(2, 'SN987654321', 'DataMax 3000', 'DataWorks');

2. Firmware Table

Stores firmware details and their support status.

CREATE TABLE Firmware (
    firmware_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    version VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    release_date DATE,
    is_eos BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,  -- End of Support
    is_eol BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE   -- End of Life
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO Firmware (firmware_id, version, release_date, is_eos, is_eol)
VALUES
(1, 'v1.0.0', '2022-01-01', TRUE, FALSE),
(2, 'v2.0.0', '2023-06-15', FALSE, FALSE),
(3, 'v3.0.0', '2024-11-20', FALSE, TRUE);

3. ItemFirmware Table

Links items to their installed firmware versions.

CREATE TABLE ItemFirmware (
    item_firmware_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    item_id INT,
    firmware_id INT,
    installed_on DATE,
    FOREIGN KEY (item_id) REFERENCES Items(item_id),
    FOREIGN KEY (firmware_id) REFERENCES Firmware(firmware_id)
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO ItemFirmware (item_firmware_id, item_id, firmware_id, installed_on)
VALUES
(1, 1, 1, '2022-01-01'),
(2, 2, 2, '2023-06-15');

4. FindingsRecommendations Table

Stores known issues, statuses, and recommendations for firmware versions.

CREATE TABLE FindingsRecommendations (
    finding_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    firmware_id INT,
    recommendation TEXT,
    needs_update BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
    FOREIGN KEY (firmware_id) REFERENCES Firmware(firmware_id)
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO FindingsRecommendations (finding_id, firmware_id, recommendation, needs_update)
VALUES
(1, 1, 'Firmware v1.0.0 is EOS; consider upgrading to v2.0.0.', TRUE),
(2, 2, 'Firmware v2.0.0 is current; no update needed.', FALSE),
(3, 3, 'Firmware v3.0.0 is EOL; upgrade to v2.0.0 or newer.', TRUE);

🔎 Sample Query

To retrieve all items, their firmware versions, and associated recommendations:

SELECT
    i.item_id,
    i.serial_number,
    i.model,
    f.version AS firmware_version,
    f.is_eos,
    f.is_eol,
    fr.recommendation,
    fr.needs_update
FROM Items i
JOIN ItemFirmware ifw ON i.item_id = ifw.item_id
JOIN Firmware f ON ifw.firmware_id = f.firmware_id
LEFT JOIN FindingsRecommendations fr ON f.firmware_id = fr.firmware_id;

Expected Output:

item_id	serial_number	model	firmware_version	is_eos	is_eol	recommendation	needs_update
1	SN123456789	StoragePro 5000	v1.0.0	TRUE	FALSE	Firmware v1.0.0 is EOS; consider upgrading to v2.0.0.	TRUE
2	SN987654321	DataMax 3000	v2.0.0	FALSE	FALSE	Firmware v2.0.0 is current; no update needed.	FALSE

🖼️ Visual Schema Diagram

Here’s a visual representation of the database schema:

So as you see is missing relationships (links) between Items and Firmware and Customers : Let’s enhance the previous database design with sample data and relationships for all tables :

🧠 Best Practices for Database Design

To ensure a robust and scalable database design:

Normalization: Ensure data is organized to reduce redundancy and improve integrity.
Indexing: Create indexes on frequently queried columns to enhance performance.
Referential Integrity: Use foreign keys to maintain consistent relationships between tables.
Versioning: Implement schema versioning to track changes and maintain compatibility.
Documentation: Document schema changes and maintain a changelog for transparency and maintainability.(Medium, GeeksforGeeks, Metaplane)

So i have an error when creating the Database :

Msg 128, Level 15, State 1, Line 14
The name "FALSE" is not permitted in this context. Valid expressions are constants, constant expressions, and (in some contexts) variables. Column names are not permitted.

Msg 128, Level 15, State 1, Line 33
The name "FALSE" is not permitted in this context. Valid expressions are constants, constant expressions, and (in some contexts) variables. Column names are not permitted.error:

The error you are seeing is related to the usage of the FALSE and TRUE literals in SQL. SQL Server does not recognize TRUE and FALSE as Boolean constants, unlike some other SQL-based systems.

To fix this, we need to represent boolean values using integers or BIT type. In SQL Server, you typically use 0 (for FALSE) and 1 (for TRUE) to represent boolean values.

Here’s how you can fix your schema:

1. Change `BOOLEAN` to `BIT` Type

In SQL Server, the BIT data type is used to represent boolean values (0 or 1). Modify the tables like this:

-- Table: Firmware (use BIT instead of BOOLEAN)
CREATE TABLE Firmware (
    firmware_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    version VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    release_date DATE,
    is_eos BIT DEFAULT 0,  -- 0 = FALSE, 1 = TRUE
    is_eol BIT DEFAULT 0   -- 0 = FALSE, 1 = TRUE
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO Firmware (firmware_id, version, release_date, is_eos, is_eol)
VALUES
(1, 'v1.0.0', '2022-01-01', 1, 0),  -- EOS (TRUE), not EOL (FALSE)
(2, 'v2.0.0', '2023-06-15', 0, 0),  -- not EOS (FALSE), not EOL (FALSE)
(3, 'v3.0.0', '2024-11-20', 0, 1);  -- not EOS (FALSE), EOL (TRUE)

2. Modify the FindingsRecommendations Table

The same logic applies here as well for the needs_update column, changing it to a BIT type:

-- Table: FindingsRecommendations (use BIT instead of BOOLEAN)
CREATE TABLE FindingsRecommendations (
    finding_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    firmware_id INT,
    recommendation TEXT,
    needs_update BIT DEFAULT 0,  -- 0 = FALSE, 1 = TRUE
    FOREIGN KEY (firmware_id) REFERENCES Firmware(firmware_id)
);

-- Sample Data
INSERT INTO FindingsRecommendations (finding_id, firmware_id, recommendation, needs_update)
VALUES
(1, 1, 'Firmware v1.0.0 is EOS; consider upgrading to v2.0.0.', 1),  -- Needs Update (TRUE)
(2, 2, 'Firmware v2.0.0 is current; no update needed.', 0),         -- No Update Needed (FALSE)
(3, 3, 'Firmware v3.0.0 is EOL; upgrade to v2.0.0 or newer.', 1);   -- Needs Update (TRUE)

3. Querying with Correct Boolean Syntax

Now, when querying the database, you can use 1 for TRUE and 0 for FALSE:

SELECT
    i.item_id,
    i.serial_number,
    i.model,
    f.version AS firmware_version,
    f.is_eos,
    f.is_eol,
    fr.recommendation,
    fr.needs_update
FROM Items i
JOIN ItemFirmware ifw ON i.item_id = ifw.item_id
JOIN Firmware f ON ifw.firmware_id = f.firmware_id
LEFT JOIN FindingsRecommendations fr ON f.firmware_id = fr.firmware_id;

Expected Output:

item_id	serial_number	model	firmware_version	is_eos	is_eol	recommendation	needs_update
1	SN123456789	StoragePro 5000	v1.0.0	1	0	Firmware v1.0.0 is EOS; consider upgrading to v2.0.0.	1
2	SN987654321	DataMax 3000	v2.0.0	0	0	Firmware v2.0.0 is current; no update needed.	0

Quick Recap:

BOOLEAN is not supported in SQL Server. Use BIT instead, where 0 represents FALSE and 1 represents TRUE.
Modify the is_eos, is_eol, and needs_update columns to use the BIT data type.

As the errors still persist , Great! You’re asking to revise the entire schema and define new relationships based on:

SystemInfo has a SystemID that links to CustomerID
serial_number in Items maps to SerialNumber in SystemInfo
item_firmware_id should relate directly to firmware_id

Let me give you a clean, logically revised SQL Server schema with:

✅ Proper relationships
✅ Foreign key constraints
✅ Sample data
✅ Relationship enforcement

🗃️ New Database Schema (with all new relationships)

-- Drop tables in reverse dependency order
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS FindingsRecommendations;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS ItemFirmware;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS Firmware;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS Items;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS SystemInfo;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS Customers;

-- Table: Customers
CREATE TABLE Customers (
    CustomerID INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    CustomerName VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL
);

-- Table: SystemInfo (Each system belongs to a Customer)
CREATE TABLE SystemInfo (
    SystemID INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    SerialNumber VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
    Model VARCHAR(100),
    Manufacturer VARCHAR(100),
    CustomerID INT NOT NULL,
    FOREIGN KEY (CustomerID) REFERENCES Customers(CustomerID)
);

-- Table: Items (This maps serial_number to SystemInfo)
CREATE TABLE Items (
    item_id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    serial_number VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    FOREIGN KEY (serial_number) REFERENCES SystemInfo(SerialNumber)
);

-- Table: Firmware
CREATE TABLE Firmware (
    firmware_id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    version VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    release_date DATE,
    is_eos BIT DEFAULT 0,
    is_eol BIT DEFAULT 0
);

-- Table: ItemFirmware (Tracks which firmware is installed on an item)
CREATE TABLE ItemFirmware (
    item_firmware_id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    item_id INT NOT NULL,
    firmware_id INT NOT NULL,
    installed_on DATE,
    FOREIGN KEY (item_id) REFERENCES Items(item_id),
    FOREIGN KEY (firmware_id) REFERENCES Firmware(firmware_id)
);

-- Table: Findings and Recommendations (linked to firmware)
CREATE TABLE FindingsRecommendations (
    finding_id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
    firmware_id INT NOT NULL,
    recommendation TEXT,
    needs_update BIT DEFAULT 0,
    FOREIGN KEY (firmware_id) REFERENCES Firmware(firmware_id)
);

🧪 Sample Data

-- Insert sample customers
INSERT INTO Customers (CustomerName)
VALUES ('Acme Corp'), ('Globex Inc');

-- Insert system info (link to customer)
INSERT INTO SystemInfo (SerialNumber, Model, Manufacturer, CustomerID)
VALUES
('SN1001', 'X-Drive 1000', 'DriveCo', 1),
('SN2002', 'X-Drive 2000', 'DriveCo', 2);

-- Insert into Items (linked to SerialNumber in SystemInfo)
INSERT INTO Items (serial_number)
VALUES ('SN1001'), ('SN2002');

-- Insert firmware
INSERT INTO Firmware (version, release_date, is_eos, is_eol)
VALUES
('v1.0.0', '2022-01-01', 1, 0),
('v2.0.0', '2023-06-15', 0, 0),
('v3.0.0', '2024-11-20', 0, 1);

-- Insert firmware installed on items
INSERT INTO ItemFirmware (item_id, firmware_id, installed_on)
VALUES
(1, 1, '2022-01-01'),
(2, 2, '2023-06-15');

-- Insert recommendations
INSERT INTO FindingsRecommendations (firmware_id, recommendation, needs_update)
VALUES
(1, 'Firmware v1.0.0 is EOS. Upgrade recommended.', 1),
(2, 'Firmware v2.0.0 is current. No update needed.', 0),
(3, 'Firmware v3.0.0 is EOL. Upgrade immediately.', 1);

🔍 Sample Query to Show All Relationships

SELECT
    c.CustomerName,
    s.SystemID,
    s.SerialNumber,
    s.Model,
    i.item_id,
    f.version AS firmware_version,
    f.is_eos,
    f.is_eol,
    fr.recommendation,
    fr.needs_update
FROM Customers c
JOIN SystemInfo s ON c.CustomerID = s.CustomerID
JOIN Items i ON s.SerialNumber = i.serial_number
JOIN ItemFirmware ifw ON i.item_id = ifw.item_id
JOIN Firmware f ON ifw.firmware_id = f.firmware_id
LEFT JOIN FindingsRecommendations fr ON f.firmware_id = fr.firmware_id;

✅ Relationship Summary

Table	Foreign Key Link
`SystemInfo`	→ `Customers.CustomerID`
`Items`	→ `SystemInfo.SerialNumber`
`ItemFirmware`	→ `Items.item_id` + `Firmware.firmware_id`
`FindingsRecommendations`	→ `Firmware.firmware_id`