before start on this post, have to stress the devices I use with the matter I have and may be yours.
I use SATA and pc consumer grade for this I have and in range I saw what it can serve, but some work need a lot more.
this consumer grade ubuntu server can serve as file server, docker, test bed for GoLang, Python, some test for MariaDB or MangoDB but it will never good enough for large corporate Database.
some more to point out.
enterprise SAS drive may suite some usages more than consumer grade SATA harddisk.
SAS came from Serial Attached Stands for Small Computer System Interface; it develop from SCSI drive same way as SATA develop from PATA.
now we continue on install ubuntu
you can remember how to create usb boot disk from image ? now you need it plug it to your usb and set for boot.
what may the most part of this particular post may be this, all package that you can install, or you can choose nothing and install later.
note: docker -> for docker usages
mosquito for zigbee (IOT product)
nextcloud, googlecloud and aws may quite obvious most.
next time let we explore some possibilities on the ubuntu server itself.