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@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ In 2015, I upgraded to a Raspberry Pi 2, seeking better performance to run multi
By 2018, the need for more RAM led me to a Raspberry Pi 3, allowing me to run even more applications. My 3 little machines were running happily together, in a quite ordered mess.
Finally, in 2019, my new job made me experiment the virtualization, with virtual machines and above all Docker. I wanted to try that at home, I took a significant step forward with a compact yet quite powerful headless mini PC that laid the foundation of my homelab.
Finally, in 2019, my new job made me discover the virtualization, with virtual machines and above all Docker. I wanted to try that at home, I took a significant step forward with a compact yet quite powerful headless mini PC that laid the foundation of my homelab.
---
## Why a Homelab ?
I wanted my own playground, a space where I could build but also safely break things, learn to fix them, and gain a deeper understanding of how they work.
My single server was great, but testing anything risky on it became a problem. It was running critical services like home automation or DNS, when it was down, everything was down. The server had become indispensable, and believe me, having no lights or internet is a major incident in my family. Not so fun anymore.
My single server was great, but testing anything risky on it became a problem. It was running critical services like home automation or DNS, and believe me, having no lights or internet is a major incident in my family. The server had become indispensable. When it was down, everything was down. Not so fun anymore.
The first big challenge I set for myself was building a Kubernetes cluster. Sure, I could run one on a single node, but whats the point of a cluster with only one node? You could argue that running Kubernetes to control my shutters is overkill, and youd be right. But that wasnt the point.
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ That meant:
- **High Availability:** Three nodes to ensure that no single point of failure would bring everything down.
- **Distributed Storage:** Data redundancy across nodes, not just for uptime but also to learn how enterprise-grade storage systems work.
- **Network Segmentation:** Multiple VLANs to mimic real-world network topologies, isolate services, and practice advanced networking.
Basically, I wanted to build a tiny datacenter in a closet.
### Constraints
Of course, reality doesnt always align with ambitions. Heres what I was up against:
@@ -52,8 +54,6 @@ Of course, reality doesnt always align with ambitions. Heres what I was up
- **Budget:** I wasnt going to drop thousands on enterprise-grade hardware. The balance was finding reliable, second-hand gear that wouldnt break the bank.
- **Temperature**: Im not gonna lie, I hadn't thought of it... Mini PCs dont generate much heat, but network gear? Thats a different story. Lesson learned.
In a nutshell, I wanted to build a tiny datacenter in a closet.
---
## Infrastructure Overview
@@ -121,10 +121,8 @@ Inside the rack, I also added two 80mm fans to help with airflow. To keep everyt
Here what is look like:
![Front view of my homelab with legend](img/homelab-rack-legend.png)
![Different views of my homelab with open and closed enclosure](img/homelab-enclore-open-closed.png)
![homelab-rack-legend.png](img/homelab-rack-legend.png)
![homelab-enclore-open-closed.png](img/homelab-enclore-open-closed.png)
---
## Software Stack
@@ -184,7 +182,7 @@ This two-layer proxy setup centralizes SSL certificate management in **Caddy** w
For secure remote access, I configured **WireGuard** on OPNsense. This lightweight VPN provides encrypted connectivity to my lab from anywhere, allowing management of all my services without exposing them all directly to the internet.
#### Network Diagram
![Diagram of my home network ](img/homelab-network-schema.png)
![homelab-network-schema.png](img/homelab-network-schema.png)
### Application
Let's dive into the fun part! What started as a modest setup meant to serve a few personal needs quickly turned into a full ecosystem of open source services, each solving a specific need or just satisfying curiosity.