In this article I will explain my experience of my first homelab.
Definitions
vm = Virtual Machine (complete definition)
iso file = Disk / CD image compressed in one file, frequently used to install operating systems (complete definition)
proxmox = Operating system based on kvm software designed to facilitate vm management (Proxmox)
How it started
2 years ago, I met a friend who is fond of servers... Like a virus he contamined me and I started my homelab with a raspberry pi. 6 months after, I bought a Dell Tower Server (T320) and installed Proxmox.
Please note that I am not a professional, i’m only passionate.
Experiences
In this section I will tell you stories that appened with my homelab.
Backups, backups and organize storage
One of my biggest mistakes hopefully appended 2 months after creating my first vms. I hadn’t setuped backup job and I only backuped my vms once…
Results: one of my raid-0 (9yo) disk died and I lost all my server; from the system to vms and backups. Hopefully I had copied all backups to my PC and I didn’t lost all my datas…
After that story I divided server root fs in one disk, iso / unimportant files in another and vms in one redunded disk (raid-1).
I setuped Proxmox backups for backuping each vm everyday and keep a daily, weekly and monthly one.
Caddies for drive bay
When I wanted to add more storage I was confused to didn't find disk drive caddies easily. My server has 8 disk emplacement for disk drives but he only came with 3 caddies (and 3 disks). I bought 5 more that I found on amazone but next time I will ensure that there is no missing pieces like these.
Monitoring
Monitoring tools I use.
Maltrail:
I recommend you to use Maltrail if you would like to ensure your server security...
You will see every connection to your server and it will helps you to write more firewall rules.
Netdata:
Self-hosted or in the cloud, Netdata is the software that notify you of any process, software or hardware problem or failure. You feel safer to know that you haven't to check charts everyday to see problems.
Uptime Kuma:
A classical one: Kuma Uptime. I register all my application urls and activated sms notification to be notified to any application failure. Very useful with his status pages to organize multiple monitors in one public page !
Next
My current homelab setup is not very clean... A lot of useless vm are on my only server... But some important application are running on it and the server is directly connected to my home network so I need a new, fresh and clean, production server isolated in a vlan to make my homelab even secure.
I'm currently looking for rackable servers and Ikea lack table. I want to make a DIY rack built with lack tables !
I will write an article when my homelab will level up !
Thank you very much for reading,
Have nice code,
See you later !
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