My journey in the digital jungle
Virtualization is a good friend and your worst enemy ... Applications in the lab are Docker, Docker-Compose and Portainer. On that base anything is possibe.
I started my journey in 70's with punch-cards and batch computing.
In the 80's we got computer kit’s and soon we had home computers. I studied sorting algorithms and matrix math, these was valuable later in life. Trying gaming but not really my cup of tea. Made my first real program’s, a forecast estimator based on matrix math and a time and score app for skiing/running. I also started to code my ERP system that was solid for many years.
In the 90’s I worked as CFO creating db-based app’s and with my team we designed servers and networking for enterprise customers and multinationals. In my spare-time i built computers and servers. Soon I had a family server for ourselves to store homework, pictures and files. I used one of my decommissioned PC’s.
In the new millennium I switched to a decommissioned server. And now I have a several nodes in a Proxmox cluster. Today it's 14 servers in total - crazy, isn't it.
I did a promise my wife to down the number to 3-4 before I'm 70 in march 2025.
HW
Hardware can be almost anything and usually is just that. I started using old decommissioned PC’s from home or work. Build some new ones occasionally but it’s cheaper to use "road kill".
Now I’m using decommissioned servers, they have a lot of core’s and memory but they are extremely noisy (in data centers it doesn’t matter). I still have one self-built backup server.
My preference is HP (used them in my professional life), have 5 of them.
OS
Operating Systems is a commodity you change. Trying everything but using few.
Starting with RedHat, moving to Ubuntu on server and PCs, trying Win on the side - did not like, switching to server virtualization and Arch.
Virtualization is a good friend and your worst enemy. Hypervisors I used in my lab: KVM, Xen, VMware but now I have switched to Proxmox. On the desktop i use mainly Qemu/KVM but still have some on VirtualBox.
Net
Your ISP is what it is. If you plan to host web-servers you should have a fast up stream. Networking is important for me, have the lab servers next door. I use L2 and L3 switches, vlans need them. My preference is TP Link if I need small ones but HP L3 for the lab.
The Backbone Applications in the Lab are Docker, Docker-Compose and Portainer. On that base - anything is possible.
Today
Docker is the main part of my Lab and Production. I run Docker, Docker-Compose and Portainer. NginX Proxy Manager, Authelia, fail2ban, CrowdSec, Whoogle, Dozzle, WatchTower, HomeAssistant, OPenSpeedTest, InfluxDB, Grafana, NextCloud, Lychee, Pi-Hole, pfSense, Uptime Kuma, OpenWRT, Bind 9, Ghost, WD; Whoogle and ...
I will share my docker-compose files with you, sofar I have a few ready in my total rebuild of the HomeLab. More will be coming.
My setup today is 9 Proxmox servers running VM's and LXC's and for storage and backup, 3 PBS's, 2 NAS servers and 1 TrueNAS.
I mainly run Ubuntu 22.04 VM's and some LXC's in production. Some systems have been better to setup on Debian and some on something else.
I have a control setup in my office with 2+1 PC with 4+1 screens. My daily driver is a MacBook Pro and my development PC is running Arch Linux. For some special use cases I have a Win 7 and a Win 10 machine. I run a number of virtual desktops in the development PC Win 7 and 10 and even an XP that run iLO and a temp control apps.
Info: I run most of my servers from an other building due to the noise and heath - the wife's request.
Servers are noisy, actually very noisy. They also generate a lot of heat.
My Background
I started my studies (1970) when we used punch-cards and got listings back a week later, usually. My first products was a forecasting system based around matrix mathematics and a set of small helper apps for finance and marketing.
Worked with training, auditing, marketing/sales, system design and architecture.
I spent 21 years in multinationals before coming a full time entrepreneur.
I was the author of an early ERP system that started its life in the 80's and evolved later into a Client-Server system using first RedHat, then Ubuntu for awhile and finally CentOS servers. I all development 2010. My company also supplied companies with general purpose Linux servers, services and support, mainly based on CentOS to our and our partners customers and. I retired from IT in 2010 and from business in 2020.
