"I am a big advocate for the healthy, modern concept of a true work-life balance. Focus at work, accomplish the tasks, and then move on. However, over the past few months, I've found myself embracing a slightly different philosophy."
This isn't about being glued to my desk after hours, reviewing tickets, or configuring enterprise switches for the park. Instead, my "work at home" comes in a much more enjoyable and educational way: the creation and evolution of my personal homelab.
The Origin Story: From LAMP to Linux
My journey into homelabbing started with a simple interest to learn the fundamentals of Linux.
Naturally, I chose Ubuntu. My first interactions were basic: the typical apt update and
upgrade cycles.
I soon found myself attempting to set up a classic LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP), even though I barely understood the architectural implications at the time. I struggled with my parents' router to configure port forwarding and even attempted to set up a dedicated access point just to get a stable connection for my Xbox. These early frustrations were the seeds of my current infrastructure career.
The Current Stack: Powering the Lab
Fast forward to today, and my environment is significantly more robust. I've moved away from single machines and into the world of high-availability and virtualization.
Hardware & Virtualization
- The Compute: A four-node Proxmox cluster handling LXC Containers, VMs, and specialized Docker nodes.
- Networking: An 8-port managed switch with VLAN segmentation for internal traffic control and security.
- Routing: A dedicated MikroTik router managing firewall rules and secure VPN access.
- Storage: A centralized NAS acting as shared storage via iSCSI to back the entire Proxmox cluster.
- Data Integrity: Utilizing Proxmox Backup Server for a consistent backup strategy.
The Professional Feedback Loop
The lab setup has been a great supplement to my professional development as an IT Infrastructure
Engineer. Navigating the Ubuntu CLI and using vi to edit configuration files within
Proxmox nodes has become second nature.
The interest to set up new services has helped me venture into Docker, moving beyond the basics into persistent volumes and complex port mapping.
Passion & Problem Solving
The greatest benefit is purely personal; this is my passion. I take lessons from my professional workday and apply them home, and vice-versa. There is an almost euphoric feeling when a tough problem at work is resolved, or when a new system—like my current focus on Immich (a Google Photos alternative) and Frigate (NVR solution)—comes online successfully.