“A homelab is a setup of one or more servers located in a home, used for testing various hardware configurations, operating systems, and applications. It serves as a personal environment for experimentation, learning, and development in computing.”
As the quote implies, I have set up a homelab as a space to learn, experiment, and also self-host a number of applications and services.
This allows me to gain experience in IT outside of the workplace as well as having fun!
Why self host?
Many services these days are available “on the cloud”, and as such there is less need to run programs or apps locally. This means things have become more convenient and easy than ever before, which in many ways is a good thing!
However it does bring with it various concerns, such as privacy, uptime, and freedom of use. The cloud is often quoted as just “someone else’s computer”, and with that, you never truly know if your data is secure. Many of the tools I host, such as my image/document backup, aren’t things I would want someone else to manage or control. In the current age, dataleaks are very common, as well as data being used for AI training. Self hosting allows me to keep things secure on my own terms.
Additionally, cloud-hosted tools are restricted due to resources. This is something I’m able to control myself budget permitting, freeing myself from the limits of Google and Microsoft storage, or upload limits for compression and conversion tools. I’m able to keep my data safe, always available, and most importantly, free!
What do I self host?
I self host a few different tools and services
- jellyfin
- minecraft server (crafty controller)
- immmich
- paperless ngx
- converter
- 8mblocal
- pihole
- syncthing
- localai
- ipandroidcamera