Kickstart Your HomeLab Adventure

InfoThis is a summary of the following YouTube video:

How to start your HomeLab journey?

Christian Lempa

May 7, 2024

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Science & Technology

Introduction

  1. Christian introduces the video by discussing the importance of starting a Homelab journey for tech enthusiasts and IT professionals. He emphasizes that hands-on experience in a Homelab can significantly advance one's IT career.
  2. He acknowledges that starting a Homelab can be overwhelming due to the impressive builds by other tech creators and the complexity of the technology involved. The purpose of the video is to simplify this process and share best practices for starting a Homelab.
  3. Christian highlights the importance of learning the fundamentals and gaining industry recognition. He recommends Simplilearn’s DevOps Engineer Master’s Program as a valuable resource for mastering various IT skills, including deployment methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, and tools like Git, Docker, and Jenkins.
  4. The Simplilearn course is praised for its comprehensive coverage of essential DevOps tools and methodologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes, and for providing hands-on experience through Google Cloud labs and real-life projects. The course is designed to equip learners with practical knowledge demanded by companies.
  5. Christian mentions that the course includes training on various platforms and tools, including AWS, Ansible, Linux, and GitHub. Upon completion, learners receive an industry-recognized DevOps Engineer Master certificate from Simplilearn.
  6. He also notes that Simplilearn offers courses in other subjects like data science, business analytics, AI, machine learning, and project management, in collaboration with leading universities worldwide.
  7. Christian concludes by encouraging viewers to check out the Simplilearn DevOps Engineer Master’s Program and thanks Simplilearn for sponsoring the video.

What is a HomeLab?

  1. A home lab is a personal IT playground for learning and experimenting with various technologies.
  2. It can be used for educational purposes, such as building professional computer networks or experimenting with different operating systems like Linux and Windows.
  3. Some people use home labs for self-hosting and building their own applications at home.
  4. The scale of a home lab can range from a small Raspberry Pi setup to a large data center capable of running high-availability workloads.
  5. The three essential areas of a home lab are hardware, software, and networking.
  6. Having a good plan for these three areas is crucial for successfully starting a home lab.

Best HomeLab hardware!

  1. For beginners or those on a budget, using existing hardware is a simple and cost-effective way to start a home lab.
  2. Programs like VirtualBox or Microsoft Hyper-V, which are free to download, can be used to install virtual machines for initial experiments.
  3. Using virtual machines allows you to experiment without risking damage to your primary system.
  4. For more serious home lab setups, especially if you plan to run it 24/7, self-host applications, or provide file storage, a dedicated separate machine is recommended.

Desktop PC hardware

  1. Using an old desktop or gaming PC as a home server is a viable option. This approach can revitalize old hardware and is suitable for beginners.
  2. The speaker personally prefers running home servers on desktop PC hardware. This includes using desktop mainboards with AMD or Intel CPUs without issues, even when running multiple virtual machines and workloads.
  3. Key considerations include the amount of memory needed, the number of SATA ports, and PCI Express slots on the mainboard, especially for building a storage server with multiple hard drives.

Minis PCs, Raspberry Pi, ZimaBoard, etc.

  1. The Raspberry Pi is a small, affordable single-board computer suitable for various projects. It is power-efficient and can be used in Homelabs for tasks like running IoT controllers or DNS servers.
  2. The ZimaBoard is similar to the Raspberry Pi but features a real x86 architecture CPU, making it also power-efficient. It is suitable for keeping services online in a Homelab even when larger machines are off.
  3. Thin clients and smaller mini computers are good alternatives for starting a Homelab on a lower budget. They are suitable for running smaller applications but may lack the power for more demanding tasks.

Professional server hardware

  1. Professional server equipment like Dell PowerEdge and HP Pro Series can be used in a Homelab. These servers come in various sizes and configurations, providing as much power as needed.
  2. Older versions of professional servers can be bought cheaply on eBay as companies retire their data center equipment. These servers are often fully functional despite being old and refurbished.
  3. Professional servers offer benefits such as network management capabilities, even when powered off, and redundant components like dual power supplies, dual CPUs, and ECC memory support.
  4. However, professional servers can be noisy and consume a lot of power, making them less ideal for home use, especially in places with high electricity costs.
  5. For those with a separate room or basement and who don't mind the electricity bill, professional servers can be a great addition to a Homelab, even if just for show.
  6. Homelab options range from small, power-efficient devices like Raspberry Pis and mini computers to medium builds with desktop PC hardware, and up to advanced setups with professional server equipment.

Best HomeLab software!

  1. When building a home lab, selecting the appropriate software is essential.
  2. A major decision is choosing the operating system for the server, whether it should be Windows or Linux, and if Linux, which distribution to use.
  3. Consideration must also be given to the applications and services to deploy, and whether to install them directly on the server or run them in a container.
  4. There are numerous options available, which can be overwhelming for beginners.
  5. The speaker offers personal recommendations based on their experience.

Hypervisor operating systems

  1. Proxmox is an open-source hypervisor platform based on Linux KVM, suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
  2. It is used to run various workloads such as virtual machines, containers, and storage on home servers.
  3. Proxmox allows users to test and experiment with different operating systems without affecting the main system.
  4. Other hypervisor systems like TrueNAS, Unraid, Windows Server, and XCP-ng are also suitable for Homelab setups.
  5. These systems can be installed directly on server hardware, enabling the testing of different operating systems and applications.
  6. Proxmox supports running multiple types of servers, including application servers, database servers, container orchestration servers, and Windows domain controllers.
  7. For smaller systems like Raspberry Pi or ZimaBoard, running multiple systems may not be practical.
  8. It is recommended to choose an operating system with an easy management platform for running virtual machines, rather than using Linux KVM alone.

Virtual machine operating systems

  1. The speaker expresses a personal preference for Ubuntu Linux as the main operating system for a HomeLab.
  2. They acknowledge that there are many other Linux distributions available, such as Debian and CentOS, which can also be used in a HomeLab.
  3. The speaker emphasizes that their preference is subjective and not an endorsement of Ubuntu as the best option, avoiding any debates over which Linux distribution is superior.
  4. The discussion then shifts to deploying applications in a HomeLab, such as web servers, home dashboards, and file storage.
  5. The speaker mentions a preference for running applications in containers, highlighting their utility in a HomeLab environment.

App deployment in containers

  1. Docker is a highly favored tool for deploying and managing containers.
  2. Containers, similar to virtual machines, provide a way to separate and isolate workloads.
  3. They make it easier for software developers to build and ship apps with all necessary requirements and libraries prepackaged.
  4. The architecture and benefits of containers are advantageous for software developers.
  5. Homelab enthusiasts appreciate containers for their simplicity and ease of running apps using container management platforms and tools.

Container management tools

  1. POA is a platform for managing and deploying application templates for various container images, including web servers and databases.
  2. DOCH is another open-source project similar to POA but is considered more beginner-friendly.
  3. Docker Compose allows for managing containers using standardized YAML template files, making it ideal for tutorials and consistent usage.
  4. Using containers in a Homelab can significantly enhance workflow efficiency.
  5. For advanced users, diving deeper into container management can further optimize the Homelab experience.

Container orchestration

  1. Container orchestration is an advanced topic that involves running container orchestrators like Docker Swarm, Kubernetes, or OpenShift to deploy applications and other container resources in a highly available cluster.
  2. You can use smaller systems like Raspberry Pi to bundle them together and distribute workloads across multiple machines, making it a cool project.
  3. Kubernetes is significantly more complicated than Docker, requiring extensive learning and practice.
  4. For beginners starting their Homelab journey, it is recommended to first learn Docker, understand its fundamentals, and use tools like Podman, Docker, and Docker Compose for managing containers.
  5. Once confident with containers, beginners can then explore container orchestration with Kubernetes, following a progressive learning path.

Best HomeLab networking!

  1. Networking is a crucial aspect of setting up a HomeLab, and it can be scaled according to your needs.
  2. The speaker uses a Sophos XGS 2100 firewall, which has multiple interfaces and a fast network connection to a Sophos CS 110 switch.
  3. This setup allows for the configuration of VLANs, splitting the network into private, server, and management areas, all isolated from each other.
  4. The firewall controls the traffic between these networks, scanning and filtering it to protect against attacks.
  5. The speaker acknowledges that this equipment is expensive and mentions that they obtained it for free through their job.
  6. For those looking to build a professional HomeLab network without high costs, there are cheaper alternatives available.

Set up a firewall at home

  1. Build and set up a small mini computer with two network interfaces, such as the ZimaBoard, and install firewall software on it.
  2. The Sophos XG software can be installed on the ZimaBoard and works perfectly for this purpose.
  3. For higher performance needs, a firewall can also be run as a virtual machine on one of your home servers.
  4. Sophos XG is a great next-gen firewall system that is free for home use, but other options like pfSense or OPNsense are also excellent open-source alternatives.
  5. These firewall systems allow you to set up scanning rules and policies to protect your Homelab network.
  6. They also enable management of DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and other network functions, providing more power and control over your Homelab network.
  7. Setting up a firewall and combining it with a powerful managed switch can segment your network, making your Homelab more robust and secure.

What switch to buy?

  1. A 24 Port PoE managed switch is recommended for advanced networking setups. It includes four 10 GB SFP+ interfaces and twenty-four 1 GB Ethernet ports.
  2. For a smaller and cheaper option, an 8 Port managed switch with VLAN capabilities is suggested. This allows for experimentation with advanced networking setups common in professional IT environments.
  3. The speaker encourages taking time to research and enjoy the process of setting up a Homelab, emphasizing that it is normal to feel overwhelmed by the various terminologies and projects.
  4. Homelabbing is described as a complex and ongoing activity with endless projects and problems to solve, making it a continuous learning experience.
  5. The speaker expresses gratitude to the community on Discord and Patreon, and thanks viewers for their support, indicating the importance of community in the Homelab journey.