What is a “homelab”?
A homelab is (1) a collection of computing and networking hardware, and (2) a low-stakes environment for experimenting with various technologies. The hardware can be as simple as an old laptop and your ISP’s modem, or as complex as enterprise-grade servers, switches, routers, etc.
Why do I want a homelab?
1. Experimentation
I learn by doing. And by doing, I mean breaking things, fixing them, breaking them again, and repeating until things eventually work. By process of enumeration, I learn what works and what doesn’t.
Of course, this type of experimentation is frowned upon in a corporate setting; testing in production has its consequences (which CrowdStrike learned the hard way). But at home, the stakes are very low. For example, maybe I accidentally take down the family’s internet for an hour (sorry mom) or I break something on the server itself (sorry me).
2. Self-hosting
Homelabs provide the means to host services on your own terms. Sick of invasive ads and trackers? Me too! Not comfortable with letting someone else manage your data? Me neither! Who wants access to subscription-free, restriction-free services? Me!
What am I going to do with a homelab?
- Host an ad/tracker-blocking DNS server, such as
Pi-holeor AdGuard Home - Ditch Google Drive for
ownCloud,NextCloud, or Seafile - Run a media server like Jellyfin or Plex
- Integrate an IPS/IDS, such as Suricata or Snort
- Break stuff, fix stuff, (hopefully) learn stuff
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