SumGuy's Ramblings
The art of wasting time.
Docker, self-hosting, AI/LLM, Linux, and DevOps — explained by someone who learned the hard way. No fluff, no enterprise jargon, just practical stuff that actually works on real hardware.
Recent Posts
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Redis vs Valkey After the License Drama
Redis went source-available, then back to AGPL. When to migrate to Valkey or KeyDB, persistence and clustering options, and what matters for self-hosters.
9 min read -
Postgres Backups: pg_dump vs pgBackRest vs WAL-G
Compare pg_dump, pgBackRest, and WAL-G for Postgres backups. Point-in-time recovery, S3 setup, and restore drills.
10 min read -
Postgres in Docker: The Durable Setup
Docker volumes, version pinning, health checks, and tuning. A production-ready Postgres Compose template with init scripts and backup strategy.
10 min read -
The KVM-over-IP Question: PiKVM vs JetKVM vs DIY
Remote console without IPMI: compare PiKVM, JetKVM, and DIY solutions, hardware costs, BIOS access, latency, and when to pick each.
11 min read -
Rack Choice: Open Frame vs 4-Post vs Wall-Mount
Pick the right rack for your homelab: open frame vs 4-post vs wall-mount. Cable management, noise, and space trade-offs explained.
12 min read -
2.5GbE / 10GbE on a Budget
Skip Cisco. Used SFP+ gear from MikroTik and Mellanox turns 10GbE from $5k fantasy into $200 reality.
10 min read -
HBA Cards for ZFS
Pick the right IT-mode HBA for ZFS: LSI 9211-8i vs 9300-16i vs 9400 series. Flash firmware, avoid RAID controllers, navigate expanders and PCIe lanes.
9 min read -
IPMI / iDRAC / iLO for Headless Home Lab
Remote management 101: IPMI, iDRAC, iLO basics, network isolation, security, and redfish. Why BMC matters when you can't reach the power button.
9 min read -
Power Math: Watts, Heat, and Your Electric Bill
Calculate true energy costs: watts, kWh, BTU output, and 5-year TCO for homelab hardware swaps. When efficiency pays back.
8 min read -
Cheap Managed Switches That Don't Suck
Used enterprise-grade managed switches under $100: Aruba, Brocade, MikroTik picks, VLAN setup, wattage, and gotchas for home lab networks.
10 min read -
Quiet Home Lab: Fan Swaps and Undervolting
Noctua fans, IPMI curves, and undervolting techniques to make rackmount servers bedroom-quiet without thermal compromise.
9 min read -
UPS Sizing Without Overpaying APC
Master UPS sizing math: VA vs watts, runtime calculations, battery replacement costs, NUT monitoring, and when EcoFlow beats enterprise hardware.
11 min read
