fstrim vs discard: Keeping SSDs Fast
Run fstrim.timer, skip the discard mount option on ext4 and XFS, then check LUKS, VMs, and LVM for layers that silently swallow TRIM. Measured demo included.
Tag: homelab
All the articles with the tag "homelab".
Homebox: Self-Hosted Home Inventory
Run Homebox in Docker, give every box a QR label and asset ID, attach receipts and warranties, and know when Grocy, Snipe-IT, or a spreadsheet fits better.
kube-vip: HA k3s Control Plane
Three k3s servers survive a dead node, but your kubeconfig still names one IP. Add a floating API address with kube-vip, and see how it compares to HAProxy.
rsync --link-dest: Snapshot Backups
Build dated, browsable snapshot backups with rsync and hard links, then let a systemd timer run and prune them. Includes a tested script and the traps.
K8s Requests vs Limits in a Home Lab
What Kubernetes requests and limits actually do on a small k3s cluster: QoS classes, OOMKills, CPU throttling, node reservations, and the settings I'd pick.
Pterodactyl Wings: Scaling Past One Node
Add a second Wings node to Pterodactyl without breaking the web console: per-node TLS, firewall ports, VPN gotchas, subnet clashes, and server transfers.
step-ca: Let's Encrypt for Your LAN
Run step-ca as a private ACME server so Caddy and Traefik auto-issue and renew TLS certs for grafana.home.arpa, with no internet exposure and no CT log leaks.
UniFi in a Home Lab: Worth the Tax?
UniFi costs more than an OPNsense router with cheap switches and APs. Here is what the premium buys, what it takes away, and the middle path most labs want.
LittleLink vs LinkStack: Ditch Linktree
Replace Linktree with a page you host. LittleLink, LittleLink-Server and LinkStack compared with real image sizes and idle RAM, plus working Docker Compose files.
k3s Node Upgrades Without Downtime
Upgrade k3s without dropping workloads: the cordon and drain sequence, then system-upgrade-controller Plans that automate it, with PDB and Longhorn gotchas.
IoT VLANs That Don't Break Chromecast
Put smart plugs and TVs on an IoT VLAN, then fix Chromecast, AirPlay and Sonos discovery with an mDNS reflector and the right firewall rules. Configs included.
Split-Horizon DNS for a Home Lab VPN
Make jellyfin.home.example.com resolve to a LAN IP at home and over WireGuard or Tailscale, and to your public IP elsewhere. Unbound and AdGuard Home configs.