Tag: homelab

A k3s cluster on Raspberry Pi 5 is real Kubernetes with real limits. Which workloads stick, why the M.2 HAT is mandatory, and when to go buy mini-PCs.

Give your bare-metal Kubernetes cluster load-balanced services with MetalLB. Layer 2, BGP, IPAddressPools, and when to use each.

Install ArgoCD on k3s, manage apps declaratively from Git. Secrets, sync waves, app-of-apps pattern explained.

Build a three node Kubernetes cluster on mini PCs with k3s: static IPs, firewall ports, local-path storage, and a first deployment that actually answers.

Remote console without IPMI: compare PiKVM, JetKVM, and DIY solutions, hardware costs, BIOS access, latency, and when to pick each.

Pick the right rack for your homelab: open frame vs 4-post vs wall-mount. Cable management, noise, and space trade-offs explained.

Skip Cisco. Used SFP+ gear from MikroTik and Mellanox turns 10GbE from $5k fantasy into $200 reality.

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.

Remote management 101: IPMI, iDRAC, iLO basics, network isolation, security, and redfish. Why BMC matters when you can't reach the power button.

Calculate true energy costs: watts, kWh, BTU output, and 5-year TCO for homelab hardware swaps. When efficiency pays back.

Used enterprise-grade managed switches under $100: Aruba, Brocade, MikroTik picks, VLAN setup, wattage, and gotchas for home lab networks.

Noctua fans, IPMI curves, and undervolting techniques to make rackmount servers bedroom-quiet without thermal compromise.