home lab

  • Iventoy boot iso over the network

    iVentoy: Setup Network Boot of ISO Files Made Easy

    If you are like me, you used Rufus for years to “burn” ISO image files to a bootable USB drive. However, once I discovered Ventoy, I moved to using it for all my USB boot needs. It is a great…

  • Truenas scale server build for home lab

    TrueNAS SCALE Server Build for Home Lab

    There are so many options for running a home server for storage and virtualization needs on a home network. I have run VMware ESXi and Proxmox servers for my virtualization needs for the past few years now. However, until recently,…

  • Nas vs server

    NAS vs Server: Pros and Cons for Home Lab

    Two devices dominate both SMB and home lab environments – NAS devices and servers. The NAS vs server debate has been going on for quite some time. Both have their unique set of advantages and disadvantages. This post delves into…

  • Home server or not

    Home Server: Why you shouldn’t build one

    You can do so much running your own home server. It is a great tool for learning and actually storing your data. Many prefer to control their own file sharing, media streaming services, and also run their own web server…

  • Jellyfin vs plex best self hosted media server

    Jellyfin vs Plex: Best Self-hosted Media Server

    Two names generally come up with self-hosting your own media files: Jellyfin and Plex streaming platforms. They each have great capabilities. However, let’s look at Jellyfin vs Plex and see which one might best fit for your home media services…

  • Best pihole adlists for 2023

    Best Pihole Adlists in 2023

    Let’s take a look at the most recommended Pihole adlists of 2023. As we will see, these adlists (aka blocklists) are designed to secure and protect your network from malicious sites and specific types of content. Pihole adlistsWhat is Pi-Hole?Why…

  • Best self hosted apps in 2023

    Best Self-hosted Apps in 2023

    You can run many great self-hosted apps in your home lab or on your media server with only a small amount of tinkering. Let’s look at the best self-hosted apps in 2023 and a list of apps you should check…

  • Vmware networking 5 concepts to master

    VMware Networking: 5 Concepts to Master

    One of the challenges when getting into virtualization using VMware ESXi and vSphere with vCenter Server is understanding the many different networking concepts. There are a few foundational concepts in the VMware networking layer that you need to understand and…

  • Proxmox gpu passthrough

    Proxmox GPU PassThrough: Step-by-step Guide

    One of the great things about running Proxmox in your home lab is the ability to use GPU passthrough. Home lab enthusiasts often use a repurposed gaming computer or workstation with a fairly powerful GPU installed. GPU passthrough provides many…

  • Tautulli plex media server monitoring and statistics

    Tautulli Plex Media Server Monitoring and Statistics

    More and more people are cutting the cord and using self-hosted streaming services like Plex Media Server. Plex is a great solution. However, there is a 3rd party add-on you may not know about that makes it even better. It…