A robust homelabbing environment built from the ground up, designed for tinkering, automation, and secure data management.

Introduction

My homelab, dubbed NercLab, is more than just a server; it’s a sandbox where I bridge the gap between theory and practice. I carefully selected and built the hardware with a focus on energy efficiency without compromising on performance.

Everything you see here—from the network architecture to the container orchestration—has been self-configured to provide a professional testing ground for my studies in Computer Science.

Infrastructure & Services

The heart of NercLab is managed through Portainer, hosting a wide array of Dockerized services that handle everything from daily utility to complex security labs.

  • Dashboarding: I use Homarr as my central command center. Het biedt een real-time overzicht van de status van al mijn containers en snelle toegang tot elke service.
  • Data & Backups: I run TrueNAS for bulk data storage and provide automated backup solutions for both my own and my parents’ Macbooks.
  • Media & Photos: Immich serves as my high-performance self-hosted photo engine, while Jellyfin manages my media library.
  • Security & Privacy: Vaultwarden acts as my central password manager, and I use Nginx Proxy Manager for secure reverse proxying and SSL certificate management.
  • Automation: Home Assistant is the brain of my home automation, integrating various smart devices into a single interface.

Networking & Connectivity

A lab is only as good as its network. I’ve implemented a professional-grade network stack:

  • Routing: A dedicated router running pfSense handles my VLAN traffic and firewalls, complemented by a Netgear switch and a access point flashed with FreshTomato firmware for more control.
  • VPN: I use Twingate for Site-to-Site VPN connectivity, allowing even my outdated devices to securely access lab services from anywhere.
  • Monitoring: Using Nutify for UPS/power monitoring and dedicated dashboards to keep an eye on system health and uptime.

Learning & Cybersecurity

NercLab is also my training ground for cybersecurity. I run Virtual Machines as hacking/testing boxes to sharpen my offensive and defensive skills in a controlled environment. To ensure nothing is lost during these tests, I utilize Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) for rapid recovery.

Used Technologies

  • Hypervisor: Proxmox VE
  • Storage: TrueNAS, PBS
  • Network: pfSense, FreshTomato, Nginx
  • Containers: Docker & Portainer
  • Dashboard: Homarr, Nutify
  • Security: Twingate, Vaultwarden

NercLab Dashboard