Home Lab – Proxmox + Docker + VLAN + VPN

This repository documents my personal Home Lab, built to explore virtualization, containerization, networking, and system hardening. The environment runs on a low-power HP mini PC with 16 GB RAM, hosting multiple services using Proxmox, Linux, and Docker.

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🧱 Architecture Overview

• Proxmox as the main hypervisor
• Linux Server VM hosting all containers
• Docker + Portainer for orchestration
• VLANs for network segmentation
• AdGuard Home + Pi-hole for DNS filtering
• WireGuard/OpenVPN for secure remote access
• Samba/NFS for file sharing
• rsync for automated backups

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🛠️ Technologies Used

• Proxmox
• Docker
• Portainer
• Debian/Ubuntu Server
• VLAN
• WireGuard / OpenVPN
• AdGuard Home
• Pi-hole
• Samba / NFS
• rsync
• Bash
• Git

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🚀 Services Deployed

Jellyfin

Media server for local streaming.

Nextcloud

Personal cloud for files, contacts, and notes.

AdGuard Home

DNS filtering, ad blocking, and privacy protection.

Pi-hole

DNS sinkhole for redundancy and enhanced filtering.

Samba / NFS

File sharing across devices.

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⚙️ Key Configurations

Proxmox

• Installed on HP mini PC
• Created VMs and LXC containers
• Configured local storage
• Enabled snapshots and internal backups

Docker + Portainer

• Installed Docker Engine
• Deployed containers via Portainer
• Organized services into stacks
• Monitored container health and uptime

Networking

• Created and managed VLANs
• Configured DNS filtering with AdGuard Home
• Set up DHCP and DNS on the server
• Enabled VPN for secure remote access

Backups

• Automated with rsync
• Scheduled via cron
• Backed up configs and container volumes

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📚 What I Learned

• Virtualization with Proxmox
• Container management with Docker
• Networking fundamentals (VLAN, DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP)
• Security practices (VPN, hardening, DNS filtering)
• Linux system administration
• Backup automation and scripting

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🔮 Next Steps

• Implement monitoring with Grafana + Prometheus
• Create Bash automation scripts
• Expand Proxmox cluster for high availability
• Document each service in separate folders

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📸 Screenshots

Create a folder /images and include screenshots such as:

• Proxmox dashboard
• Portainer interface
• Jellyfin media library
• Nextcloud file view
• AdGuard Home stats
• Pi-hole dashboard
• VLAN setup on router
• docker ps terminal output

Embed them like this:

![Proxmox Dashboard](images/proxmox.png)