Summary: What makes a suitable homebrew server and where to get it?
Category: fundamentals
[TOC]
##Introduction
##Introduction
You wan't to get started with self-hosting. This means you will need a computer that will be your server. But what makes a good server?
First, while dedicated server equipment does exist, in the case of the homebrew server it is more helpful to think of a 'server' as a function rather than as a special machine.
First, while dedicated server equipment does exist, in the case of the homebrew server it is more helpful to think of a 'server' as a function rather than as a special machine.
Why? Because dedicated servers are expensive, loud, specialized and power hungry devices. At the same time any spare computer with a network port running GNU/Linux can *become* a server.
@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ A gaming pc tower that needs a 300 Watt supply can use up to 2,628 KWh of electr
#### Energy consumption vs embodied energy.
While older equipment will use more power for the same performance as newer equipment this should not be your only consideration, especially when running on renewable power sources. In fact the overwhelmingly largest part of energy usage of digital technology comes from [manufacture and not usage](https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/06/embodied-energy-of-digital-technology.html). Environmentally it makes more sense to reuse and older less energy efficient device rather than investing in a newer energy efficient device.
While older equipment will use more power for the same performance as newer equipment this should not be your only consideration, especially when running on renewable power sources. In fact the overwhelmingly largest part of energy usage of digital technology comes from [manufacture and not usage](https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/06/embodied-energy-of-digital-technology.html). Environmentally it makes more sense to reuse and older less energy efficient device rather than investing in a newer energy efficient device.
## Benefits and disadvantages of laptops as servers
@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Laptops make good homebrew servers since they are widely available, relatively p
Laptops will also have the ability to hold one or more harddisks and plenty of USB ports for connecting multiple peripherals. It is not unlikely that you have one lying around or will be able to find one in a thriftstore.
Disadvantages can be size, sound, heat generation and power consumption (in particular if you don't tune the power management to turn off the screen).
Disadvantages can be size, sound, heat generation and power consumption (in particular if you don't tune the power management to turn off the screen).
## Single Board Computers
@ -64,15 +64,15 @@ Arguably the ideal homebrew server hardware is the Single Board Computer (SBC).
The disadvantages are that, compared to a laptop, they are relatively 'incomplete'. You will need at the very least get an SD card and 5V charger to use them. They don't have a battery meaning that a power outage will shut it off without warning, possibly corrupting the SD-card. In terms of performance they usually have less RAM available than a laptop. Their bus bandwith to read/write disks they can also be lacking.
Having said that there are some boards which are really well optimized for homebrew server usage, such as the Olimex boards which have SATA ports (for connecting HDDs), are able to use Li-Po batteries, Gigabit Ethernet ports and decent amounts of RAM. You will also find many SBCs on the second hand market.
Having said that there are some boards which are really well optimized for homebrew server usage, such as the Olimex boards which have SATA ports (for connecting HDDs), are able to use Li-Po batteries, Gigabit Ethernet ports and decent amounts of RAM. You will also find many SBCs on the second hand market.
In general when using these boards have at GNU/Linux distributions optimized for single board computers such as [Armbian](https://armbian.com).
In general when using these boards have at GNU/Linux distributions optimized for single board computers such as [Armbian](https://armbian.com).
## Costs
One of the things that might hold one back are the costs involved in this whole undertaking.
One of the things that might hold one back are the costs involved in this whole undertaking.
As an example one can take my personal setup which I have been running since 2014. At the time I paid around €75 for a Olimex Micro (2ghz, 2 cores, 1GB ram) including peripherals such as a high performance SD card and power supply. Later I spent another €80 for a 2TB HDD. In terms of energy usage the upper bound is at 10Wh meaning €21 yearly.
As an example one can take my personal setup which I have been running since 2014. At the time I paid around €75 for a Olimex Micro (2ghz, 2 cores, 1GB ram) including peripherals such as a high performance SD card and power supply. Later I spent another €80 for a 2TB HDD. In terms of energy usage the upper bound is at 10Wh meaning €21 yearly.
So in total `€75 + €80 + €105 (€21x 5 years) = €260`. Per year this means €52 or about €4,30 a month. So while the upfront cost can be substantial, the cost over time is really manageable.
@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ If you can reuse old equipment the costs are essentially negligable since you've
So how does this compare to a Virtual Private Server, since you can get one for like €3, right?
If one compares the processing power of lower-tier VPS providers one can get 1 core 2Ghz and 2GB RAM for about €3. This is equivalent to low-end SBCs but if one starts including storage though the price quickly ramps up.
If one compares the processing power of lower-tier VPS providers one can get 1 core 2Ghz and 2GB RAM for about €3. This is equivalent to low-end SBCs but if one starts including storage though the price quickly ramps up.
The great advantage of a VPS is that you won't have port restrictions and usually fast uplink.
@ -92,4 +92,4 @@ no port restriction, no traffic shaping, hardware is maintained, it is not your
[^1]: See per capita electricity consumption for the world population: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_electricity_consumption>
[^1]: See per capita electricity consumption for the world population: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_electricity_consumption>
Description: why you want to get in to homeserving
Summary: introduction to hbsc fundamentals
Summary: Introduction to homebrewserver.club fundamentals
Status: published
Category: fundamentals
This series is a starting point for people looking to host their own on-line services from home. A good place to start is by reading the [homebrewserver.club principles]({filename}manifesto.md) on to understand why we make the choices we do. Then have a look at the [hardware guide](hwguide) or [setting up a server behind your home router.]({filename}portforwarding.md)
This series is a starting point for people looking to host their own on-line services from home. A good place to start is by reading the [homebrewserver.club principles]({filename}manifesto.md) on to understand why we make the choices we do. Then have a look at the [hardware guide](hwguide) or [setting up a server behind your home router.]({filename}portforwarding.md)
The Homebrewserver.club principles
What makes a good homebrew server (hardware guide)
@ -5,47 +5,38 @@ Summary: The homebrewserver.club principles
Status: published
Category: fundamentals
## THE HOMEBREWSERVER.CLUB:
###The homebrewserver.club takes the 'home' in homebrewserver.club literally and the 'self' in self-hosting figuratively.
That means we try to host from our homes rather than from datacenters and for and with our communities rather than just ourselves.
### Takes the 'home' in homebrewserver.club literally and the 'self' in self-hosting figuratively.
That means we try to host from our homes rather than from datacenters and we try to host for and with our communities rather than just for ourselves.
It can be tough to learn about self-hosting so we recommend doing it with some other people who are interested in it.
It can be tough to learn about self-hosting so we recommend doing it with some other people who are interested in it.
###Approaches not Apps
### Promotes approaches, not apps
We priviledge general approaches over particular software applications. We try to contextualize our technical choices to provide in-depth understanding and prevent The Best Way™ solutionism. For these reasons we like free and open source software and documentation.
We privilege general approaches over particular software applications. We try to contextualize our technical choices to provide in-depth understanding and prevent The Best Way™ solutionism. For these reasons we like free and open source software and documentation.
###Not your one click solution
### Is a space for learning together
Primarily the homebrewserver.club wants to be a space to learn together. It might mean you are knowledgable about a topic and are willing to share that. Or that you are curious and willing to learn. We are about the long route that provides grounded contextual understandings instead of just copy pasta into the terminal to install things via `$current_hip_framework`.
Primarily the homebrewserver.club wants to be a space for learning together. This either means that you are knowledgable about a topic and are willing to share or are curious and willing to learn. We are about the long route that provides grounded contextual understandings instead of just copy pasta into the terminal to install things via `$current_hip_framework`.
###Yes, We're Config™
###Yes, We're Config™
We try help each other out out but we can't do the work for you. We're Config, meaning we're comfy with figuring things out. We take pleasure in researching configurations and the struggle of getting things working. We gladly lend you a helping hand, but we won't be able hold your hand through the whole process.
We try help each other out out but we can't do the work for you. We're Config, meaning we're comfy with figuring things out. We take pleasure in researching configurations and in the struggle of getting things working. We gladly lend you a helping hand, but we won't be able to hold your hand through the whole process.
###Serving from constraints
### Serves from constraints
A homebrew sever means owning up to the fact that you are serving from constraints. You don't have the fastest connection. You use as little power as possible. Your server is some spare laptop you had lying around. You want as little maintenance or worrying as possible. You're not on 24/7 standby if there is an issue. All of that is perfectly ok and we see that it does influence our choices in terms of what to run and how.
Having a homebrew server means owning up to the fact that you are serving from constraints. You don't have the fastest connection. You use as little power as possible. Your server is some spare laptop you had lying around. You want as little maintenance or worrying as possible. You're not on 24/7 standby if there is an issue. All of that is perfectly ok and we know that it does influence our choices in terms of what to run and how.
###A bunch of amateurs
### Is a bunch of amateurs
Is what we are. What works for datacenters and the industry might not be what works for homebrew servers. As such the homebrewserver.club documentation won't be exhaustive but rather inteds to add to existing on-line knowledge available, from the perspective of the homebrew server admin.
What works for data centers and the industry does not necessarily work for homebrew servers. As such, the homebrewserver.club documentation won't be exhaustive but rather intends to add to existing on-line knowledge, particularly from the perspective of the homebrew server admin.
###Embracing the feminist server manifesto
### Embraces the Feminist Server Manifesto
link or direct quote?
###Aspiring to broaden participation
The homebrewserver.club hopes to provide the means for diverse communities to learn how to set up and run their server according to their needs and goals.
Provide a space for other communities [other than the usual suspects (white male hackerspaces)]
The homebrewserver.club hopes to provide the means for communities to configure their server according to their needs and goals.
Rejects certain behaviour
Goes beyond elitist, closed, ?
### Aspires to broaden participation
By publishing guides and tutorials, the homebrewserver.club hopes to provide the means for diverse communities to learn how to set up and run their server according to their needs, goals and principles.
Summary: Installing a web server for your home brew server
Summary: Installing a web server on your homebrew server
Author: hbsc & friends
Status: published
TODO:
TODO:
* add good dns registry reference
* certificate renewal certbot
@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ Besides helping you with the installation, this guide will help you getting the
## Some background knowledge.
So first off, what is the web, what is a web site and what is a web server?
So first off, what is the web, what is a web site and what is a web server?
The web is the single most known part of the internet. Because of that, it often happens that 'the web' and 'the internet' become conflated. Therefor it often becomes a bit hazy to state what the difference is between the internet and the web. Generally speaking 'the web' is only the part of the internet that we interact with with a web browser. More technically speaking, the web is the part of the internet that runs on port 80 and port 443 and that uses the HTTP and HTTPS protocols.
The web is the single most known part of the internet. Because of that, it often happens that 'the web' and 'the internet' become conflated. Therefor it often becomes a bit hazy to state what the difference is between the internet and the web. Generally speaking 'the web' is only the part of the internet that we interact with with a web browser. More technically speaking, the web is the part of the internet that runs on port 80 and port 443 and that uses the HTTP and HTTPS protocols.
Websites are text documents that are formatted through HTML, CSS and JS. These three technologies tell the webbrowser what the structure of the page is, how it should be laid out and what kind of interactions are possible. Websites are transmitted using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, which is why we usually type them like so `http://homebrewserver.club`.
lidia pereira
5 years ago