Linux & Homelab Corner

January 28, 2026

My Homelab Setup: Proxmox, Docker, and Too Many VMs

Homelab Proxmox Self-Hosted

Finally got my homelab dialed in after months of tinkering. Running Proxmox on an old Dell R720, with Nextcloud, Jellyfin, Pi-hole, and about 15 other services. Here’s the full breakdown!

The Hardware

  • Server: Dell PowerEdge R720
  • CPU: Dual Xeon E5-2670
  • RAM: 128GB DDR3 ECC
  • Storage: 4x 4TB in RAID10

The Stack

Hypervisor: Proxmox VE 8.1

  • Easy management
  • Great community
  • ZFS support

Services Running:

  • Nextcloud - File sync and storage
  • Jellyfin - Media server (Plex alternative)
  • Pi-hole - Network-wide ad blocking
  • Home Assistant - Smart home automation
  • Wireguard - VPN access
  • Docker host - Running about 10 containers

Lessons Learned

  1. Start small - I went overboard initially and had to scale back
  2. Backups are crucial - Lost data once, never again
  3. Power consumption - This thing draws 200W idle, not cheap!
  4. Documentation - Write down EVERYTHING or you’ll forget

Next Steps

  • Set up proper monitoring (Prometheus + Grafana)
  • Implement automated backups to cloud storage
  • Build out a proper network rack

Total cost: ~$500 (bought used) Monthly power: ~$30

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