Building a Home Server

Introduction

When we discuss a home server, we are not necessarily referring to a large, enterprise-grade server used in a professional setting. A home server can be any computing device utilized for centralized storage (often referred to as a "personal cloud"), data backups, serving media files, surveillance, and other dedicated services within a home or small lab environment.

Most people use a home server to stream media files to their smart TV or as a central storage repository for all household members. The primary benefit of centrally storing your files is that everyone in the household can access them easily. Additionally, you only need to manage backups for a single device, and you can eliminate the need to pay a monthly subscription for commercial cloud storage.

homelab server is an excellent solution if you want to test scripts or applications in a secure, non-production environment. You can deploy Virtual Machines (VMs) and create a small network or domain to test new configurations and learn valuable IT skills.

How to do it?

The step-by-step process:

• Source the hardware required to deploy the server.
• Select a lightweight server operating system (OS) image that can efficiently run all the desired services on the chosen hardware.
• Install and configure the necessary services.
• Install a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to enable secure remote access.
• Deploy the server and ensure it can run reliably 24/7.

What our server has

Our server is configured to provide several key services such as:

• Remote Management Access for secure, command-line server administration from a distance.
• Network File Sharing (NAS), which allows easy, cross-platform file access across the local network.
• Personal Media Streaming to serve movies and music, creating a private media platform.
• Secure Remote Connectivity via a personal VPN to access the network from anywhere.
• Website Hosting capability for personal sites at no recurring cost.

What we used

Category	Component	Description
The Base	Hardware of Choice	DELL Windows XP-era Workstation (Recycled/Low-Power)
	Server OS Image	Alpine Linux (Selected for its lightweight, security-focused design)
Core Services	OpenSSH	Enables SSH remote access, allowing for secure terminal connections from any client device on the network.
	Samba	Implements the SMB protocol for network file sharing, making the server function as a NAS.
	WireGuard	Used for VPN configuration to establish a fast, secure tunnel for remote access to the home network.
	Jellyfin	A free and open-source media system that organizes and streams music, movies, and videos stored on the server. When paired with the VPN, it acts as a private, ad-free streaming service accessible from anywhere. It offers a clean interface, metadata scraping, and dedicated client apps.
	Nginx	A powerful web server and reverse proxy used to host websites on the server at no recurring cost.

Advantages and Applications

• Utilizes recycled or repurposed hardware, reducing initial costs and promoting electronic waste reduction.
• Provides a private alternative to commercial cloud providers for storage, media, and backups. (don't need to rely on bigtech for everything anymore..)
• Offers full control over data storage and security settings, a key benefit for privacy-conscious users.

How is it useful for you?

The server provides practical application for several lab and project needs:

• It acts as a centralized NAS for projects and course materials.
• It supports Virtual Machine (VM) hosting for OS deployment labs.
• It serves as a DevOps staging environment for student applications.
• It is used for configuring and testing DNS/DHCP and other network services.
• It functions as a backend for IoT projects and microservice emulation.
• It provides a safe, isolated pentesting environment for cybersecurity practice.
• It offers hands-on experience in server hardware and resource management.
• It reduces lab costs by utilizing a low-power, recycled machine.
• It establishes a private media server for streaming educational video content.

Future Add-ons and Enhancements

We plan to implement further improvements:

• Configure the server to act as a domain controller or administrative host for other computers in the lab environment.
• Evaluate and potentially switch from WireGuard to OpenVPN to compare features.
• Tighten security protocols by implementing a robust firewall, setting up intrusion detection systems, and performing regular security audits.
• Implement a centralized log tracking system for monitoring server health and security events.
• Deploy Pi-hole (a network-level advertising and tracking blocker) to enhance network performance and privacy.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the viability of building a low-cost, multi-purpose server from repurposed hardware. By combining a lightweight OS like Alpine Linux with services such as Samba, Jellyfin, and WireGuard, the system has been transformed into a powerful platform for centralized storage, media streaming, and essential homelab services.

P.S: This server was built for Marvel by Marvel students as part of a group task for the CLCY domain with 0 cost, using a 2005 Windows XP workstation donated to the lab for this purpose! (It's available for YOU to use)