Why IT Professionals Should Have a Server at Home

A lot of people ask me why I started my homelab. And while the answer is pretty simple—I wanted to geek out with my servers—it’s not the whole story. In fact, let’s just go ahead and get it out there: starting a home lab isn’t for everyone.

But for those of us who are into it? It’s a dream come true.

I’m going to show you why, but first, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’ve been working in IT for years, so when I got asked if I wanted any of our old enterprise gear before it was hauled to the dump. But the real reason I love this job is because it gives me opportunities like this one, to geek out on something like homelabs.

Since Homelabs are basically designed to simulate a business environment without causing any actual damage or breaking anything (can’t be too careful), homelabs give you the chance to learn through experience—without having anything on the line except your own curiosity and excitement about technology.

My first lab was really basic: two old servers and one monitor connected over HDMI cables using a KVM switch.

When people think of a “home lab”, they often picture monumental amounts of money and a room dedicated to nothing but computer equipment. The reality is that you do not need much to get started with your own home lab. It also doesn’t need to be expensive, or even permanently setup at home. I have been setting up a homelab for just under a year now and it has helped me to learn so much about networking and more. If you don’t already have one of your own, I hope you consider setting one up too!

In the everyday hustle and bustle of life, it can be easy to forget that you can learn a lot just by doing. That goes for everything, including learning about technology.

The only problem is, while they’re a great way to get started with new tech, they’re also expensive and take up a lot of space.

But now there’s a better way: HomeLabHub! It’s like an online homelab that lets you experiment with brand new technologies for virtually free!

By setting up virtual homelabs in your own home, you can simulate a business environment without breaking things and avoid costly mistakes from messing around in production systems. You can even go so far as to set up server farms if you learn how to build super-efficient servers yourself!