🏠 VEKA Homelab: Selfhosted Private Cloud & Content Creation Hub

Gaming PC turned enterprise homelab for content creation and self-hosting

📖 Documentation • 🚀 Getting Started • 📊 Services • 🛠️ Hardware • 🤝 Contributing

🎯 Project Vision

VEKA Homelab transforms a gaming PC into a comprehensive content creation and self-hosting platform. Built around veka.gg, this setup supports streaming, web development, photo management, and privacy-focused alternatives to cloud services.

✨ Core Focus Areas

🎮 Content Creation: Dual-PC streaming setup with NDI/RTMP
🌐 Web Development: Hosting SvelteKit sites and GitHub projects
📷 Photo Management: Self-hosted Google Photos alternative
🎬 Media Server: Personal Netflix with automated downloads
🏠 Home Automation: Smart home control and monitoring
🔒 Privacy First: All data stays on your hardware

📊 Current Services

Service	Status	URL	Purpose
🐳 Portainer	✅ Active	`portainer.veka:9000`	Container management
🛡️ Pi-hole	✅ Active	`pihole.veka:8080`	DNS + Ad blocking
🖼️ Immich	🔧 Setup	`immich.veka:2283`	AI photo management
💾 TrueNAS	✅ Active	`truenas.veka`	Storage management

🚧 In Development

VEKA Website - Main veka.gg SvelteKit site
OBS Headless - Streaming infrastructure
Nginx Proxy Manager - Reverse proxy with SSL
Minecraft Server - Gaming with friends

📋 Planned Services

Jellyfin - Media server (media.veka.gg)
Nextcloud - File sync (cloud.veka.gg)
Home Assistant - Smart home hub
Vaultwarden - Password manager
Grafana + Prometheus - Monitoring and metrics
Paperless-ngx - Document management
Ollama - Local AI models

🛠️ Hardware Stack

Main Server: Gaming PC Repurposed

CPU:          Intel i7-7700K (4c/8t, Kaby Lake)
Motherboard:  ASUS ROG Strix Z270E Gaming
RAM:          32GB+ DDR4 (expandable)
GPU:          GTX 1080 Ti (available for transcoding)
Storage:      1TB HDD + 4TB drives
Network:      Gigabit LAN (2.5G/10G ready)
Platform:     Proxmox VE
Power:        Gaming PC PSU (~400W under load)

Storage Strategy

Boot Drive:   1TB HDD (Proxmox host)
Primary:      4TB drives (Docker/VM storage)
Backup:       Cloud sync transition in progress
Future:       Local NAS expansion planned
Features:     ZFS snapshots, compression

Network Infrastructure

Router:       ISP provided (OPNSense planned)
Domain:       veka.gg + subdomain strategy
VPN:          Tailscale for remote access
Proxy:        Nginx Proxy Manager (planned)
DNS:          Pi-hole with custom .veka domains

🏗️ Architecture Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                Gaming PC - Proxmox VE                  │
│                  Host System                           │
├─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────┤
│   TrueNAS SCALE     │      Docker LXC                  │
│   Storage Manager   │      Service Host                │
│                     │                                  │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Storage Pools   │ │ │ Core Services:               │ │
│ │ ├─ media/       │ │ │ ├─ Portainer                 │ │
│ │ ├─ photos/      │ │ │ ├─ Pi-hole                   │ │
│ │ ├─ documents/   │ │ │ ├─ Immich                    │ │
│ │ └─ backups/     │ │ │ └─ VEKA sites...            │ │
│ └─────────────────┘ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ │
├─────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────┤
│   Arch Linux VM     │      OBS Headless VM            │
│   (Web Hosting)     │      (Content Creation)         │
└─────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────┘

🎯 Project Roadmap

✅ Phase 1: Foundation (Complete)

Proxmox VE setup on gaming PC
TrueNAS SCALE for storage management
Docker container environment (LXC)
Basic networking and DNS with Pi-hole

🚧 Phase 2: Content Creation (In Progress)

VEKA Website Hosting (veka.gg SvelteKit)
OBS Headless Setup (dual-PC streaming)
NDI Integration (laptop → homelab)
RTMP Streaming (mobile IRL streams)
Immich Photo Management (family photos)

📋 Phase 3: Media & Automation (Planned)

Jellyfin Media Server (movies/TV)
Nextcloud File Sync (cloud replacement)
Home Assistant (smart home hub)
Minecraft Server (mc.veka.gg)

🚀 Phase 4: Advanced Features (Future)

Monitoring Stack (Grafana + Prometheus)
Ollama AI Models (local LLM hosting)
OPNSense Router (network upgrade)
Dashcam App (future project)

🌐 Domain Strategy

Subdomain Planning

veka.gg           # Main website (SvelteKit)
cloud.veka.gg     # Nextcloud file sync
photos.veka.gg    # Immich photo management
media.veka.gg     # Jellyfin media server
mc.veka.gg        # Minecraft server
stream.veka.gg    # OBS/streaming dashboard
home.veka.gg      # Home Assistant
dash.veka.gg      # Grafana monitoring

Access Strategy

Local Network: Custom .veka domains via Pi-hole
Remote Access: Tailscale VPN for security
Public Services: Selective exposure via reverse proxy
Development: Local testing environment

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

Gaming PC with virtualization support
Multiple storage drives (4TB+ recommended)
Stable internet connection
Domain name (optional but recommended)

Quick Start

# Clone this repository
git clone https://github.com/VEKAgg/homelab.git
cd homelab

# Review hardware compatibility
cat docs/hardware-requirements.md

# Follow installation guide
docs/installation/proxmox-setup.md

📂 Repository Structure

homelab/
├── 📁 docs/                    # Comprehensive documentation
│   ├── hardware-conversion.md  # Gaming PC → Homelab guide
│   ├── streaming-setup.md      # OBS and content creation
│   ├── network-config.md       # Domain and proxy setup
│   ├── installation/           # Step-by-step guides
│   └── troubleshooting.md      # Common issues & solutions
├── 📁 docker-compose/          # Service deployment files
│   ├── media-stack/            # Jellyfin + ARR services
│   ├── content-creation/       # OBS, streaming tools
│   ├── web-hosting/            # VEKA sites and projects
│   ├── immich/                 # Photo management
│   ├── pihole/                 # DNS + Ad blocking
│   └── monitoring/             # Grafana + Prometheus
├── 📁 scripts/                 # Automation scripts
│   ├── stream-setup.sh         # OBS automation
│   ├── backup-configs.sh       # Configuration backup
│   ├── deploy-site.sh          # Website deployment
│   └── update-services.sh      # Bulk service updates
├── 📁 configs/                 # Service configurations
│   ├── nginx/                  # Reverse proxy configs
│   ├── obs/                    # Streaming configurations
│   ├── grafana/                # Monitoring dashboards
│   └── networking/             # Network setup files
└── 📄 README.md               # This file

🔧 Key Technologies

Technology	Purpose	Why Chosen
Proxmox VE	Hypervisor	Enterprise features, web management
TrueNAS SCALE	Storage OS	ZFS reliability, data protection
Docker	Containerization	Easy deployment, isolation
Pi-hole	DNS/Ad Block	Network-wide ad blocking
Portainer	Container UI	Visual Docker management
Immich	Photo Management	Privacy-focused Google Photos alternative

🎬 Content Creation Features

Dual-PC Streaming Setup

Main PC: Gaming/content creation workstation
Homelab: OBS encoding and streaming backend
Connection: NDI over gigabit network
Backup: RTMP ingest from mobile (IRL streams)

Streaming Infrastructure

OBS Headless:     Proxmox VM for encoding
NDI Source:       Laptop → homelab processing
RTMP Ingest:      Mobile → homelab (IRL streams)
Output Targets:   Twitch, YouTube, custom RTMP
Monitoring:       Real-time stream health
Bitrate Control:  Adaptive for mobile connections

Web Development Platform

SvelteKit Sites: Main veka.gg development
GitHub Integration: Automated deployment pipelines
Local Testing: .veka domains for development
SSL Certificates: Let's Encrypt automation

💡 Key Features & Highlights

🔐 Privacy & Security

Zero Cloud Dependency: All services run locally
Network Isolation: Containerized services with security profiles
Ad Blocking: Network-wide ad and tracker blocking
Local DNS: Custom domain resolution without external dependencies

🚀 Performance

Gaming Hardware: GTX 1080 Ti provides excellent transcoding power
ZFS Storage: Advanced file system with compression and caching
Dedicated Resources: Isolated containers with resource limits
Local Processing: Sub-100ms latency for streaming workflows

🛠️ Management

Web Interfaces: All services accessible via clean web UIs
Container Orchestration: Docker Compose for easy deployment
Automated Deployments: Git-based CI/CD for websites
Custom Domains: Professional .veka.gg branding

📈 Performance Targets

Streaming Performance

Encoding: 1080p60 @ 6000kbps minimum
Latency: <100ms for local NDI processing
Uptime: 99%+ availability for live streaming
Quality: Hardware-accelerated H.264/H.265

Web Hosting Performance

Response Time: <200ms for veka.gg
Uptime: 99.9% availability target
SSL Rating: A+ on SSL Labs
CDN: Future Cloudflare integration

Current Utilization

CPU Usage: ~30% average during streaming
Memory Usage: 20GB/32GB+ utilized
Storage I/O: Fast local disk access
Network: Gigabit LAN with room for 2.5G/10G upgrade

🌟 Why This Setup?

vs. Traditional Homelabs

✅ Content Creation Focus: Built for streaming and web development
✅ Gaming Hardware Reuse: GTX 1080 Ti provides excellent transcoding
✅ Professional Branding: Custom veka.gg domain integration
✅ Dual Purpose: Gaming PC that doubles as enterprise homelab

vs. Cloud Platforms

✅ Cost Effective: Repurposed existing gaming hardware
✅ Low Latency: Local processing for streaming workflows
✅ Full Control: Custom configurations for specific needs
✅ Privacy: All content and data stays local
✅ Learning: Hands-on experience with enterprise technologies

vs. Other Gaming PC Conversions

✅ Enterprise Practices: Proper virtualization and storage
✅ Professional Services: Production-ready web hosting
✅ Scalable Architecture: Easy to expand as needs grow
✅ Documentation Focus: Comprehensive guides for replication

📖 Documentation

Document	Description
🔧 Hardware Conversion	Gaming PC to homelab transformation
🎥 Streaming Setup	OBS headless and NDI configuration
🌐 Network Configuration	Domain strategy and reverse proxy
🐳 Docker Services	Container deployment and management
🔒 Security Guide	Hardening and access control
📊 Monitoring Setup	Performance tracking and alerts
🔄 Backup Strategy	Data protection and recovery
🐛 Troubleshooting	Common issues and solutions

🛣️ Documentation Roadmap

High Priority Docs

Hardware Conversion Guide - Gaming PC to enterprise homelab
Streaming Infrastructure - OBS headless + NDI setup
Domain Configuration - veka.gg subdomain strategy
Service Deployment - Docker container guides

Medium Priority Docs

Network Security - Firewall and access control
Performance Optimization - Tuning for content creation
Backup & Recovery - Data protection strategies
Monitoring & Alerting - System health tracking

Future Documentation

Advanced Streaming - Multi-platform automation
AI Integration - Ollama and local model hosting
Home Automation - Smart device integration
Scaling Guide - Growing the homelab ecosystem

🤝 Contributing

This is a personal homelab project, but I welcome:

Community Input

💡 Suggestions: Better approaches or service recommendations
🐛 Issue Reports: Problems with documentation or guides
📝 Documentation: Improvements and corrections
🎥 Content Ideas: Streaming and homelab topics

Not Accepting

Direct code contributions (personal learning project)
Service requests or custom configurations
Hardware recommendations for different setups

🙏 Acknowledgments

Inspiration & Resources

r/selfhosted - Amazing community for self-hosting enthusiasts
r/homelabindia - Local community with great insights
TrueNAS Community - Excellent documentation and support
Proxmox Team - Fantastic virtualization platform

Special Thanks

Gaming PC Community - For showing what's possible with repurposed hardware
Immich Team - Creating the best Google Photos alternative
Pi-hole Team - Network-wide ad blocking made simple
Content Creators - Inspiring the dual-PC streaming approach

📞 Connect

Main Channels

🌐 Website: veka.gg (coming soon)
📺 Streaming: Twitch/YouTube (future content)
💻 GitHub: @VEKAgg
📧 Contact: Via GitHub issues

Project Updates

⭐ Star this repo for updates and releases
👀 Watch releases for major milestones
📂 Check docs/ for latest guides and tutorials

📜 License

MIT License - feel free to adapt concepts for your own homelab!

🏁 Final Notes

This homelab represents the journey of transforming gaming hardware into enterprise infrastructure while maintaining focus on content creation and learning. It's designed to be:

Practical: Real-world tested solutions for content creators
Educational: Step-by-step learning of enterprise technologies
Scalable: Architecture that grows with expanding needs
Personal: Tailored for individual creativity and projects

Whether you're a gamer looking to repurpose hardware, a content creator seeking better infrastructure, or a homelab enthusiast wanting to try something different, I hope this documentation provides valuable insights!

Built with ❤️ for content creators and homelab enthusiasts

Turning gaming hardware into enterprise infrastructure, one container at a time

Last Updated: September 24, 2025

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 3 Commits
README.md		README.md

VEKAgg/homelab

Folders and files

Latest commit

History

Repository files navigation