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Guide

Guide

Build and run your own Kubernetes cluster on a single computer step by step

Although small, the homelab resulting from this guide has a complex software architecture for its size requiring you to perform many steps. This guide puts those steps in chapters grouped by concern to help you navigate better through them:

Hardware setup
Understand the hardware components used in this guide.
1st. 1 chapter
Proxmox VE installation
Install Proxmox VE with some non-default details set in the process.
2nd. 1 chapter
Host configuration
Apply a basic configuration on the installed Proxmox VE system in preparation for further changes.
3rd. 4 chapters
Host hardening
Improve the security posture of your Proxmox VE by applying hardening procedures.
4th. 8 chapters
Host optimization
Improve the performance of your Proxmox VE server setup.
5th. 2 chapters
Virtual network configuration
Prepare the virtual network within you Proxmox VE system to serve the networking needs of your Kubernetes cluster.
6th. 1 chapter
K3s cluster setup
Build your Kubernetes cluster with a K3s setup deployed on virtual machines.
7th. 14 chapters
Deploying services
Make use of your K3s cluster by deploying some workloads.
8th. 12 chapters
Monitoring and diagnosis of your host and K3s cluster
Use the tools available in your homelab setup to monitor your Proxmox VE system and K3s cluster.
9th. 1 chapter
Backups
Mitigate data losses in your homelab setup with backups.
10th. 5 chapters
System update
Update your homelab system’s software following adequate procedures that take into account its nuances.
11th. 4 chapters
Cleaning up your homelab system
Make room in your homelab storage by removing from your system operational data no longer needed.
12th. 1 chapter
Understanding your homelab setup through diagrams
Visualize with diagrams the architecture of all the layers in the homelab setup resulting from this guide.
13th. 1 chapter