Built a comprehensive virtualized home server environment using Proxmox VE hypervisor with OpenMediaVault as a dedicated NAS solution for photography workflow management and system administration learning.

Hardware Specifications

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600
• GPU: GTX 1060 (for hardware acceleration if needed)
• RAM: 32GB DDR4
• Boot Drive: M.2 SSD for Proxmox OS and VM storage
• Storage: Two RAID 5 arrays (3x 2TB drives + 3x 3TB drives)
• Total Storage: ~8TB usable capacity after RAID redundancy
• Project Cost: ~$100 (only needed to purchase 3TB drives)

Project Goals

• Repurpose old PC hardware after upgrading to newer system
• Create centralized storage for photography workflow (RAW NEF and JPEG files)
• Learn Proxmox virtualization and network-attached storage concepts
• Build a foundation for future Linux testing and development
• Implement data redundancy with RAID configuration

Technical Implementation

The project began in 2023 after upgrading my main PC, allowing me to repurpose the previous hardware into a dedicated home lab server. The setup involved configuring dual RAID 5 arrays for maximum storage efficiency while maintaining data redundancy.

• Proxmox VE Installation: Installed hypervisor on M.2 SSD for fast boot and VM operations
• RAID Configuration: Set up two separate RAID 5 arrays - one with 3x2TB drives and another with 3x3TB drives
• OpenMediaVault VM: Deployed OMV as primary NAS solution with proper resource allocation
• Network Shares: Configured SMB/CIFS shares for Windows desktop and laptop access
• Storage Management: Currently storing ~500GB of RAW NEF and JPEG photography files, plus ~50GB of music collection (MP3/FLAC from online purchases and cassette digitization)
• Plex Media Server: Configured Plex for remote music streaming to mobile devices

Current Usage & Workflow

• Primary access from Windows desktop and laptop for photography backup
• Automated backup of both RAW NEF files and processed JPEG images
• Music collection storage: ~50GB of MP3 and FLAC files from online purchases and cassette digitization
• Remote music streaming via Plex app on mobile phone for on-the-go access
• Centralized storage allowing access from multiple devices
• RAID 5 redundancy protecting against single drive failures
• Foundation for testing additional Linux distributions and services

Key Learning Outcomes

• Gained hands-on experience with Proxmox VE hypervisor management
• Understanding of network-attached storage (NAS) concepts and implementation
• RAID configuration and storage redundancy principles
• Virtualization best practices and resource allocation
• Network configuration and SMB/CIFS protocol setup
• Linux system administration in production environment

Future Enhancement Plans

• Deploy additional VMs for Linux distribution testing and development
• Implement Docker containerization for microservices learning
• Set up automated backup scheduling for photography workflow
• Add monitoring and alerting for system health and drive status
• Expand Plex capabilities for photo and video streaming
• Create isolated testing environments for software development