{"id":1916,"date":"2026-01-29T14:44:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/?p=1916"},"modified":"2026-01-29T14:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:56:16","slug":"miert-epitettem-homelab-ot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/miert-epitettem-homelab-ot\/","title":{"rendered":"Why did I build HomeLab?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When the office becomes a mini data center (HomeLab)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018How many machines does ONE person need?\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is usually the first time someone enters my office. Several separate machines, network devices, tell-tale LEDs \u2013 from the outside it really looks like a smaller data centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you know what? In a way, it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not because of hobbies or obsessions (okay, maybe a little  \u2047 ), but because <strong>As a developer and educator<\/strong> I realized: your own infrastructure <strong>non-cost<\/strong>, but <strong>Control and Freedom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This HomeLab isn't about running everything at home, it's about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Don't be at the mercy of cloud providers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I can teach in a real environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and work cheaper and more predictable in the long run<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is HomeLab \u2013 in short, without frills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HomeLab is a <strong>Home IT Infrastructure<\/strong>, where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>run developer and test environments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trying out services without risk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You're learning real systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Single Used Mini PC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>or multiple machines with separate roles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The point <strong>not the size<\/strong>, but a <strong>purposeful structure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Roles of machines (without details, consciously)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The system is more, from each other <strong>logically separated<\/strong> It consists of a machine. Accurate configurations and network settings <em>Deliberately not<\/em> I will go into detail \u2013 not because it is a secret, but because I do not want to publish an attack guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Office \/ Core Server<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>central services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>version-managed projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>monitoring and notifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Education server<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Isolated WordPress Environments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Student Sandboxes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Optimized settings for educational purposes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Backup + media server<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>encrypted backups<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Private Media and File Storage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Separate from the working environment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Developer \/ staging server<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>preparation of client projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WordPress staging environments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Role that triggers VPS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Emphasis <strong>It's on separation.<\/strong>: which is work, which is education, which is private data \u2013 it does not mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>VPS replacement \u2013 with realistic numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I used classic VPS for development and staging. It was comfortable, but:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Incurred a fixed monthly cost<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>resource-limited<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every expansion cost money.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The current model<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>One-off hardware cost:<\/strong> ~60-80 thousand HUF (used business mini PC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Typical consumption:<\/strong> 15-30 W <em>average<\/em> (not 65 W continuously)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monthly electricity costs:<\/strong> approx. HUF 1 000-1 500 \/ machine<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The 65 W a <strong>rated maximum power supply<\/strong>, It is not real consumption. These machines use a fraction of this at idle and normal loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What does that mean in money?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>VPS-type cost: HUF 5-15 000 \/ month<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HomeLab dev server: ~ HUF 12-18 thousand \/ year including electricity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2047  Return on investment <strong>Not measured in months<\/strong>, but <strong>the Functional Freedom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Costs \u2013 simplified, without distortion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>One-time hardware cost (built over years)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Used business mini PCs: <strong>realistic price range<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Basic network equipment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2047  Not at the same time, not mandatory, not mandatory in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Operating costs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Real consumption of mini PCs: <strong>15-30 W \/ machine<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Total HomeLab Power Cost: order of magnitude <strong>a few thousand HUF \/ month<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no overcalculation, no \u2018marketing math\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Safety \u2013 what is important to know (and what is not)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The HomeLab <strong>Non-public data centre<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is important to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Not everything is exposed to the internet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>has layered protection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>there is ongoing supervision<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>What <em>not<\/em> publish:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Specific ports<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>topological drawings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Details of authentication solutions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It's not a secret \u2013 it's <strong>sober operation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Raspberry Pi \u2013 a short lesson<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning is excellent. Infrastructure Fund: <strong>not ideal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SD card = weak spot<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I\/O and stability limited<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Value for money is no longer competitive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2047  Used mini PC: more stable, faster, more predictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Education in a Real Environment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During university education, HomeLab's biggest advantage is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I'm not showing a theory<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a functioning system<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They work on real WordPress<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>make a mistake<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They will learn to solve<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the knowledge that will be used in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When to start \u2013 and when not to start<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Not for you<\/strong>, if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You don't want to learn<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>looking for a \"just work\" solution<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It can be a good decision<\/strong>, if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Working on web projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You need a staging\/dev environment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Control over your data is important<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final thought<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HomeLab is not mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But once you understand that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why you are running<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>where your data is<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and how much it actually costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>then it is difficult to go back to thinking \u2018the cloud will solve it\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It's not the number of servers that counts.<br>It is that <strong>Do you control them<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a question or your own experience, write a comment \u2013 HomeLab is good for talking about it. \u2047<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is it worth building HomeLab as a WordPress developer in 2026? Real experience, real benefits \u2013 without unnecessary technical details.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Mi\u00e9rt \u00e9p\u00edtettem HomeLab\u2011ot? - Tesz\u00e1ry P\u00e9ter","description":"Mi\u00e9rt \u00e9ri meg HomeLab\u2011ot \u00e9p\u00edteni WordPress fejleszt\u0151k\u00e9nt 2026\u2011ban? Val\u00f3s tapasztalatok, val\u00f3di el\u0151ny\u00f6k \u2013 felesleges technikai r\u00e9szletek n\u00e9lk\u00fcl."},"cp_status":"planned","footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[97],"class_list":["post-1916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-server-home-lab","tag-homelab"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teszarypeter.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}