Home Lab/Network Documentation


Here’s my home network. I did what I could to make ensure redundancy along with efficient routing.

The majority of media ingest is automated. The workflow I use to add data does require me to be present because it’s bandwidth intensive. The Unraid server handles everything, there are some undocumented containers (space constraints). The Dell R410s are nice to have I with I got a third so I could mess around with H.A. but they’re still fun to mess with as is.

If anyone has a good method of holding documentation as far as hardware and software changes, I’m game. Notepad is good and relatively neat & simple but it’s I’m on page ~20.

You’ve done a fantastic job diagramming your home network. If that same level of effort is put in to documentation then you’ll have a very effective KB once you move past notepad. Personally, I settled on Joplin to document my configs/KB because it offered both 3rd party cloud sync and a free mobile app (Android/iOS) but there are a ton of other good options to choose from. Take a look at The Ultimate Home Server - Component: Knowledge Repository thread. You’ll likely find all your answers there :slight_smile:

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I’ve been using obsidian since I stumbled across it here in the forums late last year, and it’s been a game changer for me. There’s a little bit of a learning curve initially (mostly due to it’s extensibility, it’s a lot simpler if you’re just taking notes and not concerned about much otherwise).

I sync mine using nextcloud, then jekyll to generate a website for it on my lan. Sorta similar to this.

Based on your image, I think you’d like the aesthetic too; ex. from my nextcloud setup notes:

The amount of effort you must’ve put into that layout diagram really shows. Looks friggin amazing! A tiny critique of your lab graphic, if you don’t mind too much - the orange is a bit hard to read on that specific background, especially where it intersects with the grid… Possible to disable the grid overlay maybe? Would probably help the text ‘pop’ a bit.

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Thanks for the information. I’ve got Obsidian set up but didn’t venture past initial configuration and some toying around, after which I looked at the fees for cloud hosting. I never thought to add it to Nextcloud. I’ll be giving Joplin a go also, these both seem like amazing options that I can use as solutions for other tasks also.

The grid that you mentioned BVD can be turned of, always nice to get a second opinion (I have a version saved with and without). Every detail of the hardware information is also saved on the diagram to see it requires hovering over the item. https://www.diagrams.net/ is what I made it with incase anyone needs to make something similar.

I second Obsidion. I pay for the cloud sync but that is because I am tied to an iPhone and nextcloud sync doesn’t work on iPhone. As cheap as it is I don’t mind supporting them.

Same here, I don’t mind supporting them either. Just didn’t know if it was for me.