I’ve been running my own data center for 3 years. At home.
Vocational IT student (level 3 → 4), freelance IT’er under TheGiorilla IT, and in my free time sysadmin of my own Proxmox homelab, 3D-printed server rack, and self-hosted AI stack. Below is an overview of what I’ve built, and personally, structurally, keep running.
Seven modules, self-designed and self-maintained
Every project below is either still running, or a completed, working system – no tutorials followed without understanding; figured out, built, and repaired myself where needed.
Proxmox Homelab & Server
My own server with 24TB of storage, running on a multi-node Proxmox cluster. Hosts dozens of LXC containers and Docker services: game servers, a website host, cloud storage accessible via PC and mobile, and a media player. Network access handled via Cloudflare Tunnels, no open ports needed to the outside.
ROI: saves ongoing VPS and cloud hosting costs for dozens of services.
Labrax – 3D-printed 10″ server rack
A stripped laptop (Vivobook) repurposed as a full Proxmox node, built into a self-designed and 3D-printed 10″ rack with a separate mount for the router. Including solving hardware quirks such as a power button that only works via the keyboard ribbon cable.
ROI: repurposed hardware instead of buying a new server chassis.
Self-hosted AI Stack
My own AI environment on the homelab with GPU passthrough to a container: local LLMs via Ollama, image generation via Stable Diffusion, and custom tooling written to tie them together. Accessible from outside via a dedicated subdomain.
ROI: no subscription costs for ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, or separate image generation tools.
DIY Home Security System
Camera system with Imou IP cameras, paired with a custom control panel built from an old iPad with a separate driver board, in a self 3D-printed enclosure. The screen works fully and shows 24/7 live camera feed, also viewable remotely via both the Imou app and the Home Assistant app. Home Assistant (HAOS) now runs behind it, though that usage is still in an early stage.
ROI: no monthly cloud storage subscription like Ring or Nest requires.
Game servers & network isolation
Running about 7 different game servers side by side on the homelab: several Minecraft variants (including a Create-modded server and a survival server), Valheim, Palworld, and ARK: Survival Evolved. When multiple Minecraft servers started interfering with each other due to port and connection conflicts, I set up a separate Cloudflare Tunnel per server so they run fully independently of each other.
ROI: saves roughly €15 to 30 per month per rented game server; with 7 servers that’s €100+ per month avoided.
PC & Laptop Repairs
Repaired laptops and PCs for at least 7 people, from slow systems to fully dead hardware. On one laptop that wouldn’t boot at all, I performed a hard-drive recovery and recovered all the data without data loss or corruption.
ROI: saves clients the cost of a new device by repairing instead of replacing.
3D Printing & TheGiorilla IT
My own 3D printer with a self-built airtight, ventilated enclosure, and my own designed models (from rack parts to enclosures). I’m also building my own freelance IT business under the name TheGiorilla IT: a custom WordPress theme I designed, built, and host myself, and have by now helped a number of paying clients. Alongside TheGiorilla IT, together with my father I’m also setting up GrunnLab, an early-stage 3D printing startup.
ROI: generates revenue rather than just cutting costs, both through TheGiorilla IT and GrunnLab.
What I work with daily
No standalone courses, this is stuff I actually use daily, at home on the homelab, and with TheGiorilla IT clients.