I started with one server behind a bookshelf.

I did not start with a perfect plan.

I started with a server behind a bookshelf and a need to understand how everything connected. That machine became game hosting, then a rack, then managed switching, virtualization, storage, firewalling, identity, monitoring, backups, and a documentation system that keeps the whole thing honest.

I like the point where frontline support meets networking: checking what the user sees, isolating the failing layer, fixing it, and explaining the result without making the person feel lost.

I am early in my career, and I do not treat a homelab as a replacement for business experience. It gives me a place to practice changes, break dependencies, recover services, and build the habits I want to bring to a real support team.

One of my best lessons came during a switch migration when my Proxmox cluster lost quorum. I had to stop, trace what changed, restore connectivity, and document the recovery steps. That failure taught me more than the clean final diagram ever could.