Category: Operating System
The Perfect Backup? Case Study: Kopia + Garage S3 on TrueNAS SCALE
In the IT world, there is a brutal adage: people are divided into those who do backups, and those who will start doing them. However, simply “doing backups” is only half the battle. The real challenge is creating a system that is reliable, automated, encrypted, and cost-effective to maintain. Today, I will show you how…
Secure Home Directory Backup to TrueNAS Using Duplicati and Docker
Creating a reliable backup is absolutely critical, especially when working with code (PHP, Python, JavaScript) or managing essential systems, such as an ERP system. A local backup is simply not enough – we need a remote, encrypted solution that is resilient to drive failure. Duplicati, combined with Docker and a TrueNAS server (utilising SFTP), offers…
Secure SSH: Key-Based Authentication for Your VPS
If you work with VPS servers, you know that security is fundamental. Logging in with a password is like leaving your house keys under the doormat—it works, but it exposes you to bots and attacks. The true industry standard is SSH key authentication. It’s not only more secure but also significantly more convenient, as it…
Ventoy – The Ultimate IT Rescue Drive: Building a Universal Diagnostic and Recovery Hub
Anyone who has had to install an operating system, troubleshoot a hard drive, or set up multiple Linux distributions knows the frustration of constantly formatting USB sticks. This ends now. The answer to this problem is Ventoy—an ingenious, free utility that changes how we approach bootable media. If your IT toolkit includes multiple Windows installers,…
How to Secure Your TrueNAS Apps? My Method with Tailscale
Every self-hosting enthusiast eventually faces the same dilemma: how do you get secure and convenient remote access to your applications? Exposing each service directly to the world via a public IP address and opening ports on your router is just asking for trouble. On the other hand, we want access to our tools from anywhere.…
Ubuntu 25.10 on a 27″ iMac (2011): A Second Lease of Life for a Classic
In the world of IT, where hardware becomes obsolete in the blink of an eye, there are certain gems that are hard to part with. For me, one such device is the 27-inch iMac from 2011. Why do I still use it, and why did I decide to breathe new life into it with Ubuntu…
NetData in Home Lab and SME Environments:
Full Observability, 1-Second Granularity, and Intelligent Troubleshooting I. Introduction: What is NetData and Why Administration Requires ‘Live’ Data Administering a modern, heterogeneous infrastructure in a home lab or a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) presents the SysAdmin with unique challenges. The necessity of monitoring a critical TrueNAS SCALE server running on Debian, several Ubuntu Server Virtual Private…
WireGuard on TrueNAS Scale: How to Build a Secure and Efficient Bridge Between Your Local Network and VPS Servers
In today’s digital world, where remote work and distributed infrastructure are becoming the norm, secure access to network resources is not so much a luxury as an absolute necessity. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have long been the answer to these needs, yet traditional solutions can be complicated and slow. Enter WireGuard—a modern VPN protocol that…
Your Server is Secure: A Guide to Permanently Blocking Attacks
A Permanent IP Blacklist with Fail2ban, UFW, and Ipset Introduction: Beyond Temporary Protection In the digital world, where server attacks are a daily occurrence, merely reacting is not enough. Although tools like Fail2ban provide a basic line of defence, their temporary blocks leave a loophole—persistent attackers can return and try again after the ban expires.…
