This is the only Linux distro I recommend for self-hosting
Self-hosting is a great way to save money on subscriptions and take control of your data, but getting everything to work properly on a single system can be difficult, especially if you have incompatible dependencies.
Proxmox simplifies the entire process and makes getting started with self-hosting and homelabbing much easier.
What makes Proxmox different from other distributions?
Most Linux distributions are designed to replace desktop operating systems like Windows or macOS, or as alternatives to server software like Windows Server.
Proxmox isn’t really like that. Proxmox is a hypervisor, which is a special type of software designed to create, manage and run virtual machines and containers (similar to VMs).
Instead of running a program directly in Proxmox, you can create a container running Ubuntu, then install your application and run it instead.
If you’re self-hosted, this is pretty much ideal.
Why use Proxmox for self-hosting?
Proxmox supports two different types of installations: virtual machines and a few different types of containers.
Virtual machines are fully emulated PCs and tend to be more resource intensive.
I have a soft spot for LXC containers, which share a kernel with the host OS but are isolated from each other. They consume much less resources than a full virtual machine and are what I use 90% of the time instead of virtual machines.
Proxmox has a short setup wizard that walks you through creating a container or virtual machine so you don’t need to manually edit text files to configure anything: just click through a few screens and you’re ready to go.
As a bonus, you don’t even need to manually configure distributions each time. Proxmox integrates turnkey Linux distributions, which streamline self-hosting services.
Don’t configure Linux from scratch, these turnkey distributions do it for you
You don’t need to configure Linux manually every time.
I usually have half a dozen things running on my Proxmox server at any given time, plus a few temporary containers for the new program I’m testing.
The best part about virtualization is that I don’t have to worry about an experiment in one container or a VM interrupting a stable and important service that I’m running in another. I can play with a new app all day, try weird experiments, and attempt clumsy solutions without worry. I can’t imagine self-hosting as many things as without
Turnkey Distributions Make Self-Hosting Easy
Each distribution comes with a different set of programs and libraries. Sometimes there are bigger differences, like the one between Ubuntu and Fedora.
Proxmox comes with a large library of turnkey Linux distributions, which are distributions specially tailored to be optimal for certain tasks. For example, there is a turnkey distribution for hosting a Minecraft server. If that’s not what you need, there is a turnkey distribution for hosting media servers, like Jellyfin.
There are over 100 different turnkey distributions, so no matter what you’re doing, chances are one of them will make your job easier.
Built-in backups
One of the worst, and certainly most stressful, parts of self-hosting and homelabbing is managing backups. If you’re considering self-hosting a Google Photos alternative, you’d better make sure it’s robust and reliable.
Proxmox makes this process much easier, as it allows you to instantly create copies of your virtual machines and containers that you can move to a safe location in the event of an outage. If you wanted
Beyond its technical advantages, which are quite convincing in themselves, Proxmox has something else to offer: a huge and active community. This helps address any issues you might encounter or get help ahead of time so you can do things right the first time, much easier than it would be if you had to go it alone.
I’ve only had a Proxmox error once that wasn’t well documented by the community, and that was only because it was a relatively new bug.
This makes it ideal for the beginning homelabber. You don’t need to break the bank to get started, either: Proxmox is lightweight and efficient enough that even a low-to-mid-power mini PC can run a dozen LXC containers as long as you’re not trying to run too many demanding things simultaneously.
- Brand
-
GEEKOM
- Storage
-
1TB NVMe PCIe x4 Gen 4
- Processor
-
AMD Ryzen 6800H
- Memory
-
4800 MHz DDR5 SODIMM (64 GB maximum)
- Ports
-
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A rear, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A rear 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A support front, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A front 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Power Delivery support (rear panel) 1 x USB 4 Gen 3 Type-C Power Delivery support (rear panel) 1 x Front 3.5mm stereo headphone jack 1 x RJ45 (rear panel) 2 x HDMI 2.0 (rear panel)
The GEEKOM A6 Mini PC is an entry-level mini PC designed for light work.
It has Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and every type of USB port you could need. It won’t run AAA games at maximum settings, but if you need a mini PC to play older games, it will do the job.
