Keeping The Lights Blinking
Working on learning one project at a time.
👋 Hi, Welcome.All of the articles before 2023 were migrated out of an WordPress MySQL database recovered from and old docker volume. Some of the formatting might seem off. Those articles are still a work in progress, here be dragons 🐉.
My interests are
Cloud Computing : From understanding the fundamentals to deploying and managing applications in the cloud, I’m documenting my journey of mastering this transformative technology.
Networking : Peering into how data flows, from basic network concepts to more intricate configurations and troubleshooting the art of pushing packets.
Cyber Security : Navigating the evolving world of digital threats and defences, learning how to secure systems and protect information from principles to practice.
Kubernetes : Orchestrating containers and navigating scalable applications. A challenging but incredibly rewarding area I’m excited about and actively exploring
HUGO : Embracing the power of static site generators to build and deploy an efficient and engaging web experience for the creator and the consumer. Follow along as I experiment with the framework to build this site.
Automation : Standardising and creating efficiencies in processes, removing human error in repetitive tasks and use technology and code to look after the basics and free up time for the bigger stuff.
Toolage : Configuring and shaping my digital and physical environments. The tools, systems, and hardware to reduce friction and keep things running reliably.
Home Labbing
: My personal playground for experimentation and running services for the home! Follow the evolution of my home lab as I build, break, and learn from hardware and software stuff ups setups
Latest Articles:
My custom vim mode in zsh
This article describes how I navigate and edit in the Zsh command line using my custom Vi-mode configuration. This setup transforms the Zsh prompt into a mini-Vim editor, complete with mode-specific cursors and custom productivity macros.
My ZFS Strategy Ground Work
I cover the groundwork behind my ZFS storage strategy on Proxmox VE, including the hardware I am working with, how I balance performance, reliability, and capacity. The core ZFS concepts that influence my design and outline how different storage tiers serve different workloads in my homelab. This is less about “how to install ZFS” and more about planning thestorage architecture that fits my Proxmox workloads.
The Proxmox ZFS SDS Engine
Building my Proxmox VE homelab around ZFS gives me enterprise style software-defined storage without needing expensive hardware or proprietary platforms. By combining ZFS with Proxmox, I can manage storage, replication, snapshots, caching, and virtualisation all in one flexible and scalable platform using affordable enterprise hardware. This article breaks down how ZFS became the core storage engine behind my Proxmox environment and why careful storage planning matters so much for performance, resilience, and long-term growth.
The Evolution of Virtualisation Storage
I wanted to explore how Proxmox VE and ZFS represent a very different approach to virtualisation storage compared to traditional KVM stacks built around QCOW2, LVM, and XFS. Here I look at how enterprise virtualisation evolved, why ZFS changed the storage model, and the tradeoffs between software defined storage and traditional layered infrastructure. I find Proxmox and ZFS interesting as they bring enterprise style storage features to homelabs and SMB environments without expensive hardware.
FUNCTION decode_digtial_realm(encoded_intelligence):
idea = SPLIT(encoded_intelligence, "!?")
decoded_value= ""
FOR EACH return_idea IN idea:
decoded_value = decoded_idea + GET_CONCEPT(DO_THINK(return_idea))
RETURN decoded_value
END