#projectCodenameFortress: Home Lab Built with Passion by @conanzhangtech

A personal playground for experimentation and innovation.

Codename: Fortress

Overview

#projectCodenameFortress is my dedicated home lab environment, developed to simulate and showcases how I build and manage a small-scale IT environment for personal and professional growth. It enables me to explore, learn, and innovate.

The homelab also serves as a testing ground me to do Proof-of-Concept before turning ideas into reality.

1. Goals
2. Security and Infrastructure
3. Virtualisation
4. Web Applications
5. Backup
6. Future Improvements

Goals

• Self Learning: Experiment with new technologies and enhance my skills in networking, system administration, and DevOps.
• Professional Development: Host personal projects and explore virtualisation, containerisation, and integration with cloud technologies.
• Sharing and Exchange: Provide and exchange insights and inspiration for others interested in building their own home lab.

Security and Infrastructure

• Domain Names I own:

  • conanzhang.tech (Purchased from Namecheap)
  • ztcc.ink (Purchased from Namecheap)

• Information Security Profile:

  • Cloudflare for DNS Management
  • Cloudflare Zero Trust for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) implementation
  • Microsoft EntraID for Identity Access Management (IdP)
  • Microsoft Azure Network Gateway as Site-to-Site and Point-to-Site configuration.
  • Nessus for Vulnerability Assessment.

Virtualisation

• Virtualisation Platform:

  • VMWare EXSI set up as Type 1 Hypervisor
  • VMWare vSphere (VCSA) set up to manage the ESXI server

Web Applications

• FOCZ - Fortress Server

FOCZ - Fortress Server is a self-hosted VMWare (by BroadCom) vCentre Server, on top of my EXSI Type 1 Hypervisor.

This is the back VMWare (by BroadCom) vCentre server allows me to manage all of my VMs at ease.

Learn how to host your own VMWare (by BroadCom) vCentre Server server - This is a paid server subscription, not open-source.

• FOCZ - Build Server

It is a self-hosted code server I use to host or run development environments for writing, testing, and deploying code.

For instance, I use it to adjust and control the version of the the source codes used to run applications, APIs, or databases in real-time, such as this website.

I get a web-based version of VS Code and enables me to access my environment from anywhere, making it easier for me to collaborate or work on my projects remotely.

Learn how to host your own code-server and publish your first website using Cloudflare Pages, Github and Hugo Builder integration !

• FOCZ - Obsidian Server

FOCZ - Obsidian Server is a self-hosted Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution that I use to securely access my Windows VMs via RDP and Linux VMs via SSH.

By centralising access control, it helps me securely manage privileged access to my virtual machines. This setup ensures credentials are not exposed and provides a reliable, auditable way to connect remotely for system administration tasks.

Key features include:

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security.
• Access policies and role management to enforce strict control.

Learn how to host your own teleport server .

• FOCZ - Compliance

FOCZ - Compliance is a self-hosted Nessus server.

Nessus checks for common vulnerabilities (CVSS) in my environment and gives recommendations to patch them.

Learn how to host your own Nessus server using Nessus Community Edition .

• FOCZ - ztcc.ink

FOCZ - ztcc.ink is a free SaaS solution Link Shortener using my ztcc.ink custom domain.

Learn how to USE ShortIO .

Backup

• VEEAM Backup and Replication Server
• Azure Cloud

Future Improvements

NA for now