20 Ways to Use a Virtual Machine (and other ideas for your homelab)

Looking for new ideas on how to use your virtual machines? Well, here's the top 20 ways to use your virtual machines in your homelab.

Be sure to check out my follow up video on Virtualization vs Containerization

00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Why
01:08 - 20 Ways to Use A Virtual Machine Countdown
14:22 - Conclusion

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Tim Kits:

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#Proxmox #Homelab #Virtualization #FreeNAS #TechnoTim #selfhosted #OpenSource

Description Tags: Techno Tim, technotim, learning, active directory, dns, mail server, manjaro, popos, pop os, home automation, web server nginx, apache, ghost blog, angular, react, vuejs, reactjs, api, golang, python, php, api server, api gateway, home security, home entertainment, plex, emby, kodi, network firewall, network appliance, pfsense, opensense, opnsense, xg firewall, sophos, untangle, home network, unify ubiquity, access point, docker, rancher, kubernetes, rancher, rancher 2.0, database server, mongodb, posgresql, mongo, mysql, sql, file server, samba, smb, freenas, open media vault, ad blocking, whole home adblocking, pihole server, personal cloud, public cloud, google drive alternative, ftp server, reporting server, indexing graphing, visualize data, kibana, torrent server, backup server, backblaze, urbackup, syncthing, duplicati, game server, minecraft server, gpu passthrough, gpu proxmox, remote gaming, remote gpu, steam in home streaming, steam remote play, crowdsourcing compute, crowd source research, fah, folding at home, k8s at home, docker at home, virtualize all the things, alexa, google home, homekit, apple, ios, android, open source, selfhosted, self-hosted, /selfhosted, home-lab, homelabber, /homelab selfhosting ideas

Thank you for watching!

[TechnoTim]

What do you run on your virtual machines?

Also, if you're new here, welcome! Don't forget to subscribe for more content like this!

[experienceexperte]

You're welcome (btw most of these are similar and sometimes included in each other, so it's pretty obvious that it was intended)

1:08 Learning New OS
2:12 Home Automation
2:57 Self-Host Web Server
3:18 Self-Host API
3:42 Home Security
4:26 Home Entertainment
4:54 Network Firewall
5:57 Home Network
6:03 VPN Servers
6:52 Docker
7:23 Database Server
7:58 FIle Server
8:34 Ad Blocking
9:15 Personal Cloud
9:50 FTP server
10:27 Reporting Server
11:03 Torrent Server
11:30 Backup Server
12:23 Game Server
13:37 Crowdsourced Compute

[abhijitpaul]

I am a total newbie in homelab and stuffs and your video helped me a lot to visualize a path i can take. Thanks a lot<3

[kurthockenbury]

Two more suggestions:
syslog server. Many systems can generate syslog data, like your router. Having a central log repository lets you monitor, archive, or react to the data.
IDS, such as Security Onion. This is similar to syslog, but your IDS can be set up to monitor for intrusions and alert you.

[citypavement]

14:00 I thought at a glance the option to stop folding "Only when idle" as "Only when I die." I thought "Man, these home folders are hardcore!" This is a great list and resinspires me to continue my proxmox setup. Tim, after watching several of your videos I can tell you do this out of passion. Thank you for being a great resource. I don't know what royalty free track is in the background but it's catchy and not annoying like most of them!

[GabrielMazzei]

I haven't started my own server yet, but this kind of content help me to start dreaming what I want... Thanks!

[RossCanpolat]

I run my own Unraid server. It's absolutely awesome. Unraid manages my NAS requirements with parity protection, docker runs my Plex, Sonarr, Adblock, torrents and more and KVM runs my VM's for home assistant, Ubuntu, throwaway VM's and I run a gaming VM with a GPU passthrough with near bare metal performance. The entire system is absolutely awesome. 👍

[creechavo]

Im beginning to love this guy more and more... I just subbed to him like a day ago. Everytime i need some answers i come on youtube and search and there he has the video answering my question.

[diverpers]

Wow, you are answering all the questions. Good YouTuber.

[brianewell]

Excellent list. A software package caching server for Debian, Ubuntu, Steam, Windows Updates, etc. Really helpful for nearly instantaneous updates to multiple machines, which happens when you're virtualizing a lot. Nginx does this really well.

[netQ]

Incredible video. Thank you for the time you put into this. I’ve been looking to get into virtualization for a while now, and this video committed me to learning. Subbed!

[Noobish]

Dude, thank you.

Been hunting for homelab ideas and found your channel. Subbed big time

[deViant]

I literally built my home lab so I can help seed debian torrents. Because I'm a good person. Yeppp.

[mazze]

Hey Tim, I decided to jump on the rack / home lab train. I have no idea what I'm doing but that's why I started XD. Got my startech 12U 4 post rack last week. Now im waiting for a poweredge r710 and a switch plus god knows what else. The wife ain't to happy. Any who love the video been binge watching them for a while now and the adventure I randomly decided to go on doesn't seem to daunting now.

[bluegizmo]

PFsense on a dedicated box (for it's firewall and network management), and Unraid on a dedicated box (for it's NAS, Docker, And VMs) is the way to go! Best of all world's.

[knofi]

Ok, now I totally understand why your home-server is having 24 CPU Cores. :) Great video btw.!

[MichaelBloch]

It would be amazing if you did a video on deploying ZoneMinder (or another home security software) in a Docker VM - this is a space that is under-covered and could use some of your pedagogic magic ! In the meantime, thanks for all you do, your channel is amazing

[LadyO_]

Thank you Mr. Techno T, this has cleared up my questions for my IT class & virtual machines.. "WE ARE THE DISCLOSURE!"

[RandyHanley]

Amazing video. I really think this can help people to understand the importance of privacy in technology. I think this gives the best options!

[michaelcooper]

Hey Tim thank you for the hard work and your time.