Homelab

A Homelab is a set of computers forming an information system used for testing General IT, Security, or Networking concepts in a home environment.

Building a Homelab

I have a series of Homelab Tutorials that may be beneficial to those looking to build a home lab, but there are generally a few things to consider before embarking on the path.

Hardware Homelabs

If you are lucky enough to have the financial and/or physical resources, I would strongly recommend having a physical home lab. This will generally consist of a few discrete hardware servers, a few discrete pieces of networking equipment, and at least one end-user device. I have also seen physical homelabs used in the creation and testing of Internet of Things equipment.

Considerations

1. Make sure you have the appropriate network segmentation and firewalling set up. You should either firewall off your homelab or airgap the network entirely.
2. Ensure that you have enough cooling. It might seem like a small consideration but servers and networking gear get HOT. A single rackmount server and switch can raise the temperature of a room 1-2 degrees or more during periods of high use.
3. Power usage will go up from a homelab, in some cases significantly. However, with the rise of low-voltage single-board computers that are quite capable this is becoming less of a concern.

Computing Hardware

In general you will need at least one physical server capable of being a bare-metal hypervisor, and at least one computer capable of being a driver system. These systems can be as complex as full on commercial grade rackmount servers, or simply a set of Raspberry Pi systems.

Networking Hardware

Most homelab networks are simple, consisting often of a single switch, or a consumer-grade router/switch combination. These are perfectly acceptable for most situations. I do often, however, see homelabs containing at least 3 switches, 2 routers, a wireless access point or two, and potentially a firewall. These are common pieces of hardware which, when bought as Cisco products, can be used to study for the CCNA/CCNP exams.

Virtual Homelabs

Virtual homelabs are by far more easily acquired. Most modern computers with pretty standard specifications are capable of running one or more virtual machines at the same time, allowing for basic assessments and testing exploits. There are a couple of very important considerations when using a virtual homelab

Considerations

1. It is perfectly acceptable to use a virtual homelab to test exploits that are from system to system. It is not advisable to use an arrangement such as this to test malware in any sort of dynamic way.
2. You do run a limited risk to your host machine in that making a mistake and running a command on a host system instead of a virtual machine can have unintended consequences, including installing an operating system over your running operating system.
3. Vulnerable target systems need to be handled carefully. Incorrect network settings can allow an intentionally vulnerable (and easily recognizable) system to connect to your home internet, potentially opening your network up to attack.

Why Virtual?

With all of those considerations it may be curious that people would want to use virtual homelabs, but while those considerations may seem daunting it requires only a little bit of diligence to protect yourself. In truth, for years I have used virtual homelabs in teaching students general IT, Networking, and Security topics. These, truly, have a very low barrier of entry and fewer, less critical, considerations than a hardware homelab, in truth. My Homelab Tutorials are a series that will help you build and use a virtual homelab in a safe and controlled way.