Erich Blume
bb7efa850a
## Summary - Periodic doc review of `tutorials/replicating-blumeops.md` (was never reviewed). - Fixed 4 instances of "BluemeOps" → "BlumeOps" (also caught 1 in `contributing.md`). - Added `last-reviewed: 2026-05-11` and bumped `modified`. - Verified all wiki-link targets resolve. ## Test plan - [x] `prek` hooks pass (link checker, frontmatter checker) - [ ] Optional: `mise run docs-preview docs/tutorials/replicating-blumeops.md` Reviewed-on: #350
141 lines
4 KiB
Markdown
141 lines
4 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Replicating BlumeOps
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modified: 2026-05-11
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last-reviewed: 2026-05-11
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tags:
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- tutorials
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- replication
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---
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# Replicating BlumeOps
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> **Audiences:** Replicator
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This tutorial provides a roadmap for building your own homelab GitOps environment inspired by BlumeOps. It links to detailed component tutorials for each major piece.
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## What You'll Build
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By following this guide, you'll have:
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- A secure mesh network connecting your devices
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- A Kubernetes cluster for running containerized services
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- GitOps-driven deployments via ArgoCD
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- Observability with metrics, logs, and dashboards
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- Backup and disaster recovery capabilities
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## Hardware Requirements
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BlumeOps runs on modest hardware. At minimum:
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| Component | BlumeOps Uses | Minimum Alternative |
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|-----------|---------------|---------------------|
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| **Server** | Mac Mini M1 | Any machine with sufficient RAM (16GB recommended) |
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| **NAS** | Synology DS920+ | USB drive or second machine |
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| **Workstation** | MacBook Air M4 | Whatever you use daily |
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You can start with a single machine and add storage later.
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## The Journey
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### Phase 1: Networking Foundation
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Before deploying services, establish secure connectivity.
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**[[tailscale-setup|Setting Up Tailscale]]**
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- Create a tailnet and connect your devices
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- Configure ACLs for service access
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- Set up MagicDNS for convenient naming
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This replaces: traditional VPNs, port forwarding, dynamic DNS
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### Phase 2: Core Services
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Bootstrap the essential services that everything else depends on.
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**[[core-services|Core Services Setup]]**
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- Set up [[forgejo]] for git hosting and CI/CD
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- Optionally set up [[zot]] container registry
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- Configure SSH access and deploy keys
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Forgejo is central to GitOps - it's where your infrastructure definitions live and where CI/CD workflows run.
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### Phase 3: Kubernetes Cluster
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A cluster for running containerized workloads.
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**[[kubernetes-bootstrap|Bootstrapping Kubernetes]]**
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- Install minikube (or k3s, kind, etc.)
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- Configure persistent storage
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- Expose the API securely via Tailscale
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BlumeOps uses minikube for simplicity, but the patterns apply to any distribution.
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### Phase 4: GitOps with ArgoCD
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Declarative, git-driven deployments.
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**[[argocd-config|Configuring ArgoCD]]**
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- Install ArgoCD in your cluster
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- Connect to your git repository
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- Deploy your first application
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- Set up the app-of-apps pattern
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This is the heart of GitOps - changes in git automatically sync to your cluster.
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### Phase 5: Observability Stack
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Know what's happening in your infrastructure.
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**[[observability-stack|Building the Observability Stack]]**
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- Deploy Prometheus for metrics
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- Deploy Loki for logs
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- Deploy Grafana for dashboards
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- Configure Alloy for collection
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Without observability, you're flying blind.
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### Phase 6: Your First Services
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With the foundation in place, deploy actual workloads. BlumeOps runs:
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- [[miniflux]] - RSS reader
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- [[jellyfin]] - Media server
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- [[immich]] - Photo management
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- [[navidrome]] - Music streaming
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- [[docs]] - Documentation site (Quartz)
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Pick what matters to you. Each service follows similar patterns:
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1. Create Kubernetes manifests
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2. Create ArgoCD Application
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3. Configure ingress routing
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4. Sync and verify
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### Phase 7: Backups and Resilience
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Protect your data.
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- Set up [[borgmatic]] for backup automation
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- Configure NAS as backup target
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- Test restore procedures
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- Document disaster recovery
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## Alternative Approaches
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BlumeOps makes specific choices that may not suit everyone:
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| BlumeOps Choice | Alternative |
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|-----------------|-------------|
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| macOS server | Linux server (more common) |
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| Minikube | k3s, kind, or managed K8s |
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| Tailscale | WireGuard, Nebula |
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| ArgoCD | Flux, manual kubectl |
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| Ansible | NixOS, Docker Compose |
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The principles (GitOps, IaC, observability) matter more than specific tools.
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## Getting Started
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Begin with [[tailscale-setup]] - networking is the foundation everything else builds on.
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## Related
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- [Reference](/reference/) - See BlumeOps' specific configurations
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- [[contributing]] - Help improve BlumeOps instead
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