Erich Blume
50046f42f8
Create tutorials directory with learning-oriented content: - what-is-blumeops: High-level orientation (Reader, AI) - exploring-the-docs: Navigation guide (All audiences) - ai-assistance-guide: Context for AI assistance (AI, Owner) - contributing: First contribution workflow (Contributor) - replicating-blumeops: Overview for replicators Add replication sub-tutorials: - tailscale-setup: Networking foundation - kubernetes-bootstrap: Cluster setup - argocd-config: GitOps configuration - observability-stack: Metrics, logs, dashboards Each tutorial explicitly identifies target audiences and links heavily to reference material rather than re-explaining. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
128 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
128 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: replicating-blumeops
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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 BluemeOps. 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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BluemeOps 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 16GB RAM |
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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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**[[tutorials/replication/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: Kubernetes Cluster
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A cluster for running containerized workloads.
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**[[tutorials/replication/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 3: GitOps with ArgoCD
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Declarative, git-driven deployments.
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**[[tutorials/replication/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 4: Observability Stack
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Know what's happening in your infrastructure.
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**[[tutorials/replication/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 5: Your First Services
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With the foundation in place, deploy actual workloads. BluemeOps 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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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 6: 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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BluemeOps 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 [[tutorials/replication/tailscale-setup]] - networking is the foundation everything else builds on.
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## Related
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- [[what-is-blumeops]] - Understand what you're replicating
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- [[reference/index]] - See BlumeOps' specific configurations
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- [[contributing]] - Help improve BlumeOps instead
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