I would like to have a mechanism to set up a server automagically…

Similarly I would like to set up my user account settings (Tmux plugins, .zshrc and vim settings, etc) that I can replicate in multiple machines via a script (I have a custom script for this but I want a more solid alternative)

Thoughts on what infra-as-code solution would work best? Any similar experiences or use cases with one Thanks!
Cc @selfhost@lemmy.ml @selfhosted@lemmy.world

  • Skull giver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl
    1·
    9 months ago

    Basically this, with some Googling for $product alternatives 2023 to find the right tool for the right job.

    I’m not sure if OpenStack or OpenShift are for everyone, you can go a long way with just basic Proxmox if you’re not a business managing different teams.

    • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      9 months ago

      I completely agree. But I’m working from the assumption that if OP actually needs the ability to automatically provisions platforms, they’re probably working at a larger scale than the typical small self-hosted home server. And I like to give options.

      IMO, the only tools here that most self hosters need are Docker, and maybe Ansible, though even that is a stretch because in most cases you’re just going to have one server running all your containers and that’s it.

      It’s the whole “Cattle vs Pets” question. When you’re a typical self hoster, you’re probably better off just treating every server as a pet. But if you’re using self hosting as a way of building job skills (which is exactly how I broke into IT) then you absolutely want to start learning how to wrangle cattle.