Glossary

A

Ansible. An open-source automation tool for configuration management, application deployment, and task orchestration.

D

Docker. An open platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers.

Docker Compose. A tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications using a simple YAML configuration file.

F

Firewall. A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). Software that is released under a license that allows users to run, study, share, and modify the software.

H

High Availability. A system design approach that ensures continuous operation and minimal downtime through redundancy and fault tolerance.

Home Assistant. An open-source home automation platform that focuses on local control and privacy.

Homelab. A personal computing environment built at home for learning, experimentation, or hosting services.

Hypervisor. Software that creates and runs virtual machines, allowing multiple operating systems to run on a single physical host.

I

Infrastructure as Code (IaC). The practice of managing and provisioning computer data centers through machine-readable definition files rather than physical hardware configuration.

K

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine). An open-source virtualization technology built into the Linux kernel that allows a single physical server to run multiple isolated virtual machines.

Kubernetes. An open-source container orchestration platform for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.

M

Mini PC. A small-form-factor computer that offers a compact alternative to traditional desktop towers.

N

NAS (Network-Attached Storage). A dedicated file storage device that provides local-area network users with centralized data storage and access.

Nested Virtualization. Running virtual machines inside other virtual machines, allowing you to test virtualization environments without dedicated hardware.

Network Architecture. The design of a computer network including the topology, hardware, software, and communication protocols.

P

Proxmox. An open-source virtualization platform that provides enterprise-level features for managing virtual machines and containers.

R

Rack. A standardized frame for mounting equipment, typically measured in U (units) where 1U equals 1.75 inches of vertical space.

Raspberry Pi. A small single-board computer designed for education and hobbyist projects.

Router. A networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.

S

Self-Hosted. Running your own services and applications on personal hardware rather than relying on third-party cloud services.

Single-Board Computer (SBC). A complete computer built on a single circuit board, including processor, memory, and input/output interfaces.

T

Terraform. An infrastructure as code tool that lets you define both cloud and on-prem resources in human-readable configuration files.

V

VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network). A logical grouping of devices on a network that behave as if they are on the same network segment despite being physically located elsewhere.

VPS (Virtual Private Server). A virtual machine rented from a hosting provider that provides dedicated resources in a shared physical environment.

Z

ZFS. An advanced file system and logical volume manager designed for data integrity, high storage capacity, and high performance.