Why it mattered
It matters because it shows initiative. No one assigned this project to me. I built it to sharpen how I think about deployment, networking, service management, and the reality of maintaining systems over time.
Infrastructure / Self-Directed Learning
Home Kubernetes Lab
A two-node Raspberry Pi k3s cluster built to learn infrastructure by operating it directly.
The lab exists because I learn best by building systems from scratch and living with their constraints. It is a deliberately small environment, but it represents the way I like to close the gap between theory and working infrastructure.
k3sRaspberry PiKubernetes manifestsSSHLinux networkingContainers
Role
Designed, assembled, configured, and maintained the cluster, including service deployment, SSH access, and remote administration.
Constraints
- Built on resource-constrained hardware, which forced intentional choices around what to run and how to operate it.
- Needed to stay maintainable enough for routine hands-on experimentation instead of becoming an unused side project.
- The goal was practical infrastructure learning, not a decorative homelab showcase.
System approach
Cluster Foundation
Set up a two-node Raspberry Pi cluster running k3s as a compact but real Kubernetes environment.
Service Operations
Deployed and managed containerized applications through Kubernetes manifests and routine operational checks.
Access and Maintenance
Configured SSH and network access for remote administration, giving the setup enough permanence to stay useful as a learning tool.
Outcomes
- Created a stable environment for experimenting with self-hosted services and container orchestration.
- Built stronger intuition around networking, deployment, and the operational tradeoffs of small-cluster systems.
- Reinforced a habit of learning infrastructure through ownership instead of abstraction alone.
What it says about me
This project says something quieter but important about me: I will get my hands dirty to understand a system properly, especially when I know it connects to larger ambitions later.
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