This article is the opening chapter of the SystemLog portfolio series. It documents the very beginning of my infrastructure journey — how the first server, the first containers, the first automations and the first networking experiments slowly evolved into today’s full ecosystem.
The timeline follows real development: from simple tests and experiments to the first working stack that sparked everything that came later.
1. The First VPS – entering my own server space
The very first step was renting a small VPS at Hetzner.
At that moment, there was no grand plan — only the desire to have my own environment where I could:
- deploy scripts,
- run the first micro-services,
- test Docker,
- host internal tools,
- and automate tasks without external limits.
This VPS became the seed of the entire future architecture.
2. Docker – the move towards modularity
Docker changed everything.
It introduced clean separation of services, reproducibility, and the freedom to rebuild without breaking the host system. Early experiments included:
- simple containers,
- small APIs,
- first docker-compose files,
- persistent volumes,
- isolated bridge networks.
These fundamentals later became the backbone of all my deployments.
3. n8n – the beginning of automation
n8n was the first major capability increase.
This was when I began:
- scheduling tasks,
- triggering workflows via webhooks,
- chaining APIs together,
- monitoring services automatically,
- generating first self-hosted automations.
What started as a simple tool soon grew into the central orchestrator for the entire infrastructure.
4. WireGuard – the first private network
My first WireGuard setup was extremely simple:
- VPS as the server
- laptop as the only client
- basic tunnel for secure access
But these early tests introduced key concepts:
- AllowedIPs
- routing and NAT
- basic firewall rules
- persistent tunnels
- endpoint behaviour behind CGNAT
Later, these formed the foundation of the full 10.A.A.0/24 overlay VPN connecting VPS → MikroTik → HOME server → mobile clients.
5. Traefik – first reverse proxy experiments
Traefik opened the door to:
- automatic HTTPS (ACME),
- domain-based routing,
- dynamic configuration,
- middleware,
- and exposing services cleanly to the internet.
The first setup was chaotic, but it was a necessary learning step that paved the way for the fully automated File Provider architecture I use today.
6. The moment everything started connecting
As 2024 transitioned into 2025, something important happened: the infrastructure stopped being a set of isolated experiments and began forming a coherent system.
- Docker apps accessible through Traefik
- n8n monitoring and orchestrating
- WireGuard linking devices securely
- VPS becoming the public “edge”
- Early ideas for a HOME compute node
Pieces started snapping together — and the blueprint of today’s architecture was born.
Why this article matters
Because the current infrastructure didn’t appear magically. It grew step by step:
- layer upon layer,
- experiment after experiment,
- mistake after mistake,
- iteration after iteration.
This chapter documents the roots — the beginning of everything.