My Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative

Taking Control of My Memories: The Immich Deployment 📸

After expanding my lab’s storage capacity, the first major service I wanted to implement was a robust photo management system. I chose Immich, and the results have been incredible: I now have over 4TB of personal cloud storage dedicated to my media.

The Architecture

To ensure stability and performance, I opted for a dedicated environment within my cluster:

• Environment: Running on a specialized Proxmox VM.
• Orchestration: Deployed using Docker Compose for easy updates and modularity.
• Storage Backend: Integrated with my OpenMediaVault NAS via network protocols to leverage the full 4TB overhead.

Documentation: The Key to a Stable Lab 💿💻

As any SysAdmin knows, a service is only as good as its documentation. Along with the deployment, I’ve fully documented the entire setup process in Bookstack.

This documentation includes:

• Network configurations and port mappings.
• External library integration steps.
• Backup schedules to ensure no memory is ever lost.

Why Immich?

• Privacy: My data never leaves my local network unless I want it to.
• Performance: Blazing fast backup and search capabilities.
• Cost-Efficiency: No more monthly subscriptions for extra cloud storage.

Building this has been a great lesson in managing large-scale data and containerized applications. It’s not just about the code; it’s about building a reliable system that works for you every day.

#Homelab #SysAdmin #Docker #Proxmox #SelfHosted #Immich