A small home server, revisited
A few years ago I replaced several cloud subscriptions with a small server at home. This is an update on what worked and what did not.
File sync, photos and backups have been reliable. Self-hosted email was a mistake I undid within months. The biggest lesson was to keep the setup boring: fewer services, automated updates and a written list of everything that runs.
Power usage turned out lower than expected, and the noise is now a gentle hum in the corner.