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Prerequisites

Before You Begin

Required

  • MS-S1 MAX or similar mini-PC with:
    • AMD CPU with IOMMU support
    • GPU capable of passthrough
    • At least 32 GB RAM recommended
  • Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS ISO
  • USB drive for installation
  • Network connection (Ethernet preferred)
  • SSH client on another machine
  • Second machine for SSH management during setup
  • Basic familiarity with:
    • Linux command line
    • systemd services
    • Docker and Compose
    • ZFS concepts

Knowledge Requirements

This guide assumes you understand:

  • Partitioning and filesystems
  • Basic networking (IP, DHCP, DNS)
  • SSH key authentication
  • YAML configuration files

Network Planning

Before installation, determine:

  • Static IP or DHCP reservation for the server
  • Network interface name (check with ip link)
  • DNS servers to use
  • Any VLANs if applicable

Backup Strategy

Have a plan for:

  • Where ZFS snapshots will be sent
  • Off-site backup destination
  • Recovery testing schedule