Goal

Pick an OS layout that fits how you think, not what Reddit is shouting about:

  • Proxmox (hypervisor-first)
  • Plain Linux (services on one OS)
  • NAS-focused distros (TrueNAS, etc.)

We’ll focus on small, low-power homelabs – not 8-node clusters.

1. Option A: Proxmox as the base

Best for:

  • You like the idea of VMs and containers
  • You want clean separation of “host” vs “services”
  • You might move workloads to a different box later

Pattern:

  • Proxmox host: boring hypervisor
  • VM #1: “core services” (Docker stack)
  • Optional VM/CTs: experiments, separate services

Pros:

  • Easy backups of whole VMs / CTs
  • Snapshots before upgrades
  • Clear separation between “infrastructure” and “apps”

Cons:

  • Slightly more complexity to learn
  • Needs a bit more RAM than the absolute minimum

2. Option B: Plain Linux (bare metal services)

Best for:

  • You want one OS to manage
  • You’re happy to run:
    • Docker
    • or system services directly
  • You don’t care about migrating VMs between hosts

Pattern:

  • Debian / Ubuntu Server
  • Docker + docker-compose for most apps
  • Systemd services for anything else you like

Pros:

  • Simple mental model
  • No hypervisor layer
  • Great for single low-power box

Cons:

  • OS and apps are more tangled
  • Backups are at the “folders and configs” level, not whole VMs
  • Experimenting can feel riskier if you get too wild on the main OS

3. Option C: NAS-first (TrueNAS, OMV, etc.)

Best for:

  • Your main goal is storage:
    • ZFS, snapshots, SMB/NFS
  • You want a nice web UI for disks and shares
  • Apps are secondary

Pattern:

  • TrueNAS / OMV as the main OS
  • Apps run as:
    • built-in “apps” / plugins
    • Docker (depending on distro)

Pros:

  • Very good at managing multiple disks
  • Snapshots, replication, scrubs built-in
  • Nice UI for disks and shares

Cons:

  • App ecosystem varies
  • Not as flexible as plain Linux or Proxmox for “weird stuff”
  • Can feel heavy for tiny “1 or 2 disk” setups

4. How to choose for a SmallGrid-style homelab

Ask:

  1. Is running multiple OSes (VMs) important to me?
  2. Is storage the main event, or just “I need somewhere to put media”?
  3. How much complexity do I want to carry around in my head?

Rough guidance:

  • If you want flexibility + neat separation:
    • Proxmox
  • If you want minimum layers:
    • Debian / Ubuntu bare metal
  • If your primary concern is RAID/ZFS + shares:
    • NAS distro (TrueNAS, OMV)

5. Example layouts

Example 1: Proxmox + services VM

  • Proxmox host on SSD
  • VM: Ubuntu Server
    • Docker: Jellyfin, Pi-hole, Syncthing, etc.
  • Backup:
    • Proxmox VM backups to external disk

This is the “one-node Proxmox for normal humans” pattern.

Example 2: Plain Ubuntu server

  • Ubuntu Server on SSD
  • /mnt/media on HDD
  • Docker stack:
    • Jellyfin
    • AdGuard
    • Syncthing
    • whatever else

Backups via rsync / restic of config + media.

Example 3: TrueNAS as main OS

  • ZFS pool with 2–4 drives
  • SMB shares for media and files
  • Apps:
    • Jellyfin as an app / container
    • Backup tools inside the TrueNAS ecosystem

Great if storage is your real focus.

6. Changing your mind later

You can move between options:

  • From plain Linux → Proxmox:
    • turn the old server into a VM inside Proxmox (P2V)
  • From Proxmox → plain Linux:
    • create a new VM or bare-metal box and migrate containers/services
  • From NAS distro → something else:
    • export data, build new box, rsync over

Don’t over-optimise for the ultimate future state. Pick what you’re happy to live with for the next 1–2 years.

7. Recap: SmallGrid OS rule

  • Choose the OS that matches how you think, not just what’s fashionable.
  • Extra layers are only worth it if they unlock something you’ll actually use.
  • A “boring” layout that you understand always beats a clever one you don’t.