Is there any benefit to host my own instance?

  • twitterfluechtling@lemmy.pathoris.de
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    2 years ago

    I started my own instance and do currently not intend to open it for others (besides, maybe, close friends and family).

    My intention are

    • to learn more about the concepts
    • evaluate how reliable the replication of comments and posts works
    • maybe create my own pseudo-community just for myself, as kind of a simplified blog

    Reading other posts in this sub, I saw it is still seen as offloading the main servers, as the replication of the data is a low load compared to serving the UI. Maybe one of these motivations apply to you, too? Or you find another one? At the end of the day, host your own instance if you want to :-)

    • denton@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Is there a tutorial or something out there? I’ve got no background in any of this but would like to maybe give it a go myself at some point. Would you be willing to say how much it costs as well?

      • twitterfluechtling@lemmy.pathoris.de
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        2 years ago

        Depends, what do you mean with “no background in any of this”? I started yesterday and set up the instance within 3h, starting around 1h after I saw the name “Lemmy” the first time. I still have to iron out some issues.

        But I do have a strong background with docker, Linux administration, networking, and generally DevOps, and I do have a virtual root server up and running for some time.

        If you have no background in docker and Linux (administration), I would say you’d do better focusing on smaller things, running some servers locally in docker and so on. There should be lots of opportunities to have a quick success to build up on.

        If you have that background already and only have no background in the topics of Fediverse and Lemmy, https://join-lemmy.org/docs/en/administration/install_docker.html provides some relatively easy to follow instructions.

        The costs are basically the costs of an always on Linux server, preferably with a fixed IP address. I’m not sure what you would pay wherever you live, I pay ~15€/month for 8GB, 4 cores, virtual root server with my own domain name.

        • denton@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          But I do have a strong background with docker, Linux administration, networking, and generally DevOps, and I do have a virtual root server up and running for some time.

          By no background I mean nothing in any of that at all 😂. The only mildly relevant thing I have a background in is bioinformatics but even that’s a stretch…

          However, I did also have 0 background in 3D modelling, 3D printing or handwiring keyboards and now I’ve made quite a few that all work so… We’ll see! (I guess lol)

          • twitterfluechtling@lemmy.pathoris.de
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            2 years ago

            Well, just for playing around you should be able to set it up using something like dyndns on a laptop at home, at no cost (except for time). If you want to go for it, that’s what I would suggest :-) When that works, think about getting the virtual-root-server at monthly costs…