Netbox was a total game changer for me, both at work and at home. It’s overkill for a homelab, sure, but its still an incredibly valuable tool. I highly recommend giving it a chance.
There are also a couple plugins available that will auto-generate interactive diagrams that you can tweak before exporting, which should scratch that visual itch.
No, I’m not - but it’s complicated. I settled for a job with a lower salary than I’m used to because I wanted a mental break.
But, the employer pulled a bait-and-switch. After I signed the hiring agreement, they saddled me with a more advanced role that easily makes twice my agreed salary. I fought for a fair adjustment, but it turned into a perpetual “moving goalposts” situation.
So, after a year of doing a $175k-$200k job for $100k (mostly for the sake of my resume), I essentially said fuck you, pay me - or I’m out. They didn’t budge, so I resigned. Here’s hoping my next employer is at least slightly less greasy.
Like others have said, it’s all about your goals. If you just want to selfhost some apps or have additional storage/local backups, by all means, keep it simple and efficient.
In my case, my homelab is justified because of my job. I’m a senior systems engineer who specializes in designing, deploying, and managing distributed infrastructure. So having a dedicated server room at home with a rack, 20A circuits, and HVAC allows me to more easily emulate certain environments, test out hardware on loan from vendors, experiment with new ideas or software solutions, and stay immersed in my craft.
Aside from the work-related benefits, in return for my higher than average power bill my home network gets to rival most corporations, and I can self host anything I (or my wife) wants.
While this setup is great for me, I would never recommend it for someone who would be better off with a NAS.