Summary
In this insightful exploration, I detail my journey from decommissioning an expensive, manually-managed virtual private server (VPS) to embracing a streamlined, container-based architecture with 'tinkerbell'. This new setup utilizes cutting-edge technologies like Fedora CoreOS, Ignition, Podman Quadlets, and Terraform, demonstrating a shift towards declarative, low-maintenance configurations. By adopting a container-centric approach, I've significantly reduced costs and complexity, allowing for automated updates and deployments without the need for direct SSH access. This transformation not only saves time and money but also aligns with modern DevOps practices, making server management more efficient and less prone to human error.
Highlights:
- Transitioned from a $100+/month VPS to a cost-effective, automated setup.
- Utilized Fedora CoreOS and Ignition for a one-time setup, embracing immutability.
- Replaced manual deployments with Podman auto-updates for seamless service management.
- Eliminated the need for SSH, moving towards a fully automated, declarative infrastructure.
- Shared the complete setup on GitHub, encouraging open collaboration and feedback.
To initiate 2026 with efficiency, I decommissioned 'moana', my costly VPS, and introduced 'tinkerbell', a more economical and automated successor. This new setup, devoid of SSH access, reflects a major shift towards a container-centric, low-maintenance system that leverages modern DevOps principles taught by my colleagues over recent years. The infrastructure relies on Fedora CoreOS and Ignition for base setup, with Podman Quadlets handling container orchestration, and Terraform for defining infrastructure as code.
The core idea was to automate the deployment of my services, starting with my personal website. I initially considered Docker Compose and Ansible, but their complexity and maintenance overhead led me to explore Kubernetes, which was ultimately too robust for my needs. This exploration brought me to CoreOS and Ignition, which supported an immutable infrastructure model that I found appealing. Subsequent discoveries included Podman for container management and Quadlet for easier orchestration, which simplified the deployment process.
Upon configuring 'tinkerbell', I employed Terraform for VM setup and Butane for configuring CoreOS. System updates and application deployments are now handled automatically through Podman auto-updates, effectively removing the need for manual intervention via SSH. This setup not only ensures that the latest versions of my applications are deployed efficiently but also aligns with a broader industry trend towards automated, declarative server management. The journey highlighted the importance of embracing new technologies to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and minimize the potential for errors.