Daily Driver Changes and Leftover Hardware
In October 2025, I started using the Pop!_OS Linux distribution as my daily driver (nerd speak for “the operating system I use as my main computer”). This switch was predicated by an upgrade in my computer hardware when I purchased the GMKtec NucBox K10. Since I had a 4TB NVMe drive in my ThinkStation running all my applications, I opted for the barebones NucBox with no RAM or SSD. I maxed out the RAM with 98GB and installed the NVMe from the ThinkStation. Combining those two options with the NucBox’s Intel 13th Core i9-13900HK CPU resulted in a responsive little mini computer running Pop!_OS with CasaOS still serving up my self-hosted applications.
CasaOS Loses Support
As long as my CasaOS setup continued working as intended, I had little inclination to start tinkering with another home server configuration. If it’s not broke, etc.
But then, the company behind CasaOS (IceWhale Tech) stopped supporting their free offering and driving users to their new paid platform called ZimaOS. There is a free option for ZimaOS, but it’s a full operating system that would replace Pop!_OS completely. That’s a nonstarter. At the time of this writing, everything still works on CasaOS as long as I do not update my version of Docker. This is not a good long-term solution, so it’s time to switch up my self-hosting game plan.
Choosing a Self-Hosted Path Forward
Problem:
My current Docker containers are managed by CasaOS which is no longer supported. I’ve already had to troubleshoot the apps failing anytime I inadvertently update Docker to the latest version. When I do, CasaOS stops working, and I have to downgrade Docker to a version supported by CasaOS. Not ideal.
Solution Option #1:
I need to migrate the Docker container of each application to a straightforward Docker Desktop setup removing the CasaOS component from the equation. Then I could maintain my Docker set up in a fully supported manner.
Solution Option #2:
Alternatively (and one with a larger learning curve), I could migrate the Docker containers to Podman containers. Podman is an open-source container engine developed by Red Hat that does effectively what Docker does with some differences. With my limited understanding of Docker, this route would be potentially much harder as I’ll be learning more about Docker AND Podman at the same time. A troubleshooting nightmare.
But I have a growing motivation to learn more about Red Hat’s products, and this would give me a real world example with which to tinker. Asking myself where I would like to be at the end of this migration, the answer is clear: I want to know how to use Podman and Podman Desktop (I prefer GUIs).
Sharp Turn Ahead
With a bit of hesitation to do anything drastic that could mess up my self-hosted apps, I figured I’d give several new things a try all at once, even though they didn’t directly tackle the issue right away. These moves, however, will eventually lead me in the right direction and help me find a solid solution. For now, I’m leaving everything as is on my NukBox where the CasaOS applications are running.
Remember the ThinkStation machine sitting in the garage with no brains (operating system)? It’s just sitting there with all these usable specs:
- Lenovo ThinkStation P310 SFF
- i7-6700 CPU
- 512GB SSD
- 3 TB HDD
- 4 TB HDD
- 48GB RAM
Following the theme of wanting more exposure to Red Hat products, I decided to spin up a server on the ThinkStation. Using that server as a playground, I plan to learn and experiment more with Podman posing no risk to my daily driver machine with functioning self-hosted apps.
I installed Fedora Server 43 following this fantastic tutorial by TechHut:
- Video: https://youtu.be/kOEcTGZWiUQ?si=fNkbjt-TR_YnRqo4
- Blog post: https://techhut.tv/fedora-server-guide-cockpit-zfs-podman
This guide shows you how to build a fully functional home server from scratch using Fedora Server, Cockpit, and Podman. Fedora Server comes with Cockpit and Podman installed. Cockpit is an open-source, web-based server administration tool also sponsored by Red Hat.
In previous attempts to set up a homelab server, I’ve started down the path of installing Ubuntu Server or Fedora Server, but ultimately chickened out of using a server OS for fear of getting stuck in the terminal. This time was different. Following Brandon’s guide at TechHut was super straightforward, and I now feel the confidence that was previously lacking.
Pro Tip: Don’t be scared. The installation process still uses a GUI (graphical user interface) that helps you set up all the important bits before you switch computers to log into the server via an IP address.
Got Stuck So That’s All For Today
After installing Fedora Server, I left it running in my garage and switched to my main computer. Logging into Cockpit from the browser, I configured the SSH key, expanded the root partition, updated the system, and installed essential packages. I enabled automatic updates and started to set up ZFS storage. Since my hard drives in the ThinkStation are different sizes, I cannot set them up in a mirror pool. I first need to create a smaller partition on the larger drive to mirror to the smaller drive (I think). This is where I got stuck and decided to pause today’s experimentation.
Next Steps
When I come back to this with some renewed energy (and possibly the help of a sysadmin friend who could answer my questions in his sleep), I will finish setting up the mirror pools which will provide me with data backup protection.
From there, I’ll play around more with Cockpit and Podman. At the same time, I plan to do the simpler solution of a straight Docker migration on the NukBox running Pop!_OS. This will buy me as much time as I need to learn Podman and move the containers over there.
I look forward to updating you on my progress. Learning new technologies keeps the brain muscles strong!