You’ve probably heard talk about how building servers is outdated, inefficient, or even downright dangerous.

Virtualized, containerized, and serverless solutions definitely provide some benefits over legacy, server-based architecture. And there are many times where these solutions are truly ideal for delivering modern applications.

But at the end of the day, all of these containerized solutions are simply tools, VMs, or applications running on someone else’s server. Managed solutions can be a fantastic relief, but they can also be a major source of frustration since you’re removed from the inner workings of the platform.

There are many times where it’s beneficial – or even imperative – to operate your own server. For instance, if you’re running a home NAS, or if you have special hosting needs.

Building, operating, and maintaining your own server is a great way to improve your sysadmin skills and to learn deep, nuanced aspects of the systems you work with. //

The experiences I have had over the years have shaped me and given me different and unique perspectives, to the point where I’ve made a concerted effort to move away from Linux and towards FreeBSD for all of my production work. //

If you’re going to build your own servers, be a good steward. Take some steps to do it in a smart way:

• Write thorough documentation. Taking good notes not only reinforces your present learnings but helps your future self remember details about actions from the past.