• Operating Systems: VMWare ESXi
• Motherboard: Supermicro 11HSSL-1
• CPU: 64 cores AMD EPYC
• RAM: 256GB ECC
• 2 HBAs for disks passthrough to the virtualized TrueNAS VM
• 1x 40 gigs Mellanox ConnectX-3 for high-speed data transfers from TrueNAS
• 1x 25 gigs Mellanox ConnectX-4 for ESXi 8 hypervisor networking
• GPU: 2x 24GB NVIDIA Tesla P40 mainly used for AI model training and learning
• Storage: 2x 2TB NVMe SSDs for ESXi 8 hypervisor
• NAS Storage: 6x 18TB EXOS Enterprise disks for TrueNAS VM

The homelab is connected to a Mikrotik CRS326-4C+20G+2Q+RM switch. This provides high-speed network connectivity between the virtual machines and the TrueNAS storage. This setup ensures that data transfers are fast and efficient, enabling me to work on various projects simultaneously.

• Switch: Cisco Catalyst 2960X-24TS-L switch.
• Switch: Mikrotik CRS326-4C+20G+2Q+RM.
• Router: This Information is: NODIS.
• Access Point: This Information is: NODIS.

The homelab features a TrueNAS VM that is used for storage and data management. The TrueNAS VM is configured with 6x 18TB EXOS Enterprise disks, providing ample storage capacity for my data. This setup allows me to efficiently manage and store my data across various virtual machines.

• Disks: 6x 18TB EXOS Enterprise disks.
• RAID: ZFS RAIDZ2.
• File System: ZFS.
• Protocol: iSCSI, NFS, SMB.

The VMware Nested Virtualization Lab enables the testing and deployment of multiple VMware environments within a single physical host. This allows for extensive testing and development of virtualized infrastructures.

Nested ESXi virtualization and VMware NSX TLDR:

The homelab is running VMware ESXi 8 hypervisor, which supports nested virtualization. Nested virtualization refers to the ability to run a hypervisor inside of a virtual machine. In the context of VMware, this is known as nested ESXi. This is particularly useful for testing and development environments where you can emulate a complete virtual system, including the hypervisor, within a single physical host. This allows you to experiment with different configurations, simulate different scenarios, and learn about ESXi without needing multiple physical machines.

Benefits of Nested ESXi:

Benefits of Nested ESXi: Cost-effective: You can run multiple virtual ESXi hosts on a single physical machine, reducing the need for additional hardware. Flexibility: Allows you to test different configurations and scenarios without affecting your physical environment. Isolation: Each nested ESXi host is isolated from the others, ensuring that any changes or issues in one virtual host do not affect the physical host or other virtual hosts. Learning and testing: It's a great environment for learning about ESXi and testing configurations before deploying them in a production environment.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) in VMware AKA NSX TLDR:

VMware's approach to SDN is primarily realized through VMware NSX. NSX virtualizes all networking layers (from L2 to L7) and reproduces them entirely in software, decoupling the network functions from the underlying hardware. This allows for highly flexible and scalable network deployment and management within a virtualized environment. In the context of a nested ESXi environment, SDN allows for the creation of complex network topologies within the nested infrastructure. The traffic between virtual machines, even those on separate virtual ESXi hosts, can be entirely contained within the physical host. This is achieved by virtualizing the network components such as switches, routers, firewalls, etc., allowing for network traffic to be routed and controlled entirely within the software, without ever leaving the physical host. This is beneficial for testing and development, security, and isolation of network traffic.

Virtual Machines:

The homelab runs multiple virtual machines to support various projects and experiments. These virtual machines are used for testing, development, and learning purposes. Some of the virtual machines include:

• Windows Server 2022: For Active Directory.
• Windows Server 2022: SharePoint on premise.
• 6 nodes Kubernetes cluster that runs my Wordpress Blog.
• Ubuntu server for Nginx.
• RedHat Enterprise Linux for Wordpress Testing.
• RedHat Enterprise Linux for Ansible Tower and Centralized Automation Management.
• Ubuntu Server as a Docker Host.
• Stack: for a total and complete monitoring solution:
Elasticsearch: Elasticsearch is a distributed search and analytics engine. It's designed to store, search, and analyze large volumes of data quickly and in near real-time. Logstash: Logstash is a data processing pipeline that ingests, transforms, and enriches data from various sources before sending it to a storage or indexing backend, such as Elasticsearch. Kibana: Kibana is a data visualization and exploration tool that works seamlessly with Elasticsearch. It allows users to visualize data stored in Elasticsearch through interactive dashboards, charts, and graphs.
• for the above-mentioned 2 Tesla P40 GPUs
• Apache Kafka
• GitLab

Penetration Testing Lab Components::

The penetration testing lab is designed to simulate real-world attack scenarios and test the security of various systems. This lab allows me to develop and refine my penetration testing skills

• Tools: Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Solarwinds. and different firewalls from different vendors such as fortigate and Palo Alto
• Targets: Various vulnerable VMs for testing purposes.
• Scenarios: Simulated attacks and defense mechanisms.
• ESXi Hosts: Multiple nested ESXi instances.
• vCenter: Centralized management for ESXi hosts.
• vSAN: Software-defined storage for virtual machines.
• NSX: Network virtualization and security platform.

The homelab is powered by a 64-core AMD EPYC CPU and 256GB of RAM, providing ample computing power for running multiple virtual machines simultaneously. This powerful setup supports my needs and more, enabling me to work on various projects simultaneously.

• CPU: 64 cores AMD EPYC
• RAM: 256GB ECC
• GPU: 2x 24GB NVIDIA Tesla P40
• Storage: 2x 2TB NVMe SSDs
• NAS Storage: 6x 18TB EXOS Enterprise disks

My homelab serves as a cornerstone in my continual learning and experimentation journey. It furnishes me with the indispensable resources to explore new technologies, cultivate fresh skills, and engage in diverse projects.

You might be wondering, where does the Cybersecurity and penetration testing LAB fit into all this? Well, let me clarify: this homelab is the very essence of a penetration testing environment.

the realm of real-world scenarios, one operates within genuine systems, not merely contrived ones tailored for testing purposes. With this ethos in mind, I meticulously crafted this environment. On occasions, I extend invitations to peers within the industry, encouraging them to attempt infiltrations.

This collaborative effort not only serves as a learning exercise but also fortifies the security posture of the overarching system. The robust infrastructure, coupled with high-speed network connectivity and ample storage capacity, empowers me to concurrently operate multiple virtual machines and efficiently administer my data.

This homelab configuration has been pivotal in fostering my professional evolution, enabling me to remain abreast of the latest technological advancements and industry trends.