homelab/COLLECTION-GUIDE.md

# Homelab Infrastructure Collection Guide

This guide explains how to use the `collect-homelab-config.sh` script to automatically gather your Proxmox infrastructure configuration for documentation, backup, and Infrastructure as Code purposes.

## Overview

The collection script is a sophisticated, read-only tool that:
- Gathers Proxmox VE configurations (VMs, containers, storage, network)
- Exports system information and cluster state
- Organizes everything in a well-structured directory
- Sanitizes sensitive information (passwords, tokens, optionally IPs)
- Generates summary reports and documentation
- Creates compressed archives for easy storage

**Important**: This script performs NO modifications to your system. It is entirely safe to run.

## Prerequisites

### Running from WSL2 (Your Current Environment)

You'll need SSH access to your Proxmox host. The script must run **on the Proxmox node itself**, not from WSL.

### Access Methods

**Option 1: SSH to Proxmox and run directly**
```bash
# From WSL, SSH to your Proxmox host
ssh root@<proxmox-ip>

# Transfer the script
scp collect-homelab-config.sh root@<proxmox-ip>:/root/

# SSH into Proxmox
ssh root@<proxmox-ip>

# Make executable and run
chmod +x /root/collect-homelab-config.sh
/root/collect-homelab-config.sh
```

**Option 2: Run via SSH from WSL**
```bash
# Copy script to Proxmox
scp collect-homelab-config.sh root@<proxmox-ip>:/tmp/

# Execute remotely
ssh root@<proxmox-ip> 'bash /tmp/collect-homelab-config.sh'

# Copy results back to WSL
scp -r root@<proxmox-ip>:/root/homelab-export-* ./
```

**Option 3: Create a wrapper script** (recommended)

We'll create a convenient wrapper that handles the SSH transfer and execution automatically.

## Quick Start

### 1. Make the Script Executable

```bash
chmod +x collect-homelab-config.sh
```

### 2. Run with Default Settings

On your Proxmox host:
```bash
sudo ./collect-homelab-config.sh
```

This will:
- Use **standard** collection level
- Sanitize passwords and tokens (but preserve IPs)
- Create output in `./homelab-export-<timestamp>/`
- Generate a compressed `.tar.gz` archive

### 3. Review the Results

```bash
# View the summary
cat homelab-export-*/SUMMARY.md

# Check for any errors
cat homelab-export-*/collection.log

# Browse the collected configs
ls -R homelab-export-*/
```

## Collection Levels

The script supports four collection levels:

### Basic
**What it collects:**
- System information (CPU, memory, disk, network)
- Proxmox core configurations (datacenter, storage, users)
- VM and container configurations
- Network configurations

**Use case:** Quick snapshot for documentation

**Example:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --level basic
```

### Standard (Default)
**What it collects:**
- Everything in Basic
- Storage pool configurations and status
- Backup job definitions
- Cluster information and resources
- Guest VM/container details

**Use case:** Regular infrastructure snapshots

**Example:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --level standard
```

### Full
**What it collects:**
- Everything in Standard
- System service configurations
- Detailed service status
- Extended system state

**Use case:** Comprehensive documentation before major changes

**Example:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --level full
```

### Paranoid
**What it collects:**
- Everything possible (experimental features included)

**Use case:** Maximum detail for disaster recovery planning

**Example:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --level paranoid
```

## Sanitization Options

Protect sensitive information in your exports:

### Default Sanitization
Sanitizes passwords and tokens, preserves IP addresses:
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh
```

### Full Sanitization
Sanitizes everything (IPs, passwords, tokens):
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --sanitize all
```

### IP Sanitization Only
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --sanitize ips
```

### No Sanitization
**Warning:** Only use if storing in a secure location
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --sanitize none
```

## Command Reference

### Common Usage Patterns

**Daily snapshot with compression:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh -l standard -o /backup/homelab/daily
```

**Pre-maintenance full backup:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh -l full -o /backup/pre-maintenance-$(date +%Y%m%d)
```

**Documentation export (sanitized for sharing):**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh -l standard --sanitize all -o ./docs-export
```

**Verbose output for troubleshooting:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh -v
```

**Quick collection without compression:**
```bash
./collect-homelab-config.sh --no-compress
```

### All Options

```
-l, --level LEVEL       Collection level: basic, standard, full, paranoid
-o, --output DIR        Output directory
-s, --sanitize WHAT     Sanitization: all, ips, none
-c, --compress          Compress output (default: true)
--no-compress           Skip compression
-v, --verbose           Verbose logging
-h, --help              Show help
```

## Output Structure

After running the script, you'll have this structure:

```
homelab-export-<timestamp>/
├── README.md                    # Complete documentation of the export
├── SUMMARY.md                   # Collection statistics and overview
├── collection.log               # Detailed collection log
├── configs/
│   ├── proxmox/                # Proxmox VE configurations
│   │   ├── datacenter.cfg
│   │   ├── storage.cfg
│   │   ├── user.cfg
│   │   └── firewall-cluster.fw
│   ├── vms/                    # VM configs (VMID-name.conf)
│   │   ├── 100-docker-hub.conf
│   │   ├── 101-gitlab.conf
│   │   └── ...
│   ├── lxc/                    # Container configs (CTID-name.conf)
│   │   ├── 102-nginx.conf
│   │   ├── 103-netbox.conf
│   │   └── ...
│   ├── storage/                # Storage configurations and status
│   ├── network/                # Network interface configs
│   ├── backup/                 # Backup job definitions
│   └── services/               # System service configs (full/paranoid)
├── exports/
│   ├── system/                 # System information
│   │   ├── pve-version.txt
│   │   ├── hostname.txt
│   │   ├── cpuinfo.txt
│   │   ├── meminfo.txt
│   │   └── ...
│   ├── cluster/                # Cluster status and resources
│   │   ├── cluster-status.txt
│   │   └── cluster-resources.json
│   └── guests/                 # VM/CT lists and details
│       ├── vm-list.txt
│       ├── container-list.txt
│       └── all-guests.json
├── docs/                        # (Empty - for manual documentation)
├── scripts/                     # (Empty - for automation scripts)
└── diagrams/                    # (Empty - for network diagrams)
```

## Automated Collection

### Setting Up Regular Snapshots

Create a cron job on your Proxmox host to collect weekly snapshots:

```bash
# Edit root's crontab
sudo crontab -e

# Add weekly collection every Sunday at 3 AM
0 3 * * 0 /root/collect-homelab-config.sh -l standard -o /backup/homelab/weekly-$(date +\%Y\%U) >> /var/log/homelab-collection.log 2>&1
```

### Retention Policy Example

Keep 4 weekly backups and clean up old ones:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# /root/homelab-collection-cleanup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/homelab"
KEEP_WEEKS=4

# Remove archives older than KEEP_WEEKS
find "${BACKUP_DIR}" -name "homelab-export-*.tar.gz" -mtime +$((KEEP_WEEKS * 7)) -delete
find "${BACKUP_DIR}" -name "weekly-*" -type d -mtime +$((KEEP_WEEKS * 7)) -exec rm -rf {} \;
```

Add to crontab:
```bash
0 4 * * 0 /root/homelab-collection-cleanup.sh
```

## Integration with Git

### Initial Repository Setup

```bash
# On your Proxmox host or after copying to WSL
cd homelab-export-<timestamp>/

# Initialize repository
git init

# Create .gitignore for sensitive files
cat > .gitignore <<'EOF'
# Exclude logs
*.log

# Exclude any unsanitized exports if keeping both
*-unsanitized/

# Exclude compressed archives (large files)
*.tar.gz
*.zip
EOF

# Initial commit
git add .
git commit -m "Initial homelab infrastructure snapshot $(date +%Y-%m-%d)"

# Add remote (replace with your repository)
git remote add origin git@your-git-server:homelab/infrastructure.git

# Push
git push -u origin main
```

### Tracking Changes Over Time

```bash
# After subsequent collections
cd /path/to/homelab-export-<new-timestamp>/

# Copy to your git repo
cp -r configs/ /path/to/git-repo/
cp -r exports/ /path/to/git-repo/

cd /path/to/git-repo/
git add .
git diff --staged  # Review what changed
git commit -m "Infrastructure snapshot $(date +%Y-%m-%d)"
git push
```

## Using Collected Data

### 1. Documentation

The collected configs serve as your infrastructure's source of truth:

```bash
# Review your VM configurations
cat configs/vms/*.conf

# Check storage setup
cat configs/proxmox/storage.cfg

# Understand network topology
cat configs/network/interfaces
```

### 2. Disaster Recovery

In case of catastrophic failure:

1. Reinstall Proxmox VE on new hardware
2. Reference `configs/network/interfaces` to recreate network configuration
3. Reference `configs/proxmox/storage.cfg` to recreate storage pools
4. Use VM/container configs to understand what to restore
5. Restore actual disk images from your Proxmox Backup Server

### 3. Infrastructure as Code Development

Use the collected configs to build Terraform/Ansible:

**Example: Convert to Terraform**
```bash
# Review a VM config
cat configs/vms/100-docker-hub.conf

# Create Terraform resource based on it
# (Use the config as reference for memory, CPU, disks, etc.)
```

**Example: Create Ansible Playbook**
```bash
# Use the exports to understand current state
cat exports/guests/vm-list.txt

# Build Ansible inventory
# Create playbooks to manage these VMs
```

### 4. Change Tracking

```bash
# Compare two exports
diff -u homelab-export-20240101-120000/configs/vms/ \
        homelab-export-20240201-120000/configs/vms/

# What changed in storage?
diff homelab-export-20240101-120000/configs/proxmox/storage.cfg \
     homelab-export-20240201-120000/configs/proxmox/storage.cfg
```

## Troubleshooting

### Permission Denied Errors

**Problem:** Script fails with permission errors

**Solution:** Run as root or with sudo
```bash
sudo ./collect-homelab-config.sh
```

### Some Items Skipped

**Problem:** SUMMARY.md shows skipped items

**Cause:** Likely normal - some features may not be enabled on your system

**Action:** Review `collection.log` to see what was skipped. Common skipped items:
- ZFS tools (if you're not using ZFS)
- Cluster configs (if running single node)
- HA configs (if HA is not configured)

This is typically not an error.

### SSH Connection Issues (Remote Execution)

**Problem:** Cannot connect to Proxmox from WSL

**Solution:**
```bash
# Test SSH connection
ssh root@<proxmox-ip> 'hostname'

# If prompted for password, set up key-based auth
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
ssh-copy-id root@<proxmox-ip>
```

### Disk Space

**Problem:** Out of disk space

**Solution:**
- Use `--no-compress` to skip compression
- Use `-l basic` for smaller exports
- Specify output directory on a larger filesystem: `-o /path/to/larger/disk/`

### Script Doesn't Execute

**Problem:** `bash: ./collect-homelab-config.sh: Permission denied`

**Solution:**
```bash
chmod +x collect-homelab-config.sh
```

## Security Best Practices

1. **Storage:** Keep exports in secure locations
   ```bash
   # Set restrictive permissions
   chmod 700 homelab-export-*/
   ```

2. **Git:** Use private repositories for unsanitized exports
   ```bash
   # Never push unsanitized configs to public repos
   # Always review before pushing:
   git diff --staged
   ```

3. **Sanitization:** Use `--sanitize all` for any exports that leave your network

4. **Encryption:** Encrypt sensitive exports
   ```bash
   # Encrypt the archive
   gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 homelab-export-*.tar.gz

   # Decrypt when needed
   gpg --decrypt homelab-export-*.tar.gz.gpg > homelab-export.tar.gz
   ```

5. **Cleanup:** Remove old exports
   ```bash
   # After archiving to secure backup storage
   rm -rf homelab-export-20240101-*/
   ```

## Advanced Usage

### Custom Collection Script

Create a wrapper for your specific needs:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# /root/my-homelab-backup.sh

BACKUP_ROOT="/backup/homelab"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Run collection
/root/collect-homelab-config.sh \
    --level full \
    --output "${BACKUP_ROOT}/export-${DATE}" \
    --sanitize all \
    --verbose

# Copy to NFS share
cp "${BACKUP_ROOT}/export-${DATE}.tar.gz" /mnt/backups/

# Upload to off-site (example)
# rclone copy "${BACKUP_ROOT}/export-${DATE}.tar.gz" remote:homelab-backups/

# Cleanup old exports (keep 30 days)
find "${BACKUP_ROOT}" -name "export-*.tar.gz" -mtime +30 -delete

echo "Backup completed: ${DATE}"
```

### Selective Collection

To collect only specific components, modify the script or extract them manually:

```bash
# Just VM configs
mkdir -p /tmp/just-vms
cp homelab-export-*/configs/vms/* /tmp/just-vms/

# Just network info
cp -r homelab-export-*/configs/network /tmp/network-backup/
```

### Integration with Monitoring

Alert if collection fails:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# Wrapper with monitoring

if /root/collect-homelab-config.sh -l standard -o /backup/daily; then
    echo "Homelab collection successful" | mail -s "Backup OK" admin@example.com
else
    echo "Homelab collection FAILED - check logs" | mail -s "Backup FAILED" admin@example.com
fi
```

## Next Steps

1. **Run your first collection:**
   ```bash
   ./collect-homelab-config.sh --level standard --verbose
   ```

2. **Review the output:**
   ```bash
   cat homelab-export-*/SUMMARY.md
   less homelab-export-*/collection.log
   ```

3. **Set up automated collections** (see Automated Collection section)

4. **Initialize a Git repository** for your exports (see Integration with Git section)

5. **Create documentation** in the `docs/` folder within your exports

6. **Build network diagrams** and save them in `diagrams/`

7. **Use the configs** to start building Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible)

## Support and Issues

If you encounter issues:

1. Run with `--verbose` flag for detailed output
2. Review `collection.log` for error messages
3. Check that you're running as root/sudo
4. Verify you're on a Proxmox VE host (`cat /etc/pve/.version`)
5. Ensure adequate disk space (`df -h`)

---

**Prepared by:** Your homelab automation assistant, Steve
**Script Version:** 1.0.0
**Last Updated:** 2024-11-28