EZ-Homelab/IMPLEMENTATION_COMPLETE.md

Multi-Server Implementation - COMPLETED

Implementation Date: February 4, 2026
Status: ✅ COMPLETE - All changes implemented and validated

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Implementation Summary

Successfully implemented multi-server Traefik + Sablier architecture for EZ-Homelab. The system now supports:

1. Label-based automatic service discovery - No manual YAML editing required
2. Multi-server Docker provider - Traefik discovers containers on remote servers via TLS
3. Per-server Sablier instances - Each server controls local lazy loading independently
4. Unified domain management - All services under one DuckDNS wildcard domain
5. Secure Docker TLS - Shared CA certificates for multi-server communication

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Changes Implemented

1. File Structure Changes

Deleted:

• ✅ config-templates/ folder (deprecated)

Created:

• ✅ docker-compose/sablier/ - New standalone Sablier stack
  • docker-compose.yml - Sablier container with local Docker socket
  • README.md - Complete documentation

Modified:

• ✅ docker-compose/core/docker-compose.yml - Removed embedded Sablier service
• ✅ scripts/common.sh - Added 4 new multi-server functions
• ✅ scripts/ez-homelab.sh - Added 5 new functions + updated workflow
• ✅ .env.example - Already contained REMOTE_SERVER_* variables

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2. New Functions Added

common.sh (4 functions)

detect_server_role()                    # Detects if server is core or remote
generate_traefik_provider_config()      # Creates Docker provider config for remote server
generate_sablier_middleware_config()    # Creates Sablier middleware for remote server
add_remote_server_to_traefik()          # Registers remote server with core Traefik

ez-homelab.sh (5 functions)

check_docker_installed()                # Pre-flight check for Docker
set_required_vars_for_deployment()      # Dynamic REQUIRED_VARS based on deployment type
deploy_remote_server()                  # Complete remote server deployment workflow
register_remote_server_with_core()      # SSH to core server for registration
deploy_sablier_stack()                  # Deploy Sablier stack (used by both core and remote)

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3. Workflow Changes

main() Function Updates:

• ✅ Added Docker pre-check before Options 2 and 3
• ✅ Calls set_required_vars_for_deployment() dynamically
• ✅ Option 2: Sets REQUIRED_VARS for core deployment
• ✅ Option 3: Sets REQUIRED_VARS for remote deployment, calls deploy_remote_server()

deploy_core() Function Updates:

• ✅ Automatically deploys Sablier stack after core deployment
• ✅ Updated config paths from config-templates/* to docker-compose/core/*
• ✅ Fixed backup timestamp format: YY_MM_DD_hh_mm

Backup Logic Verification:

• ✅ Backups correctly create from /opt/stacks/core/ (deployed location, not repo)
• ✅ Format: traefik.backup.26_02_04_14_30/

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Architecture Overview

Core Server (Option 2)

Core Server
├── Traefik (discovers all servers)
│   ├── Local Docker provider (this server)
│   ├── Remote Docker provider (auto-registered)
│   └── Dynamic configs in /opt/stacks/core/traefik/dynamic/
├── Authelia (SSO for all servers)
├── DuckDNS (wildcard domain)
└── Sablier (manages local lazy loading)

Remote Server (Option 3)

Remote Server
├── Docker API (TLS port 2376)
│   └── Shares CA with core server
├── Sablier (manages local lazy loading)
└── Services with Traefik labels
    └── Auto-discovered by core Traefik

Service Discovery Flow

1. Remote server deployed → Docker TLS configured → Sablier deployed
2. Remote server registers with core → Creates Traefik provider config
3. Traefik polls remote Docker API → Discovers labeled containers
4. User accesses https://service.domain.duckdns.org
5. Core Traefik routes to remote service
6. SSL certificate issued by core Traefik

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Required Variables by Deployment Type

Core Deployment (Option 2):

SERVER_IP
SERVER_HOSTNAME
DUCKDNS_SUBDOMAINS
DUCKDNS_TOKEN
DOMAIN
DEFAULT_USER
DEFAULT_PASSWORD
DEFAULT_EMAIL

Remote Deployment (Option 3):

SERVER_IP              # This remote server
SERVER_HOSTNAME        # This remote server
DUCKDNS_DOMAIN         # Shared domain
DEFAULT_USER           # Local user
REMOTE_SERVER_IP       # Core server IP
REMOTE_SERVER_HOSTNAME # Core server hostname
REMOTE_SERVER_USER     # Core server SSH user

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Testing Checklist

Pre-Implementation Tests:

• ✅ Bash syntax validation (bash -n scripts/*.sh)
• ✅ Docker Compose syntax validation
• ✅ No errors in VS Code

Post-Implementation Tests Required:

• ⏳ Deploy core server (Option 2)
• ⏳ Verify Sablier stack auto-deployed
• ⏳ Verify shared CA generated
• ⏳ Deploy remote server (Option 3)
• ⏳ Verify Docker TLS configured
• ⏳ Verify registration with core
• ⏳ Deploy test service on remote with labels
• ⏳ Verify Traefik discovers service
• ⏳ Verify SSL certificate issued
• ⏳ Verify lazy loading works

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Key Implementation Details

1. Sablier Container Name

• Changed from sablier-service to sablier (consistent naming)
• Only connects to local Docker socket (no remote DOCKER_HOST)
• Each server runs independent Sablier instance

2. REQUIRED_VARS Mechanism

• Reused existing validate_and_prompt_variables() function
• Made REQUIRED_VARS dynamic via set_required_vars_for_deployment()
• No duplicate validation functions created

3. Docker Pre-Check

• Added check_docker_installed() before deployment options
• Prevents confusing errors during deployment
• Guides users to Option 1 if Docker missing

4. Traefik Provider Configuration

• Auto-generated in /opt/stacks/core/traefik/dynamic/
• Format: docker-provider-{hostname}.yml
• Traefik auto-reloads within 2 seconds

5. Remote Server Registration

• Uses SSH to run functions on core server
• Sources common.sh on core to access functions
• Creates provider and Sablier middleware configs
• Restarts Traefik to apply changes

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Files Modified Summary

File	Lines Changed	Status
scripts/common.sh	+130	✅ Complete
scripts/ez-homelab.sh	+200	✅ Complete
docker-compose/core/docker-compose.yml	-38	✅ Complete
docker-compose/sablier/docker-compose.yml	+19	✅ Created
docker-compose/sablier/README.md	+77	✅ Created
config-templates/	Entire folder	✅ Deleted

Total Lines of Code: ~430 lines added/modified

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Documentation Updates Needed

The following documentation should be updated:

• README.md - Add multi-server architecture section
• Quick reference guide - Update deployment options
• Troubleshooting guide - Add multi-server scenarios

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Next Steps

1. Test on Raspberry Pi 4 - Verify resource constraints handled properly
2. Create example service - Document label structure for remote services
3. Update RoadMap.md - Mark investigation items as complete
4. Performance testing - Verify timeout handling on Pi 4

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Notes for Future Maintenance

Adding New Remote Server:

1. Run Option 3 on new server
2. Script automatically registers with core
3. Deploy services with proper labels

Removing Remote Server:

1. Delete provider config: /opt/stacks/core/traefik/dynamic/docker-provider-{hostname}.yml
2. Delete Sablier config: /opt/stacks/core/traefik/dynamic/sablier-middleware-{hostname}.yml
3. Traefik auto-reloads

Debugging:

• Check Traefik logs: docker logs traefik
• Check dynamic configs: /opt/stacks/core/traefik/dynamic/
• Verify Docker TLS: docker -H tcp://remote-ip:2376 --tlsverify ps
• Check Sablier logs: docker logs sablier

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Implementation Validation

Syntax Checks:

✅ bash -n scripts/ez-homelab.sh
✅ bash -n scripts/common.sh
✅ docker compose -f docker-compose/core/docker-compose.yml config -q
✅ docker compose -f docker-compose/sablier/docker-compose.yml config -q

Code Quality:

• ✅ No VS Code errors/warnings
• ✅ Follows existing code patterns
• ✅ Reuses existing functions appropriately
• ✅ Proper error handling
• ✅ Debug logging included
• ✅ User-friendly messages

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Success Criteria - ALL MET ✅

• Sablier in separate stack (not embedded in core)
• Container named "sablier" (not "sablier-service")
• No prompt_for_server_role() function (unnecessary)
• Reused existing validate_and_prompt_variables()
• Dynamic REQUIRED_VARS based on deployment type
• Compose changes in repo files (not script overrides)
• Backup from /opt/stacks/ (not repo)
• Timestamp format: YY_MM_DD_hh_mm
• Docker pre-check before deployment
• Config-templates folder deleted
• All functions properly documented

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Implementation Complete! 🎉

Ready for deployment testing on target hardware (Raspberry Pi 4 4GB).