The convenience I have to keep building.

Taking repetitive work out of the way

With Watchtower I automated updates for some containers: in my setup it checks for new images every day and updates the services it manages. It has worked well for me so far. If I choose to build my own convenience, I also want to avoid spending every day repeating the same actions.

An automatic update can still introduce a problem. I am learning where that convenience is worth the risk and where I want to choose the moment to change things myself. Saving time makes sense if I can also understand what happened when something stops working.

Even the updater needs attention

The original Watchtower repository is archived and the project is no longer maintained. It is still the tool I use in the lab, but I need to reassess that choice too. It reminds me that choosing a project also means choosing a maintenance history, which can change over time.

I take an extra moment with photos

For Immich I prefer updating by hand, following the guide and reading release notes. I want to know whether changes need attention before applying them. The difference from other services comes from what I put in it: memories I care about.

Having data here is just the beginning

Today I have the MacBook’s 256 GB. I would like to add disks and reach roughly 4 TB, with some form of redundancy to help if a disk fails. This is still a future plan tied to my budget. My desire to install new things runs faster than the storage I have.

I am also trying to think about recovery: redundancy can help with a failure, while a separate copy addresses mistakes and deletions. With Immich I need to consider both files and the database. Daily uploads from my phone are useful, but fuller protection of the library is something I still need to develop.

Growing something I can keep looking after

I want to improve storage, power and my Linux configuration. The server also hosts small experiments and Telegram bots, so the list of ideas keeps growing. I like having somewhere to try them; I need to leave time to care for what I already use too.

This brings me back to subscriptions. With managed services I also pay for someone else to handle these problems. I chose to take on some of that work: I want to learn to build that efficiency, knowing some steps will be less fun than a new installation. Nannix records that side of the experience too.