EASEO Academy

They call it playing around. We call it the only real way to become digitally skilled.

A homelab isn't a hobby for nerds. It's your own server, your own network, your own data — and the fastest way to understand how the internet actually works. Not by reading about it, but by building it yourself.

Definition

What is a homelab?

A homelab is your own, home-built server setup — one or more computers where you set up and run your own network, storage and services like a file server, media server or ad blocker. It's the practical way to learn how servers, networks and security actually work, because you build it yourself instead of reading about it.

Not a theoretical course, not a certificate to pad out a CV. A homelab is something that runs, in your meter cupboard or on your desk, doing what you tell it to every single day. That's the difference between knowing what a firewall is and actually setting one up yourself.

The story

"A bit of playing around? Waste of electricity."

That's what Jeroen said to me the first time he saw my server rack. Four machines, some cables, a screen scrolling logs. In his eyes: an expensive hobby that costs electricity and delivers nothing.

That reaction is exactly the mindset gap this course is built to close. Most people have become consumers of their own digital lives. They use Google Drive, Spotify, Netflix, a router their provider dropped off — with no idea what's happening under the bonnet. As long as it works, nobody asks questions.

Until it stops working. Until a service shuts down, a subscription gets more expensive, or you just want to know why your internet is slow and nobody can explain it without jargon. That's the moment the difference between consumer and maker suddenly gets very real.

A homelab isn't playing around. It's the shortest route from "I don't understand any of this" to "I know exactly how this works, because I built it myself."

What you build

11 modules, from first principles to your own infrastructure.

No disconnected videos. Every module builds on the last — exactly how you'd build a homelab in practice.

01

Why & what

What a homelab actually is, why it's the fastest route to real digital understanding, and what you'll be able to do by the end.

02

Get your hardware

What you need (and what you don't). From an old laptop to a second-hand server — including where to find one.

03

Survive the terminal

The command line without fear. Navigating, managing files, commands you'll use for the rest of your life.

04

Users & permissions

Who gets to do what on your system. The basis of every server, every network, every security discussion.

05

Storage, file server & backups

Your own files, outside Google Drive and Dropbox. And the backup discipline most people are missing.

06

Network & ad blocker

How your network works, and how to run a network-wide ad blocker that stops adverts before they reach your screen.

07

Compute, containers & compose

Containers instead of separate installs. Run ten services side by side without them getting in each other's way.

08

Security: firewall & SSH

Locking your homelab down from the outside world — while still being able to reach everything yourself. The basis of digital self-sufficiency.

09

Remote access & reverse proxy

Securely reaching your own stuff, even on the move. Without having to leave your ports wide open.

10

Project cookbook

Concrete projects to build yourself: a media server, a password vault, your own cloud. Recipes, not theory.

11

Mindset & where this leads

From consumer to maker. And what that means for your career, your family and your independence from Big Tech.

What you get

Everything you need to get started yourself.

  • 11 modules, from hardware to reverse proxy
  • Quizzes along the way to check it's actually sinking in
  • EASEO Academy certificate on completion
  • Downloadable syllabus to check back on offline
  • Ongoing access — no subscription, no expiry date
Investment

€97 incl. VAT

Not a free course you'll never actually finish. Free doesn't teach anyone anything — €97 is just enough to make you actually sit down and do it, without it becoming an expense you have to justify.

No introductory discount that vanishes tomorrow, no "only 3 spots left" — this is just the price. Pay once, keep access.

Start the course — €97
Who teaches this course

Made by someone who's been doing this for years, not someone who just discovered it.

EASEO Homelab was made by Nick Aldewereld, founder of EASEO. He's run in-company IT training at organisations for years — including Esdal, Yulius and DSW — and builds and manages the infrastructure behind EASEO's own products (CMS, hosting, payment infrastructure) on his own servers, not rented cloud.

This course wasn't written by a course factory. It's the way Nick actually teaches people to work with servers and networks — practical, step by step, without unnecessary jargon.

What EASEO clients say

"Nick and his team have grown us enormously with their online expertise. Our management and owner Simon is delighted with the sharp rise in revenue."
Y

Yalmard

Management, L28.nl

"In a very short time Nick and his team built a great, highly distinctive website for our participants. Companies take us seriously now and we have a professional presence."
O

Olinda Christian

Chair, Stichting TCA

"Nick & EASEO run our European online presence. He understands our very specific customer needs and translates them into effective copy and SEO."
J
Two paths

Learn it yourself, or let EASEO do it.

Both are a good choice. It depends on what you want: understanding how it works yourself, or just having it work.

Learn it yourself

You want to understand how your own digital environment works. You've got the time and the drive to build it yourself, make mistakes and learn from them. EASEO Homelab takes you by the hand, from first principles to a working homelab.

Start the course — €97 →

Let EASEO do it

You want a sovereign digital workspace — Nextcloud, email, automation — without setting it up and running it yourself. EASEO builds and manages it for you, on its own infrastructure.

Ask EASEO →
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about EASEO Homelab.

Do I need prior knowledge to start?
No. The course starts from zero: how to open the terminal, what a user is, how to set up a firewall. You don't need an IT background — just the drive to do it yourself instead of reading about it.
What hardware do I need for a homelab?
An old laptop, a mini PC or a second-hand server is enough to get started — Module 2 shows you exactly what to look out for. Want to buy second-hand enterprise hardware specifically? Check cloudmarktplaats.nl, EASEO's own marketplace for used servers and network gear.
How long does the course take?
11 modules, at your own pace. Most people spend 4 to 8 weekend evenings on it, depending on how much time you put in each week. Everything stays accessible, so you can take it slower too.
Do I get a certificate on completion?
Yes. Once you've finished all 11 modules and the quizzes along the way, you get an EASEO Academy certificate.
Is there a subscription or hidden cost behind the €97?
No. €97 is a one-off, including VAT. No subscription, no upsells inside the course, no "cheaper for now" countdown timer. You pay once and keep access.
Should I learn this myself, or can I outsource it too?
Either works. Want to understand how it works and build it yourself? Take the course. Just want it to work, without doing it yourself? Let EASEO set it up for you — get in touch and we'll discuss what you need.

Build your first homelab today.

11 modules, your own pace, ongoing access. A one-off €97 — no subscription, no hidden costs.