@JulianOliver This is great. 😁👍

If I may ask… I already have a home server (NAS) and have considered running a VPN on it (among other services). However what always causes me pause is the potential vulnerability of opening an IP/port to the public internet while not trusting myself to “secure” it properly. Also, how to reach the home server that doesn’t have a static IP? (assigned domain name with DDNS?)

Do you have a general recommendation in that case?

Your essay has me thinking: run a VPN on a rented VPS, then have the NAS be just another client to the VPN (instead of hosting the VPN at home). Maybe that’s better but I feel silly paying extra when I already have invested in this nice box at home. 😅

OK that turned out pretty long — feel free to tell me “just take my course”. 😅