My Experience with Netcup Root Server

Two months ago, I decided to finally set up my own homelab server. After researching various providers, I settled on a root server from Netcup, a German hosting company. Here’s my honest experience so far.

Why I Chose Netcup

When shopping for a dedicated server, my requirements were straightforward:

• Good price-to-performance ratio
• Reliable uptime
• Root access for complete control
• European location for better latency
• Transparent pricing without hidden costs

Netcup checked all these boxes. Their root server offerings stood out with competitive pricing and straightforward configurations.

The Setup Experience

The server provisioning was surprisingly quick - my server was ready within a few hours of payment. The initial setup process was clean:

• OS Installation: Multiple Linux distributions available
• Network Configuration: IPv4 and IPv6 included
• Control Panel: Simple but functional web interface
• Documentation: Clear setup guides

I went with Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS, and everything was configured correctly out of the box.

Performance After 2 Months

The Good

Consistent Performance: The server has maintained steady performance throughout these 2 months. CPU and memory allocation match what was advertised.

Network Reliability: Uptime has been excellent - I haven’t experienced any unexpected downtime. The network speed is consistent and matches the advertised bandwidth.

Storage Performance: The SSD storage performs well for my homelab workloads. Boot times are fast, and I/O operations are responsive.

Resource Utilization

My current setup includes:

• Docker containers for various services
• Development environments
• Backup solutions
• Monitoring stack

The server handles all of this comfortably without performance issues.

What I’m Running

My homelab serves multiple purposes:

# Main services running
- Nginx Proxy Manager
- Monitoring stack (Prometheus, Grafana)
- Development databases
- Private Git repositories
- Backup services
- Development environments

Value for Money

After 2 months, I’m confident this was a good investment. The monthly cost is reasonable for what you get, especially compared to cloud providers for always-on workloads.

Cost Breakdown:

• Predictable monthly pricing
• No surprise charges
• Bandwidth included
• No hidden fees

Areas for Improvement

Control Panel: While functional, the web interface could be more modern and feature-rich.

Documentation: Some advanced configuration topics could be better documented.

Would I Recommend Netcup?

Yes, absolutely. Especially if you’re looking for:

• A reliable European server provider
• Good price-to-performance ratio
• Straightforward hosting without complexity
• Root access for homelab projects

Final Thoughts

Two months in, I’m satisfied with my choice. The server has been reliable, performance is consistent, and the price point makes sense for a homelab setup.

For developers or enthusiasts looking to run their own infrastructure without cloud provider complexity and costs, Netcup offers a solid solution.

The experience has been smooth enough that I’m considering expanding my setup with additional services in the coming months.

Running your own server isn’t for everyone, but if you’re comfortable with Linux administration and want full control over your environment, a root server from a reliable provider like Netcup can be an excellent choice.