Umbrel is fine, but you should run everything behind https://tailscale.com so you don’t open ports. Also, do not install Bitcoin apps on the same node as file sharing, etc.
Discussion
Thank you. I'm not sure I am going to run any BTC stuff at this point. Thank you. Are there any other pitfalls to it that a n00b like me might not know at the start?
Well, I personally don’t like running nodes on Raspberry Pi which is what most tutorials will suggest. I like to get my own hardware and install Linux and then do the Umbrel install. If you have never used Linux, that’s probably more than you want to bite off for the first go. Another option is to purchase the hardware from Umbrel and everything will just work.
That said, you are running your own server and therefore you will be responsible for maintaining it. I would suggest setting it up on a virtual machine on a laptop and getting familiar with it. Don’t put in data in it that you’re unwilling to lose. Once you are comfortable, then you can go live with your real data and hardware.
If you need help, just ask. There are many others here who will also help people get started.
I'm familiar with Ubuntu as a daily driver, but not so much as a server.
I'm poking around at various options, but, I do think that getting a NUC or the new umbrel home is just the most sensible way for me to go since I'm not wanting or needing anything with "more" than that for my own purposes.
Thank you. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me in the future.