Passwords, usernames and access keys are all important, but what about technical knowledge? If you're the one hosting all of that, it's presumably because you're the most knowledgeable about that in your group. Without you, even if they have access, will they know how to keep things running, especially when things go wrong?
this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2026
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I created a text file with all the IPs, server name, and function and some general notes. I don’t use good passwords in my home network, sue me. But my master password should go into the will stored with lawyer.
It’s enough to get started but my family will have to find someone to help them at some point as they don’t have the technical skills I do.
https://media.ccc.de/v/2025-513-digitaler-nachlass-was-passiert-wenn-nerds-versterben
Its a talk by the CCC about this subject. I think there nicht be a translated Version somewhere..
I figure by then, it will all be part of some AI training set one day. Hopefully my shitty writing and bad opinions poison the shit out of it.
My encryption key dies with me and nobody will be bothered to save my drives and crack them.
I thought about that, I should write a manual so any friend who is in IT could take over one way or another; passwords are already ok with the takeover mechanism provided by Bitwarden
Realistically no. My wife primarily uses the ad blocking dns and smb file storage. I’ve built the server on FreeBSD so those should run near forever if I passed, and she knows she has until the server dies to find somewhere else to put her photos. Past that there’s a maintenance document next to the will, which includes everything up to how to replace drives on zfs, but I doubt she’d use it if I’m being honest.
All my personal data is on encrypted partitions and drives. The only data that would be left behind is whatever I was hosting on my Raspberry Pi's. Anyone can do what they please with that data, it doesn't matter to me. The encrypted stuff can be easily wiped and the hardware can be reused by whoever comes after me.
It’s in my will, but most of my days isn’t useful without need to use it or me.
My will has a page of important passwords, accounts, where important documents are kept.
I only do self-hosting for personal/family purposes, and both my mother and my girlfriend have access to all the family-related data.
My personal stuff will go with me to the grave, but I doubt they need prints of my thesis and stuff like that.
My plan is to give my brother the password to my password manger and my best friend will get my authy backup key. With that they will be able to log in an have full access to everything.