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| author | Christian Cleberg <hello@cleberg.net> | 2024-03-04 22:34:28 -0600 |
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| committer | Christian Cleberg <hello@cleberg.net> | 2024-03-04 22:34:28 -0600 |
| commit | 797a1404213173791a5f4126a77ad383ceb00064 (patch) | |
| tree | fcbb56dc023c1e490df70478e696041c566e58b4 /content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.md | |
| parent | 3db79e7bb6a34ee94935c22d7f0e18cf227c7813 (diff) | |
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initial migration to test org-mode
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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.md b/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.md deleted file mode 100644 index 0b4d900..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,253 +0,0 @@ -+++ -date = 2022-03-08 -title = "Migrating Plex to a New Server (& Nvidia Transcoding)" -description = "A retrospective on migrating Plex between servers and enabling Nvidia GPU transcoding." -+++ - -## Migration Phases - -I recently decided to migrate my server from an old OptiPlex desktop -machine to a custom-built tower with better hardware in every category. -In order to do this, I would need to properly migrate a full Plex -installation. - -The second part of this migration is that the new server uses an Nvidia -GPU and does not have any integrated graphics, which requires extra work -for installation, but provides much better hardware transcoding options -for Plex. - -Therefore, I have broken this migration down into three phases: - -1. [Configure the New Server](#phase-1-configure-the-new-server) -2. [Migrate Plex Data & Devices](#phase-2-migrate-plex-data-devices) -3. [Configure GPU Transcoding](#phase-3-configure-gpu-transcoding) - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -## Phase 1: Configure the New Server - -### Choosing an OS - -In order to migrate Plex to my new server, I first needed to choose an -appropriate operating system (OS) and install it on the machine. Given -that I have encountered numerous issues installing other Linux -distributions properly with Nvidia graphics, I chose [Ubuntu -Server](https://ubuntu.com/download/server). - -The first step is to create a bootable USB with Ubuntu Server. This is -easy with [Etcher](https://www.balena.io/etcher/), an app that runs on -many different platforms. Just download the Ubuntu Server -`.iso` image, launch Etcher, and install the -`.iso` on the USB. - -Once the USB is created, insert it into my server, reboot, and click -`Esc` (or any of the `F1-12` keys) until the BIOS -menu appears. Finally, launch the USB boot drive. - -### Booting with Nvidia - -In order to install Ubuntu Server with an Nvidia Graphics card (and no -integrated graphics on this device for some reason), you'll have to -configure the boot menu to allow different graphics drivers to be -loaded. - -When booting from the USB, the machine will launch the initial -installation menu. From this menu, type `e` to view the -default command options that come with the device - it's a good idea to -take a photo of this screen, so you can enter these commands on the next -screen (along with adding support for Nvidia). - -Finally, type `Ctrl + C` to enter the command line. From this -command line, enter the commands found on the `e` screen. -\*Remember to add `nomodeset` to the `linux ...` -line so that your Nvidia device will display the installation screens -properly!\* - -Here's an example of the commands I pulled from the `e` -screen and entered on the command line. - -```sh -setparams 'Install Ubuntu Server' -setgfxpayload=keep -linux /casper/vmlinuz quiet nomodeset --- -initrd /casper/initrd -boot -``` - - - - - -Once the machine is rebooted, enter the `e` screen again and -add `nomodeset` to the `linux ...` line again and -press `Ctrl + X` to save the boot options. - -The machine is now fully installed and can properly display on an -external display using the Nvidia GPU. - -Always remember to update and upgrade on a new installation: - -```sh -sudo apt update; sudo apt upgrade -y; sudo apt autoremove -y -``` - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -## Phase 2: Migrate Plex Data & Devices - -This phase uses the great Plex article on migrations ([Move an -Installation to Another -System](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/)) -and adds a bit more information to help with commands and context. - -### Terminology - -**Source:** The original server that is being replaced.\ -**Destination:** The new server.\ -**Client:** Any application that can be used to modify settings for both -source/destination. - -### Step 01: [Client] Update Settings - -Open up a Plex app and *disable* the `Account` \> -`Library` \> -`Empty trash automatically after every scan` preference for -the source server. - -### Step 02: [Destination] Install Plex - -Open up the [Plex Media Server download -page](https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/) and copy the link for -the appropriate platform. - -Execute the following commands on the destination server to install -Plex: - -```sh -wget <url> -sudo dpkg -i <filename> -sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service -``` - -### Step 03: [Source] Stop Plex & Migrate Data - -First, stop the Plex service so that no data is created or modified -during the migration. - -```sh -sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service -``` - -Next, copy the data to the new server. To find where the Plex data -directory is located, Plex has another excellent article available: -[Where is the Plex Media Server data directory -located?](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/). - -There are many ways to copy the data to the new server and will largely -depend on the size of the folder being copied. Personally, my data -folder was \~23GB and I opted to simply use the `scp` command -to copy the files over SSH. - -This process was throttled by the old server's slow HDD and ports and -took approximately 90 minutes to complete. In comparison, moving the -data from the new server's `home/user/` directory to the -`/var/.../Plex Media Server` directory took 2-3 minutes. - -```sh -scp -r "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server" your_user@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:"'/path/to/destination/'" -``` - -### Step 04: [Destination] Update File Permissions - -In case you move the data directory to a common area on the new server, -it will have to be moved to the proper location before Plex can function -properly: - -```sh -mv "Plex Media Server" /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/ -``` - -To ensure permissions were retained properly, the server will need to -show that all files and folders in the data directory are owned by -`plex:plex` (or whichever user is running the Plex -application). - -```sh -sudo chown -R plex:plex "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server" -``` - -Finally, start the service and check the status. - -```sh -sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver.service -sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver.service -``` - -### Step 05: [Client] Update Libraries & Metadata - -The first step - now that the new server is up and running - is to sign -out of the client and sign back in. Once this is done, update any -library locations, if necessary. This was unnecessary in my case since I -simply moved my storage drives from the source server to the destination -server. - -Next, perform the following actions in the client: - -1. On the left sidebar, click `More` \> Three-Dot Menu \> - `Scan Library Files` -2. *Enable* the `Account` \> `Library` \> - `Empty trash automatically after every scan` preference - for the source server. -3. On the left sidebar, click `More` \> Three-Dot Menu \> - `Manage Server` \> `Empty Trash` -4. On the left sidebar, click `More` \> Three-Dot Menu \> - `Manage Server` \> `Clean Bundles` -5. On the left sidebar, click `More` \> Three-Dot Menu \> - `Manage Server` \> `Optimize Database` - -Finally, double-check the Remote Access settings to make sure no changes -have caused issues with accessing the server from outside the network. - -In my case, I use a single port forwarding rule in my router and needed -to update the Local LAN IP Address to the new server IP address. - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -## Phase 3: Configure GPU Transcoding - -The final piece to the migration is enabling hardware transcoding so -that Plex can fully utilize the new Nvidia GPU available in the server. -The first step is to install Nvidia graphics drivers. This process may -take a few minutes, but the commands are pretty simple: - -```sh -sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa -sudo apt update -sudo apt-get install ubuntu-drivers-common -sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall -``` - -Finally, reboot so that the changes are loaded: - -```sh -sudo reboot now -``` - -To ensure that the Nvidia graphics drivers are working properly, run the -following command to view the available GPUs, statistics, and processes: - -```sh -sudo nvidia-smi -``` - - - -Finally, enable hardware transcoding settings in the Plex application: - - |