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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org b/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcbdf50 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org @@ -0,0 +1,252 @@ +#+date: <2022-03-08> +#+title: Migrating Plex to a New Server with Nvidia GPU Transcoding +#+description: + + +* Migration Phases +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: migration-phases +:END: +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 +2. Migrate Plex Data & Devices +3. Configure GPU Transcoding + +* Phase 1: Configure the New Server +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: phase-1-configure-the-new-server +:END: +** Choosing an OS +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: choosing-an-os +:END: +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 +[[https://ubuntu.com/download/server][Ubuntu Server]]. + +The first step is to create a bootable USB with Ubuntu Server. This is +easy with [[https://www.balena.io/etcher/][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 +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: booting-with-nvidia +:END: +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. + +#+begin_src sh +setparams 'Install Ubuntu Server' +setgfxpayload=keep +linux /casper/vmlinuz quiet nomodeset --- +initrd /casper/initrd +boot +#+end_src + +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: + +#+begin_src sh +sudo apt update; sudo apt upgrade -y; sudo apt autoremove -y +#+end_src + +* Phase 2: Migrate Plex Data & Devices +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: phase-2-migrate-plex-data-devices +:END: +This phase uses the great Plex article on migrations +([[https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/][Move +an Installation to Another System]]) and adds a bit more information to +help with commands and context. + +** Terminology +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: terminology +:END: +*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 +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: step-01-client-update-settings +:END: +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 +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: step-02-destination-install-plex +:END: +Open up the [[https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/][Plex Media +Server download page]] and copy the link for the appropriate platform. + +Execute the following commands on the destination server to install +Plex: + +#+begin_src sh +wget <url> +sudo dpkg -i <filename> +sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service +#+end_src + +** Step 03: [Source] Stop Plex & Migrate Data +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: step-03-source-stop-plex-migrate-data +:END: +First, stop the Plex service so that no data is created or modified +during the migration. + +#+begin_src sh +sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service +#+end_src + +Next, copy the data to the new server. To find where the Plex data +directory is located, Plex has another excellent article available: +[[https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/][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. + +#+begin_src sh +scp -r "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server" your_user@xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:"'/path/to/destination/'" +#+end_src + +** Step 04: [Destination] Update File Permissions +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: step-04-destination-update-file-permissions +:END: +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: + +#+begin_src sh +mv "Plex Media Server" /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/ +#+end_src + +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). + +#+begin_src sh +sudo chown -R plex:plex "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server" +#+end_src + +Finally, start the service and check the status. + +#+begin_src sh +sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver.service +sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver.service +#+end_src + +** Step 05: [Client] Update Libraries & Metadata +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: step-05-client-update-libraries-metadata +:END: +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 +:PROPERTIES: +:CUSTOM_ID: phase-3-configure-gpu-transcoding +:END: +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: + +#+begin_src sh +sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa +sudo apt update +sudo apt-get install ubuntu-drivers-common +sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall +#+end_src + +Finally, reboot so that the changes are loaded: + +#+begin_src sh +sudo reboot now +#+end_src + +To ensure that the Nvidia graphics drivers are working properly, run the +following command to view the available GPUs, statistics, and processes: + +#+begin_src sh +sudo nvidia-smi +#+end_src + +Finally, enable hardware transcoding settings in the Plex application to +finish the process. |