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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org b/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org deleted file mode 100644 index 36aa294..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2022-03-08-plex-migration.org +++ /dev/null @@ -1,230 +0,0 @@ -#+title: Migrating Plex to a New Server (& Nvidia Transcoding) -#+date: 2022-03-08 -#+description: A retrospective on migrating Plex between servers and enabling Nvidia GPU transcoding. -#+filetags: :selfhosting: - -* 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 -2. Migrate Plex Data & Devices -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 -[[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 -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 - -#+caption: Ubuntu Server Installation 01 -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220308-plex-media-server-migration/ubuntu_server_installation_01.png]] - -#+caption: Ubuntu Server Installation 02 -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220308-plex-media-server-migration/ubuntu_server_installation_02.png]] - -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 -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 -*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 [[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 -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 -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 -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. - -#+caption: Router port forwarding -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220308-plex-media-server-migration/port_forwarding.png]] - -* 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: - -#+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 - -#+caption: nvidia-smi -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220308-plex-media-server-migration/nvidia_smi.png]] - -Finally, enable hardware transcoding settings in the Plex application: - -#+caption: Plex transcoding settings -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20220308-plex-media-server-migration/plex_transcoding.png]] |