# Maintaining Identical Libraries on Separate Servers **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux, server-nvidia-shield\ **Created:** [March 23, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235 "2021-03-23T15:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ckronengold](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ckronengold/32/4917_2.png) [@ckronengold](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ckronengold)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/1 "2021-03-23T15:50:11Z")
I have two Plex servers, one on my nVidia Shield for my media room and a separate server on an Ubuntu machine, which I use for the rest of my house and remote streaming. Both servers access the same media files on a Synology NAS. Is there a way to sync the metadata between the two? Its strange, but even though they use the same settings and agents, sometimes they pull separate posters and backgrounds, or aren’t found at all. I’d like to be able to update one title and have the art and other data apply across the board if possible. I’m pretty sure the answer is “no, you can’t” but figured I’d ask the hive mind. ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/2 "2021-03-23T15:54:16Z")
> [@ckronengold](#): > > I’m pretty sure the answer is “no, you can’t”… That’s correct. Plex cannot do that. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/3 "2021-03-23T16:02:34Z")
> [@ckronengold](#): > > one on my nVidia Shield for my media room and a separate server on an Ubuntu machine, which I use for the rest of my house and remote streaming. > > Both servers access the same media files on a Synology NAS. Why are you using it like this? Why not disable the server on the Shield and use it as a pure Plex client, connecting to the other server? ---
**Author:** ![Nate8727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Nate8727](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Nate8727)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/4 "2021-03-23T16:07:36Z")
Just from experience… Trying to maintain one server is hard enough. Trying to keep two maintained is nearly impossible. Just use the system with the best hardware and get that setup the way you want, or just upgrade your server to something nicer. Either way it makes your life ten times easier. ---
**Author:** ![ckronengold](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ckronengold/32/4917_2.png) [@ckronengold](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ckronengold)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/5 "2021-03-23T16:30:04Z")
> [@OttoKerner](#): > > Why are you using it like this? Why not disable the server on the Shield and use it as a pure Plex client, connecting to the other server? Because I am a glutton for punishment. Seriously, though, I thought it might alleviate even a tiny bit of workload from the ubuntu box, especially since I’m using the shield primarily for 4k. Just bandwidth management, basically. The other “big” reason is that I tend to experiment on the ubuntu box with a bunch of other stuff, like dlna servers, dockers, central management for my network devices, etc. I’ve had some bad updates. So when that crashes and requires hours to fix, its nice to have the Shield still working. I’m also using the PlexKodiConnect plugin so I can use the Kodi eye candy on the shield. I thought it would work easier if everything were local to the Shield, but I guess I could use the Ubuntu server with it just as easily. Probably not the best reasons, but it is what it is. But probably not for much longer. For the most part, the agents do the heavy lifting. But for my Concerts, Sports and Theater libraries, they are 100% manual, which means 2x the work. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/3/7/3704e8c1bf168e5a1cb6bce6774af0798ccae697.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ckronengold](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ckronengold/32/4917_2.png) [@ckronengold](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ckronengold)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/6 "2021-03-23T16:34:27Z")
> [@Nate8727](#): > > Just use the system with the best hardware and get that setup the way you want, or just upgrade your server to something nicer. Either way it makes your life ten times easier. I think 10x easier is probably selling it short. But you’re 100% right. Fortunately the ubuntu server is an i7-10700 CPU with 64gb of ram, so its more than capable of serving up anything. I only share my 4k library with one other person, and they have a Roku Ultra, so no transcoding is required. And obviously no transcoding for the Shield. ---
**Author:** ![Nate8727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Nate8727](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Nate8727)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/7 "2021-03-25T16:51:28Z")
I had a headless server as my other one and it was nothing but a hassle. I could see if you had more than one in your home that you manage. Isn’t there a plugin or software for plex that lets you manage more than one library? ---
**Author:** ![ckronengold](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ckronengold/32/4917_2.png) [@ckronengold](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ckronengold)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/8 "2021-03-25T17:26:59Z")
Its not hard to manage both servers from the web UI. They both appear under my Plex.TV account. But I’d rather not do the same work twice if I could avoid it. I know I make more work for myself, but it works for my brain. I have a 4k library, an HD library, and a “mobile” library, with nearly all the same movies. It would be great if I could automatically apply the same cover art to all 3 versions of the movie while still maintaining three separate libraries. I know I ‘could’ let plex do the decision making and transcoding if required, but I try to keep the burden off the server. And that way I can control who has access to the libraries. I only share my 4k library with one or two people. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/maintaining-identical-libraries-on-separate-servers/703235/9 "2021-06-23T17:27:28Z")
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