# Running a Plex server in the cloud (but not with Plex Cloud) **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602 "2017-10-25T05:24:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![0x7878970A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/6bbea6/32.png) [@0x7878970A](https://forums.plex.tv/u/0x7878970A)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/1 "2017-10-25T05:24:44Z")
Hello everyone. I am embarked upon a project to “put all of the family’s personal media on the internet” at the request of my dear old nonagenarian dad. We are a family spread around the world. Plex seems great, and I like the \_idea \_of Plex Cloud Server, but I don’t want to live with its three (imho) major limitations - no extensions (channels), no support for media encryption, no control of fundamental server parameters (of which the first two are examples). So I’ve been wondering about running a standard Plex server on some third party cloud server - Amazon AWS, Azure, etc. Has anyone else done this? What were your costs and experiences? ---
**Author:** ![Coxeroni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/coxeroni/32/21481_2.png) [@Coxeroni](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Coxeroni)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/2 "2017-10-25T06:28:48Z")
A lot of people have done this: > **[Plex Cloud vs VPS - why we went with a VPS](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/262896/plex-cloud-vs-vps-why-we-went-with-a-vps#latest)** > > First of all, I’d like to thank Plex for providing the Cloud service. I’m sure it will be a great asset for many, and the fact it’s included in the Plex Pass is beyond awesome. I’m also grateful to have been part of the beta, that was so much fun! ... The thread is a good read and a goldmine of advice if you want to start such a project. Costs depend heavily on your server provider, but expect something like 10€//month for the server and approximately the same amount for Gsuite (Google drive for business) for unlimited storage. I run one myself and I have not regretted it up to now. For 10 €/ you already get a server which is able to handle (several) transcodes, in my case it is approx. 3 concurrent transcodes, but this depends on your server and media. Encryption does work and you have the full control of what’s happening. You do need some linux skills and/or are willing to aquire them. Administrating your own server can be demanding, because you are responsible for what happens to it. But this is also managable. If you have questions, if advise you to ask in the VPS thread. ---
**Author:** ![0x7878970A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/6bbea6/32.png) [@0x7878970A](https://forums.plex.tv/u/0x7878970A)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/3 "2017-10-27T13:03:49Z")
Thanks mate I will read this now. ---
**Author:** ![0x7878970A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/6bbea6/32.png) [@0x7878970A](https://forums.plex.tv/u/0x7878970A)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/4 "2017-10-28T17:03:09Z")
> @Coxeroni said: > A lot of people have done this: > [https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/262896/plex-cloud-vs-vps-why-we-went-with-a-vps#latest](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/262896/plex-cloud-vs-vps-why-we-went-with-a-vps#latest) > The thread is a good read and a goldmine of advice if you want to start such a project. > > Costs depend heavily on your server provider, but expect something like 10€/$/month for the server and approximately the same amount for Gsuite (Google drive for business) for unlimited storage. I run one myself and I have not regretted it up to now. For 10 €/$ you already get a server which is able to handle (several) transcodes, in my case it is approx. 3 concurrent transcodes, but this depends on your server and media. Encryption does work and you have the full control of what’s happening. > You do need some linux skills and/or are willing to aquire them. Administrating your own server can be demanding, because you are responsible for what happens to it. But this is also managable. If you have questions, if advise you to ask in the VPS thread. Wow, what a thread that is, thanks again. I don’t know how I missed it (though I’ve read so many since first discovering Plex a week ago…). One thing I’m curious about though. Several people mention file by file encryption on their (cloud hosted) media libraries. Is there any way to do that where the Plex _client_ is given the decryption key? So that the data is unintelligible until it reaches the playing device (irrespective of the presence or absence of a VPS)? Of course I’m already fairly sure that’s not possible, as I’d have seen some evidence of it when messing about these last few days. Sadly, this is where closed source bites. ---
**Author:** ![Coxeroni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/coxeroni/32/21481_2.png) [@Coxeroni](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Coxeroni)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/5 "2017-10-28T18:42:02Z")
Since I don’t use encryption I have zero clue about it. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Chris97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Chris97](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Chris97)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/6 "2019-03-04T17:43:38Z")
Updated link, for others in the future: > [@Plex Cloud vs VPS - why we went with a VPS](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cloud-vs-vps-why-we-went-with-a-vps/184200): > > First of all, I’d like to thank Plex for providing the Cloud service. I’m sure it will be a great asset for many, and the fact it’s included in the Plex Pass is beyond awesome. I’m also grateful to have been part of the beta, that was so much fun! However, there are a few reasons why we won’t be using the cloud after all, except as a backup service. A short history: in 2014 we became really serious in using Plex. I converted all our media to digital format and we bought a Windows PC to use as … ---
**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 4, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/running-a-plex-server-in-the-cloud-but-not-with-plex-cloud/211602/7 "2019-03-04T18:32:40Z")