Set up of (almost) duplicate Synology PMS as a second PMS

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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I am hoping to get some advice on how to basically replicate my PMS to another server and maintain the metadata, watched status, etc.

I have a PMS set up on a DS415+ with the latest update. I was recently given a second DS415+ so I am setting it up as a backup to my first. I will be changing both to a RAID 0 to utilise all the space and read/write speeds and will just rely on the backup NAS if something should go wrong with a drive. I have about 10 family members that access my PMS so I am going to set up a second PMS on the backup NAS and just split the users in half to split the load on the two NASes. Also bandwidth hasn’t been a problem yet, my speeds are about 100/40. I have already used Synology Drive Sync to move all of the libraries over to the new NAS so it is ready to go.

I have located this link: https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/
Will this achieve what I need it to? Or will it just move my PMS rather than setting up a second? As far as I can tell it should work but might be worth excluding the preferences.xml file from the transfer of files and setting the new PMS settings manually. Is this correct?

I believe I could follow these instructions easily enough apart from this:
For Linux/NAS systems, make sure that the directories and contents are all owned by plex:plex (or whichever user you have running Plex Media Server under).
Is anyone able to explain how exactly I do this? I understand that this is probably a stupid question.

I appreciate any advice here!

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  1. Give your username R/W access to the Plex share in Control Panel
  2. Open the Plex share in File Station
  3. Make a ZIP of Library with it shut off
  4. Take the actions to move your media, keeping the locations the same on the new NAS.
  5. Install PMS on the new NAS and let run once.
  6. Repeat the procedure to give yourself access to that Plex share
  7. Open it.
  8. Rename Library -> Library.unused
  9. Move the ZIP file from the old Plex share to the new Plex share.
  10. Unzip it
  11. Confirm the existence of “Library” again
  12. Right-click “Library” - Properties.
  13. Set the user “plex” as owner for “This folder, all sub-folders and files”
  14. Allow to process.
  15. Control Panel - Shared Folders - EDIT - Permissions tabs - Give user Plex permission to read the new media shares.
  16. File Station - Plex - Drill down into into Library until you see “Preferences.xml”
  17. Rename “Preferences.xml” -> “Preferences.xml.old”
  18. start PMS
  19. Open the NAS by IP address directly
  20. It will want to claim and setup new.
  21. DO NOT create new shares. They already exist
  22. When you arrive at the Dashboard, Check the friendly name and other settings.
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Thank you so much, I will try this now! I’m pretty sure I should be able to handle these instructions.

When it has finished and is up and running properly is there any need to keep library.unused and preferences.xml.old or can these be deleted?

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Ok I followed your instructions. When I opened the new PMS on the destination server I had to select my user and input my passcode and it then took me to the usual page but said PMS #2 was not reachable. I close it, stopped and then started PMS and opened it back up. It’s working and all of the libraries are there, the metadata has come across and the watched statuses have remained however there appears to be a large amount of artwork not showing up. Do you have any idea what I have done wrong here?

nas1
nas11097×456 174 KB
nas2
nas21094×457 120 KB

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@ChuckPa I have tried emptying trash, cleaning bundles and optimising database and it didn’t fix the issue. Any other ideas?

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