AFTER YEARS of speculations and upgrades, I finally closing in to put PLEX server dedicated and headless!! Should I simply install headless DEBIAN and update/configure to set and forget? Or should I put DOCKER or maybe XEN?
I been thinking whatever good idea it is to include multiple devices such as other laptops/tablets/servers/computers in a pool and make some of their resources accessible, if the server at some point would get maxed out.
I think whatever it’s an good approach or not… Maybe it’s better to just add better hardware if needed? Maybe it’s not an good idea to use resources from other devices that might need it. But I was thinking to put an limit from them, so they just use what is free or without overheat them. Maybe I overthink this. Or it can be an good approach?
Similar like this but might need additional configuration I guess:
I have very limited experience for virtualization/containing atm, but enough relevant experience/understanding to dig into it, and learn how to do it, if it’s possible.
There is no performance or feature enhancement by using Docker, Xen, etc.
Each Plex Media Server is an independent installation. There is no way to pool resources with other systems (i.e. you cannot offload transcode, thumbnail generation, etc. to another server).
Many people use Docker. It places minimal overhead on the system. No idea about Xen.
Many people also have a “bare metal” installation, without using containers, virtual machines, etc.
So why using Docker instead of a ‘bare metal’ installation, then? I have been checking various alternatives and Ubuntu Core seems like a good very option too?
“Ubuntu Core is our open source operating system designed for IoT and edge, with the strong security model you’ve come to expect from Ubuntu”
From what I understand it does automatically install and update the latest updates, security and bug fixes without integration unlike ordinary Linux Distributions. It also seems like it’s like based on apps. So you don’t have to compile anything as I understand, just downloading and get it installed. Possibly some confiuguration afterwards, but then it’s really “set and forget”. And yeah, I think most Linux Distrobutions are kinda light, especially if you run better hardware. Isn’t this just perfect for a headless installation?
This is not exactly on-topic… but it’s a different solution than Xen or Docker.
But I did read VMware actually can pool resources?
But what about vSphere as a hypervisor, then Ubuntu Core with PLEX on the top? Then I should have the opportunity to scale then? But again, would it be a good approach?
I don’t. I run Plex on Ubuntu Desktop. I’ve no need for Docker or VMs. My system runs Plex Media Server, Tautulli (as a Snap), and nothing else. If I were installing today, I’d pick Ubuntu Server, since I do not use the GUI interface.
Some people use their system for other things besides Plex - home automation, security cameras, etc. For those, Docker probably makes sense. It will provide isolation so the apps do not interfere with each other.
Valid points! So, for headless/dedicated server Docker probably doesn’t make any sense. I think I did overthink things a little. So very sleepy at that point. Not a reasonable idea, no. I might read more about Ubuntu Core, else probably Debian. Possibly headless Debian with ZFS.
This is why I run Plex in Docker within a VM. I have a once phsical Proxmox host running several virtual machines which I can’t consolidate into one. A Windows Server VM for running Active Directory, a Xpenology VM for running Surveillance Station for my camers, and a Ubuntu VM as my file sever and Plex server.
I run a bunch of services on the Ubuntu VM in docker containers (Unifi controller, sonarr, radarr, etc., torrent client, Plex, and others) as it is easier to allocate them each their own IP address and avoid conflicting library requirements.
Go for Ubuntu Server over Ubuntu Core. The purpose of core is really for IOT and kiosk devices, whereas you are building a server (Ubuntu Server is headless). Debian would also work as well. Both have packages available for installing a web management portal to make system administration easier.
If going Ubuntu Server, start with 22.04 LTS initially until the bugs in 24.04 LTS are ironed out.
