Where is better to install Plex Media Server; in a QNAP NAS or in a Windows Sever?

General Discussions
1

I have the following scenario in a warehouse: a disk server QNAP TS-EC1280 with Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3 processor and 12 disks of 10Tb WD Gold practically full and thinking about expanding the capacity with a QNAP RAID expansion chassis REXP-1620U- RP.

The connection from my home address to the contents of the mentioned disk server through Plex is via fiber optic connection at both ends of 600Mb symmetric (effective 60Mb down and 30Mb up).

The question is: where is it better to install Plex Media Server, on the QNAP disk server itself or on a dedicated Dell PowerEdge 860 server connected via LAN to the QNAP?

2

If you can direct play the content then I would install directly on the QNAP.

3

If you have the server running 24/7 anyway, I’d say prefer the dedicated server box.

4

I agree with OttoKerner on this.

5

I running Plex on both a QNAP and a Windows server tied into the QNAP. The one thing I’ve noticed is the native QNAP application tends to have some slight memory leaks and requires restarting occasionally. They Windows server (2008) has actually been rock solid. Performance wise I haven’t really seen any difference.