New to unRAID

[chip594]

I'm very new to unRAID, and non-windows systems in general, I've been doing a lot of reading up on different media solutions for me. My main focus right now is that I want to setup a plex media server on a network server and not have to run it off my main tower like I've been doing for the past few months. I may look into diving into other new features, but for right now its just plex. unRAID seems to be the best option out there for me because I can start off small 3-4 3T drivers (which I have) and then expand as I need without essentially starting over.

 

I currently have 6.0 beta 14 downloaded and running, and I've been preclearing all of my drives over night to get ready for the setup. But it got me thinking if I should be starting out with a 5.x version until 6.0 comes out of beta. I just don't know the advantages / disadvantages to that since all of my movies will be stored on there once they are up and running. More so if once my server is up and running with 6.0 and I have to downgrade to 5.x for (up upgrade to newer version of beta / RC), will my drives with my files stay in tact.

[Mettbrot]

I would start with version 6. It has been very stable and I suppose it is near its release (we never know though ^^) When you choose ReiserFS for you data drives file system I suppose you can move back and forth between version 6 and 5 BUT:

-You will loose your addon configuration if you do so

-You will miss out on all the nice features of version 6 such as virtualization/Docker which is great for plugins

-and newer filesystems. If I were you I would go with version 6 and setup my data drives using XFS Install a docker for your Plex and you are good to go

[Squid]

If you didn't purchase a license for unRaid, then you're going to want to install v5 instead of 6.  Once v6 hits RC stage (soon I'm sure), then there are limitations on the amount of data you can store with the trial version.  But, the "basic" version of v6 is only $29.

 

If on the other hand you do have a license, v6 is definitely the way to go

[chip594]

I was actually going to get it up and running with the trial version to make sure that it is going to work for my needs, then purchase at least the basic key once I know things are good to go.

 

Good! I have 6.0 installed atm and my drives are in the final step of the preclear. I'm not familiar with a Docker, have not come across that term yet. Where might be a good place to find more info / setup on that?

 

Thanks for the help

[itimpi]

I was actually going to get it up and running with the trial version to make sure that it is going to work for my needs, then purchase at least the basic key once I know things are good to go.

That seems the right way to go!

 

Good! I have 6.0 installed atm and my drives are in the final step of the preclear. I'm not familiar with a Docker, have not come across that term yet. Where might be a good place to find more info / setup on that?

Generic help on what docker is can be found at docker.com. The main thing that unRAID adds is templates for many of the most commonly used apps so that the relevant docker containers can be installed; configured; and managed via the unRAID GUI.  We are waiting for the more formal LimeTech provided documentation on this area so at the moment you have to use the forum as the source of information,

 

Details on how unRAID has adopted docker can be found in the 'docker' sub-area of the forum.  There you will find much of what you need to get started, and an indication of which docker containers have already been tested with unRAID 

[Squid]

I'm not familiar with a Docker, have not come across that term yet. Where might be a good place to find more info / setup on that?

Probably the best place to start before you get too lost in the various threads:  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=37958.0

[chip594]

Awesome! thanks a bunch. Looks like I got a bunch more reading to do!

[ljm42]

Hey chip594, Plex is the reason I got into unRAID too In addition to the flexibility of adding disks as you go, it is great to be able to run apps like Plex and Crashplan directly on unRAID.

 

I would definitely recommend starting with the latest beta of version 6 and formatting your drives XFS from the get-go (the default in v6).

 

unRAID 6 supports apps via both Docker and plugins.  At this point in your journey it would be easiest to say: Any time you have the option to use a Docker instead of a plugin, go the Docker route.

 

Here is the official unRAID intro to Docker:

  http://lime-technology.com/docker-guide/

Here are the apps this community has packaged for Docker:

  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=37958.0

And here is the subforum where you can ask questions about using Docker:

  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?board=56.0

(please search first, there is a wealth of knowledge in the forum)

 

You might also consider documenting your system in your forum signature, that can save a round of questions if you do end up asking for help with something.

 

Welcome!

[gundamguy]

Of course if you choose not to use docker, there is a pretty good plugin by PhAzE, which is pretty easy to use, and well maintained... (for now...)

 

 

[chip594]

I had just downloaded the one straight form plex's sight, https://plex.tv/downloads

 

Is that not the correct way to do it? of is the plugin by PhAzE something different?

[gundamguy]

I had just downloaded the one straight form plex's sight, https://plex.tv/downloads

 

Is that not the correct way to do it? of is the plugin by PhAzE something different?

 

You can do it that way. That is not wrong.

 

I've not done it that way myself but my understanding is that the plugin by PhAzE is basically takes the download from Plex and adds unRAID GUI configuration mangement, and a unRAID GUI based updater.

[ljm42]

Those are plugins, which are the legacy way of running apps on unRAID.  Plugins run directly on on the OS, so the more you install the better the chance you'll run into conflicts.

 

One of the main benefits of unRAID 6 is that it can run Dockers.  Each Docker container is isolated from the rest.  You can install as many Docker containers as you want and enable/disable them on demand without worrying about any conflicts arising between them.

 

For instance, you could run three different apps that require three different versions of PHP, as long as each of them is in their own docker container it will work fine.

 

Docker containers are also more secure.  A plugin has full write access to your entire array whereas you can give Dockers access to only what they need.  For instance, I give the Plex Docker read/write access to a config folder, readonly access to TV and Movies, but no access to Photos or documents.  That way if someone finds a way to hack Plex, they will be extremely limited in what they can do on my system.

 

So for me, Dockers are my first choice and I go with them whenever possible.  But I don't want to start a holy war If you want to use plugins, go for it!

[jonp]

I was actually going to get it up and running with the trial version to make sure that it is going to work for my needs, then purchase at least the basic key once I know things are good to go.

That seems the right way to go!

 

Good! I have 6.0 installed atm and my drives are in the final step of the preclear. I'm not familiar with a Docker, have not come across that term yet. Where might be a good place to find more info / setup on that?

Generic help on what docker is can be found at docker.com. The main thing that unRAID adds is templates for many of the most commonly used apps so that the relevant docker containers can be installed; configured; and managed via the unRAID GUI.  We are waiting for the more formal LimeTech provided documentation on this area so at the moment you have to use the forum as the source of information,

 

Details on how unRAID has adopted docker can be found in the 'docker' sub-area of the forum.  There you will find much of what you need to get started, and an indication of which docker containers have already been tested with unRAID

Just an FYI, official unraid documentation on docker is available at http://lime-technology.com/docker-guide.

[chip594]

My drives are currently at 95% done with preclear, so I haven't done anything yet.

 

I do have the plex plugin on my flash drive at the moment, but I have no drives assigned or anything else. After yall advice, I'm going to go ahead and try to set it up in a docker first. So I'm wondering, should I go into my flash drive and remove everything that I've added for Plex and reboot before I attempt to setup Dockers? Everything being:

flash/extra/PlexMediaServer-0.9.11.7.803-87d0708-x64-UnRAID

flash/config/plugins/plexupdater.plg

 

xxredxpandaxx seems to have a good post to serve as a starting point for me http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=37732.0

[itimpi]

My drives are currently at 95% done with preclear, so I haven't done anything yet.

 

I do have the plex plugin on my flash drive at the moment, but I have no drives assigned or anything else. After yall advice, I'm going to go ahead and try to set it up in a docker first. So I'm wondering, should I go into my flash drive and remove everything that I've added for Plex and reboot before I attempt to setup Dockers? Everything being:

flash/extra/PlexMediaServer-0.9.11.7.803-87d0708-x64-UnRAID

flash/config/plugins/plexupdater.plg

Yes - I would remove them.    You could simply put them somewhere else on the flash if you think you might want them later, and then delete them once you are happy with using the docker approach to the apps rather than the plugin one.

[itimpi]

Just an FYI, official unraid documentation on docker is available at http://lime-technology.com/docker-guide.

Looks good.

 

One small enhancement I would suggest is to add an introductory paragraph to the section on Volume Mappings as I think this is one area where many beginners get confused.  Not sure of the exact wording (the ones below seem a but clumsy at the moment) , but I was thinking of something along the lines of:

 

Volume Mappings are the way that containers can access data that is external to themselves in a controlled manner.  This would typically be configuration data and dynamic user data.  At the time a particular container is built by a developer he will have configured the container to internally expect a particular path to hold these items.  By using the Volume mapping functionality of Docker the user of the container can specify where on his own systems the internal docker paths should be redirected to on the user's own system.    This means the paths as seen internally by the docker container can be different to the paths that user has in the system running the docker container.

 

 

[PeterB]

... and, perhaps, add that it is possible to include additional Volume Mappings for user-specified paths.

 

For instance, I move my completed torrents after they have downloaded.  I add an extra mapping to the docker (eg: /complete -> /mnt/user/CompletedTorrents, and then specify '/complete', in Deluge, as the path to move to.

[gundamguy]

A plugin has full write access to your entire array whereas you can give Dockers access to only what they need.

 

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but not all plug-in's require you to run as root. In fact PhAzE's Plex plugin lets you select a different user, using a different user limits the damage that a Plex hacker could do right?

 

[ljm42]

A plugin has full write access to your entire array whereas you can give Dockers access to only what they need.

 

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but not all plug-in's require you to run as root. In fact PhAzE's Plex plugin lets you select a different user, using a different user limits the damage that a Plex hacker could do right?

 

It should limit what they could do with system settings, but all the files on my array are world-readable and writable, so a hacker would have full access to my data regardless of what user the plugin was running as. 

[itimpi]

A plugin has full write access to your entire array whereas you can give Dockers access to only what they need.

 

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but not all plug-in's require you to run as root. In fact PhAzE's Plex plugin lets you select a different user, using a different user limits the damage that a Plex hacker could do right?

Possibly! 

However probably not in practise as most of your data is stored under the user 'nobody' so if the Plex plugin has access to this user it has access to ALL your data. 

[gundamguy]

A plugin has full write access to your entire array whereas you can give Dockers access to only what they need.

 

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but not all plug-in's require you to run as root. In fact PhAzE's Plex plugin lets you select a different user, using a different user limits the damage that a Plex hacker could do right?

Possibly! 

However probably not in practise as most of your data is stored under the user 'nobody' so if the Plex plugin has access to this user it has access to ALL your data.

 

Good to know.