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Curious about Server Migration


Oracle

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Oracle

So, in the next few months, my wife and I have decided to purchase a new PC to base our media server out of, but I do have a few questions about server migration, backup, and a few other things.

 

1.) Will my Emby Premiere Key work on this new server, on a new machine, or do I have to purchase a new subscription?

 

2.) What does the backup plugin backup? Metadata? <--Working on doing everything manually through .nfo files and individual image files to make it easier for maintenance.

 

3.) How complex will this migration be? (i.e. Will I have to re-configure all User-based information such as Collections, log ins, profile pictures? Or will all of this be erased?)

 

4.) Where should I route this back up to? How much storage would it take up (on average, if anyone knows)? Just curious as to if a simple 16gb USB will be enough (probably.)

 

Anyways, if anyone can answer these questions, this would be awesome! Thanks.

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Happy2Play

1 Yes it your key will work on another machine

 

2 The plugin backs up your configuration not metadata.  This is the main reason to save metadata with media.

 

3 It is a matter of installing the plugin, pointing to backup location and restoring a backup and performing a library scan.  Users and userdata are part of the server configuration.  Note this does not apply to Invited Connect users on Local users.

 

4 Backups are about 35MB

 

One folder you may want to manually backup is your People folder unless you want to download all people/cast and crew images again.

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Oracle

1.) Perfect. That makes more sense than my question even does. Cool.

 

2.) Even better. I prefer doing everything manually and saving everything with the content files themselves.

 

3.) I only have one invited Connect user on my current server, I suppose I could just reinvite them to the new one and all will be fine and dandy.

 

4.) I over-estimated drastically LOL!

 

5.) I will definitely do that. Where is that specific folder located, if you know?

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Happy2Play

 

5.) I will definitely do that. Where is that specific folder located, if you know?

 

\Emby-Server\programdata\metadata\People

 

Depending on OS, look at Paths on Dashboard.

Edited by Happy2Play
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Guest asrequested

If you use the DVR/live TV, it doesn't backup your recording timers/schedules. You'll have to do that, manually.

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Haven't even tried to play with DVR/Live TV, mainly due to the fact that I am genuinely clueless about it. But thank you for that advice anyways, if I do figure it out down the line.

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  • 1 month later...

2 The plugin backs up your configuration not metadata.  This is the main reason to save metadata with media.

 

This is the wrong way and a misconception imho. It should be the other way around:

The plugin should backup everything (whole library including metadata), so that we aren't forced to mess up media-folders with metadata.

I further explained this here https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/64281-we-need-a-simple-real-100-migration-why-save-metadata-with-media-is-bad/

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Two schools of thought on meta-data.

1) keep them separate

2) keep them with the media

 

If you keep them with the media and delete the media folder you don't get orphaned meta-data.  If you use SSDs for performance the meta-data doesn't suck up all your SSD space.  Enabling things like Roku indexes can suck up space quickly which can cause issues for people with small SSDs otherwise fine for Emby. Of course migrations are much easier when the meta-data is with the media as it can be read back in during a scan.

 

What are the advantages to keeping them separate?

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PuffyToesToo

I just did this last week. I had custom paths for my content, and it went fairly smooth.  New one is a 60g SSD and it seems to be enough, although I could use a bit more RAM. It's a cute little slim server that isn't much bigger than an external hard drive.  I was able to migrate users and data with success. I set the port to 8097 to get everything set up, and once it was finished, I took my original emby server down and reset the new one to 8096. If you have static IP's, don't forget to forward your port to the new computer's IP. 

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This is the wrong way and a misconception imho. It should be the other way around:

The plugin should backup everything (whole library including metadata), so that we aren't forced to mess up media-folders with metadata.

I further explained this here https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/64281-we-need-a-simple-real-100-migration-why-save-metadata-with-media-is-bad/

 

This plug-in was never intended to be a complete system backup solution - hence the name of the plug-in.

 

We feel, at this point in time, we want to focus resources on our core purpose of managing and delivering your media to your devices.  There are a lot of systems out there that provide raw backup services.

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Two schools of thought on meta-data.

1) keep them separate

2) keep them with the media

 

If you keep them with the media and delete the media folder you don't get orphaned meta-data.  If you use SSDs for performance the meta-data doesn't suck up all your SSD space.  Enabling things like Roku indexes can suck up space quickly which can cause issues for people with small SSDs otherwise fine for Emby. Of course migrations are much easier when the meta-data is with the media as it can be read back in during a scan.

 

What are the advantages to keeping them separate?

 

As you know yourself, there are advantages for both sides. And i could give you some valid points for separating them easily. But, thats not what im about... I say: Have both options available (with non-destructive separation on by default), without restricting features (full and easy migration) of the software. That' all i want, freedom of choice and support for my opinion no matter which side i choose ;)

 

 

This plug-in was never intended to be a complete system backup solution - hence the name of the plug-in.

 

We feel, at this point in time, we want to focus resources on our core purpose of managing and delivering your media to your devices.  There are a lot of systems out there that provide raw backup services.

 

I can understand this and i do backup the whole system with something else, BUT for the sake of a full and real migration there should be some changed or completely rewritten process for this use-case. I really beg you to rethink about this as a good, easy and stable migration-process gives the users trust into the system. I mean, i understand that the core is media-delivery. But why should i trust or choose a compromise when im getting in trouble not have the 100% exact same opinion as the creator/devs? ^_^

 

Thank you both for your answers ;)

Edited by kaizo
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It is simply a matter of resources and time - both of which are limited so we are applying them to things people do with the system every day instead of something that only some people will need very rarely.

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