Server migration to new infrastructure, best way? x86 -> Linux

[Rumbaar 13]

I currently have a Windows 10 install of the EMBY server, and I've moved up through the Media Browsers days all on x86 infrastructure.   I've now gotten into virtualization and want to migrate the server to a Ubuntu 16 installation.

 

I have current users, and want to cleanly and seamlessly transfer them to the new system.   I have the backup addon and I'm sure I've used that in the past to recover all users and watch states.  But I also want to test that the new VM can handle and more importantly deliver the content (trans-coding, etc).

 

I've gotten the VM running, EMBY installed and ready for me to config it via the web interface.  But in way I want to run it concurrently so I can test various media playing.  Make sure media libraries are correctly installed, etc.

 

What is the best way to do this?  I can setup the new one and turn off meta updating, etc.  But can I import the user profiles and server backs onto that system and have it on the current system too?

 

So my number one concern is ensure that 100% media can be played back via the new Linux server, and secondly migrate users, preferences and watch states.

[mastrmind11 722]

I'd think running it in a VM should isolate it enough to run them in parallel.  That's one of the main benefits of virtualization, imo.

[Demati 5]

@@Rumbaar I am in the same boat.  After the 3.2.60.0 release of the server software for Windows I want to migrate to Linux but don't want to disrupt my users or their watch history.  If I figure out how to do it cleanly I will reply here.  That being said with my work priorities this will be a project for me in my free time over the next several weeks.

[Demati 5]

@@Rumbaar this was easier than I thought it might be.  I have a Linux server up and running and I did it within an hour.  The backup/restore addon is what I used to migrate the users.  I selected a backup from my Windows machine and the GUI allowed me to select what I wanted to restore to the Linux server.  So far all of the watch history is intact.  I am testing it with a couple of users before I migrate everyone off of the Windows server.  It actually works quite well and was straight forward.  I will continue to test over the next couple of weeks before I remove the Windows instance.

[Rumbaar 13]

@@Demati yeah, the toughest part so far has been mapping the network shares in Linux to all my media and I'm hoping the way I've done it allows for full read/write access to my EMBY user account.    It seems I can't test out parallel, as I installed the server a week or so ago but didn't finish the setup of it via GUI.  But the trial period has ended and I cannot access the backup/restore plug-in with a premiere account (on main).  So I'll have to figure out how to manage that process.

 

Funny enough I have a Windows VM running for the complimentary programs I run to support EMBY, so I might end up just using that as the whole package again.  Linux seems like more trouble than it's worth, and I'm not sure of it's support and/or my ability to troubleshoot issues.