Is it better to avoid plugins if you want to have up to date software?

[Zon]

I have a relatively recent install of FreeNAS-9.2.1.6-RELEASE-x64 running on a 16GB AMD A8-6600K system and a lot of storage. I got excited about running all my storage related services on this system, so have it set up with:

• Plugin: Crashplan
• Plugin: Plex
• Plugin: Transmission
• Jail: standard FreeBSD running a web server with Pydio
• Jail: VirtualBox running a single VM of Debian with SqueezeBox. I use VirtualBox for this reason.

I recently noticed the Plex version 0.9.9.13 in this plugin is behind the most current Plex version 0.9.11.1.678. I use Plex a lot, so have a vested interest in having the latest version. However, as best I can tell from searching, there is no (easy) way to upgrade the Plex version in the FreeNAS Plex plugin. I would have to wait until a new Plex plugin is packaged. This doesn't seem like a great option with the FreeNAS Plex plugin now having a version 2.5 months old and having had something like 9 updates since that older version.

I'm familiar with command line to install / update software under FreeBSD. If I want to be as up to date as possible, would I be better off just running all these plugins as standard FreeBSD jails and doing all the software updates / maintenance myself?

Alternatively, is it too much to expect a single install of FreeNAS to host all these applications? If I can afford it, should I consider a separate physical application hosting machine and let FreeNAS focus purely on the storage management piece?

I know there's a variety of different approaches that can work, including just waiting for an updated FreeeNAS Plex plugin. I'm interested here in what other more experienced users might consider "best practices" for the future to keep maintenance headaches to a minimum.

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

it depends on the plugin/plugin maintainer. the 11 plugins I maintain (with the exception of syncthing currently) are all on the latest version and I try to update them within a week.

I don't know about the VM, but everything else should run fine together on the same machine with your specs.

 

[cyberjock]

I'm familiar with command line to install / update software under FreeBSD. If I want to be as up to date as possible, would I be better off just running all these plugins as standard FreeBSD jails and doing all the software updates / maintenance myself?

Your dissatisfaction with the update process for the Plex plugin is precisely why I don't recommend the plugins to anyone except those that are incapable of doing updates themselves.

I run Plex in a standard FreeBSD jail, where I can update Plex with a simple "pkg upgrade" command. Works great. The pkg-ng repository is usually 2-4 days behind, but I consider that very acceptable.

There's a few guides on the forum that discuss how to install Plex in a jail yourself. If you are capable of doing it, devoted to making it work, and/or willing to learn how to do it, I strongly recommend it. As an added bonus you can even do the PlexPass version if you have a PlexPass account.

 

[Zon]

Thank you for the tips! I am attempting to move my Plex plugin metadata using these procedures to a standard FreeBSD jail with a newer install of Plex. I never realized what a boatload of metadata Plex generates! I had something like 10GB compressed. Seems excessive, but I assume maybe transcoded videos are in there, so as long as everything works I will not complain. We'll see if the transfer works.

An unrelated question: I am a PlexPass subscriber, and thought any extended PlexPass functions (e.g. syncing and cloud streaming) came by virtue of my Plex login id. However, I see there is both a normal and a PlexPass version of PMS as you mention, Cyberjock. I gather from this post these are really the same server, but the PlexPass one may be updated more often or have leading edge features that have not yet made it into the non-PlexPass one yet. Is that correct?

 

[raidflex]

Thank you for the tips! I am attempting to move my Plex plugin metadata using these procedures to a standard FreeBSD jail with a newer install of Plex. I never realized what a boatload of metadata Plex generates! I had something like 10GB compressed. Seems excessive, but I assume maybe transcoded videos are in there, so as long as everything works I will not complain. We'll see if the transfer works.

An unrelated question: I am a PlexPass subscriber, and thought any extended PlexPass functions (e.g. syncing and cloud streaming) came by virtue of my Plex login id. However, I see there is both a normal and a PlexPass version of PMS as you mention, Cyberjock. I gather from this post these are really the same server, but the PlexPass one may be updated more often or have leading edge features that have not yet made it into the non-PlexPass one yet. Is that correct?

Why go through all that trouble when there is a simple script that will update the Plex version, including Plex Pass versions. I have been using this for a while, without issues. I linked it below scroll down to post # 260 for the directions.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/new-plugin-available-plex-media-server.14826/page-13

 

[cyberjock]

Plexpass has features that aren't in the public version as well as being updated more frequently.

Plexpass is nothing more than a "preview release" of features that will, eventually, make it to the public.

 

[cyberjock]

Why go through all that trouble when there is a simple script that will update the Plex version, including Plex Pass versions. I have been using this for a while, without issues. I linked it below scroll down to post # 260 for the directions.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/new-plugin-available-plex-media-server.14826/page-13

Well, for starters, the fact that jails are potential security risks, and you can't "just update" the plugin jails. ;)

The reality is that the plugins thing is super easy and "just works" but they come at quite a few costs. I'm betting almost nobody on this forum has gone into their Plex plugin and done a pkg-ng update or a ports update. Those should still be done regularly. In fact, if you go to the plugin you can probably do this:

# pkg update
# pkg audit

Assuming you haven't updated your plugins recently, there's a pretty good chance you'll find a list of vulnerabilities, some of which probably allow someone to remotely gain full control of your machine.

 

[raidflex]

Well, for starters, the fact that jails are potential security risks, and you can't "just update" the plugin jails. ;)

The reality is that the plugins thing is super easy and "just works" but they come at quite a few costs. I'm betting almost nobody on this forum has gone into their Plex plugin and done a pkg-ng update or a ports update. Those should still be done regularly. In fact, if you go to the plugin you can probably do this:

# pkg update
# pkg audit

Assuming you haven't updated your plugins recently, there's a pretty good chance you'll find a list of vulnerabilities, some of which probably allow someone to remotely gain full control of your machine.

I agree, many people probably do not update. I actually use your updater script which saves me time and keeps everything up to date. Its really very little work to keep your jails up to date, as long as you do it on a regular basis. But I know how big a database can be with Plex, and if you already have a plugin setup with Plex, it is much easier to use the script. But I would also update the packages within that plugin, not just Plex.

 

[cyberjock]

Mine's like 10-20GB, but that thing has like 2 million files. That's the real PITA. I kind of wish Plex used SQL instead of a bajillion little files.

 

[raidflex]

Mine's like 10-20GB, but that thing has like 2 million files. That's the real PITA. I kind of wish Plex used SQL instead of a bajillion little files.

That's nothing, mine is 80GB, the less I have to do with it the better.