Have you heard good things about Plex, but hesitate because of setup complexity? Or worry over losing all the hours of effort it takes to load your videos, photos or music because you know it’s ‘when’ and not ‘if’ a file server system (not just a storage drive) goes bad or gets obsolete? Rock Stable Systems has your answer. For a ‘big picture’ overview– read on!
- With Plex® on RSS, your content is not only stored on three different drives– a copy of each video, tune or photo is saved on three of five different whole systems! Unlike other answers supporting Plex, the system doesn’t wait for you to notice there’s a problem– the moment a drive fails or a whole system fails the RSS system makes a new third copy right away from the remaining good two — and not on the same system as either of the other two. We know it’s when and not if a system will fail, and that is built into the design. You can lose an entire system without interrupting service, in fact you can lose a second system as well in many cases. The point is: you can do your repairs on your schedule. And when the hardware comes back or gets expanded, the system automatically distributes the content across them. While RSS is always vigilant, it responds to expected problems right away without waiting for you to ‘remember the commands to do it’.
- You might wonder whether five systems in one cabinet will be unaffordable. Technology has advanced so much that new servers two or three years ago, good enough to support hundreds of visitors each and meant to last for a decade, work as well now but cost a fraction of their ‘new product’ price. Plenty of capacity for the needs of Plex. If you have bigger plans or needs, there is no software change needed to deploy more capable hardware to support larger groups of users or more demanding many-user-on-the-fly transcoding processing. (Or, you can store your videos in the viewing format and never have to spend money on transcoding processing capability).
- While it takes considerable talent to set something up and configure it all and get it running… and if a ‘fault tolerant’ system it’s 100x more complex to set up but not to use … ours is set up ‘all the way’ with the all the configuration puzzlers worked out, all you have to do is plug it in. A way better and whole different situation. Even better — all the ‘books are open’ so anyone who you give access can investigate every single subsystem at any level of detail they might wish. And, entire teams around the world exist who are expert in each of the systems from Linux to Plex to Ceph to the hardware. Do you ‘need to know’ any of that to use it? No.
- If you want to add to it, or take it in your own direction (which you don’t need to do): your RSS system is a ‘whole cloud platform’ that does Plex well … but so much more. So much more you can share its costs by supporting business services on the same platform, then make use of Plex after hours! The capability doesn’t interfere, you ignore all the other capability until ‘someday when you might want it’. None of it gets in the way, it’s just there waiting. And already set up, too. Email, web servers, file servers, VPNs, Calendars, DNS, multi-site secure connectivity, staff authentication and authorization, security certificates, ‘cloud sync’ among phones, pads, laptops and desktops, and more. But if that seems like ‘a lot’ you can ignore it entirely without a problem until you are ready. (The ‘cloud sync’ is a nice way to easily add Plex content from your other devices).
- The idea “it keeps working when something goes down” is built right in to the entire design. Internet working or not: your Plex server is always available within your building network (as that doesn’t depend on your internet service). But built right in is the ability to support more than one internet service provider so it keeps working globally even if one internet service provider goes down.
- If you’re wondering ‘It is too hard, can I do this?’ If you or someone in your building can manage setting a little Plex server up on a typical desktop computer, (details here!) that’s enough capability to manage Plex on RSS. We handle all the complexities of high-availability setup for you. The difference: When a desktop or ‘traditional multi-disc file server’ motherboard or power supply crashes — nothing works and it’s an ‘only the manufacturer can do it’ repair. Not so with RSS! The parts are very standard and commonly available everywhere.
- There is no practical limit on how many videos you can store, you can scale the system to fit (just remember— allow for no less than 3x the total size of your collection. You can expand it later as well). An RSS system is a little taller but otherwise the same as a typical dishwasher.
- If you’re wondering whether Plex or perhaps a competitor someday might be better: Plex runs as ‘just another virtual machine’ in the RSS system file server framework, so if the day comes you like something other than Plex, you can set it up in it’s own ‘virtual machine’ then access your content via that platform too — without having to re-enter all your content. And the documents and tools to do that and the people who can help with that have been doing it a long time and near you.
- You may have heard all about the security features offered by VPN’s. RSS has VPN capability built in, standard, encrypted DNS from where-ever you are too. (With two vpns per allowed user– each gets its own DNS address and you get a secure ‘local seeming’ connection between them, not just to the main Plex / RSS system. Good for remote screen sharing systems at no further cost!)
- That’s it for the big picture, more technical perspective is available on the RSS home website.
- How much is it? Email Spencer Thompson at IT Server Exchange or call (408) 759-4041. Tell him you want a system at least as capable as Quotation ST0320-A. (My home system, a 5 server setup in a dishwasher sized cabinet). Feel free to add as much better processing or hardware video acceleration or storage or memory capability as you like. To that, we do ‘everything else to get the bare metal running your Plex’ with all the RSS fault tolerance for a further amount equal to the hardware price less shipping. For reference: I have a 100TiB 5 server system (able to store 33TiB worth of content (each item saved three times) in my home, if I bought it in summer 2024 it would be about $12,500 delivered, with the software set up and ready to plug in. We will have a detailed discussion with you once you begin the conversation with IT Server Exchange. (It isn’t required to go though IT Server Exchange, but they do have the advantage of experience with RSS. RSS has no financial interest in ITSE or related purchases.) When parts fail over time, they will only ever have same or better very standard and common parts in stock for easy replacement.
- If you do not need global access other than as Plex provides, there is no ongoing charge. Here are some details if you want more than what Plex offers standard.
- If you want such as the VPN or direct global access to your Plex server (not via the Plex home office which has rate limiting)
- If you need any other features that require a fixed internet address such as email or web service, etc.
- Then there is a quarterly charge based on your traffic outside your building and whether IPv6 is sufficient or you want to pay for IP version 4 ‘static addressing’. (Since RSS must handle the case of the failure of internet service by any one provider, and with that the loss of ‘static ip addresses’ they might provide, RSS provides static ip addresses that work no matter which internet service is ‘up’ at your location. That capability is via the BluePro company with data centers deep underground in Missouri and Iowa.)
- P.S. This can replace your router! For speed you plug your internet service provider directly into the RSS ‘ISP’ port on any of the five servers. Then anything else in your building to any of the many open 10G or 1G ports. We even offer a ‘guest only’ port to keep the visitors ‘off your lawn’. We do the whole ‘high availability’ thing all the way. Though it’s not a requirement — it is faster!
- Remember, while the system will keep going when a failure happens and it will act right away to minimize the damage: It’s on you to make repairs before too many parts fail to support operations. Even should you ‘wait too long’ and too many parts fail, as long as your content exists on one of three systems, it’s recoverable by Ceph filesystem commands or consultants. We’re good, but not perfect! Don’t wait too long to repair damaged systems or replace failed storage or try to store more than your system’s capacity (expanding is possible!)
- Plex is a registered trademark of plex.tv. Notice Plex is meant for content you rightfully have as might be limited by copyright agreements. It is not meant to provide copyrighted content to public for free or for a fee unless by agreement beforehand with the content owner. Be sure your intended use fits the Plex model before proceeding. Click here for more about Plex! If your use does not fit the Plex model, there are other open source possibilities RSS supports. Last, while each RSS system is composed of open source software, there is one module that is copyrighted by RSS that you may not distribute, though you can see the source. It is licensed for use, one per system, only if installed by RSS. RSS reserves the right not to deal with any in countries that do not abide or provide copyright or intellectual property laws.