Media, with fewer boundaries
Moving media storage and services from the TrueNAS arrangement to Debian, without starting the Plex library over.
TrueNAS + Plex
Storage appliance NFS application writes
Configuration and cache crossed a network boundary.Storage beside the services
Local ZFS → Plex + Jellyfin
Separate app configuration. Read-only media mounts.The problem
Plex configuration and cache writes across NFS made permissions and ACL behaviour part of the application problem. A separate storage appliance added another boundary to troubleshoot.
What I built
A Debian media VM that owns the ZFS pools and runs the media services. Existing Plex users, watch history, library data and metadata were preserved rather than recreated.
Architecture & approach
Stage the storage and application moves separately. Verify the pools before changing paths. Plex reads local ZFS datasets; Jellyfin has separate configuration and cache, with read-only access to media.
Important decisions
Keep the original TrueNAS VM intact and powered off as a rollback option during validation. Trial Jellyfin alongside Plex rather than replacing the working application in one move.
Difficulties & solutions
NFS permissions and cache writes crossed too many boundaries. Moving application configuration and cache to local Debian storage made permissions and paths visible in one place.
Current outcome
The August 2026 notes record the move to Debian and the Jellyfin trial alongside Plex.
Lessons learned
A dedicated NAS is not inherently wrong. Here, direct storage ownership reduced complexity. Reversible steps matter, and read-only mounts are not backups.