I need to migrate a server off windows and I’m looking at fedora or proxmox. But there’s a couple things I need to plan out first.
First, they have blue iris. It looks like frigate will serve their needs just fine but the docs say I need some type of hardware for object detection. This system doesn’t need object detection. It’s mostly for shoplifters or challenging bogus credit card fraud clams. Do I really need a detector of some sort for frigate?
Second, we are looking at moving the stores music to play off the server too. They have all the original CDs they want to use so we can rip those but controlling it is odd. I want a web interface they can use their phones to control. Jellyfin isn’t a great fit here because I don’t think it has local audio output support. It’s more for streaming the media to other devices. The amp will connect to the server on the rack. What apps are out there that can do this?
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I need to migrate a server off Windows
Why is this? I think we’re missing a step here. Especially in the self hosted community, it’s safe to say we are all very pro Linux, but it’s not an automatic benefit for every possible use case. Why is the business seeking to move off Windows Server and why do they care about this?
I’m only a level two tech with not a wealth of experience, but deviating from industry standard tools like Windows Server is setting off alarm bells because:
- No professional would do this unless there was a very niche purpose or requirement
- Is the business trying to cheap out on a Windows Server license? If so, as a tech it immediately brings their operations and priorities into question
- How will the server be managed long term? If you’re not the one doing it, it’s going to require specialised technicians that are experienced with Linux, which is going to be more expensive
- Not being a professional setup, how do you plan to address security concerns and protecting the server? Will there be any intrusion detection or prevention?
- This breaks the principle of least astonishment
If a tech was called in to look at why the CCTV isn’t working, or the music not playing, the place they call is going to send out a level 2+ tech, and they’re expected to know Windows Server and figure out third party applications on that server (or find their support line for further information). That tech is not going to expect a Linux server, and they’re going to rightfully walk the fuck away from that, and tell the business to call a Linux technician, which are way less common, probably remote only and more expensive.
It primary purpose is to drive security cameras. it’s proven to be an enormous unreliable pain in the ass that bogs down when running windows over time and theres nothing windows does better that this is involved in so I’m pulling the plug on that.
Its not running windows server, just win11 pro. and its doing it really. there is zero reason for it to be as slow as it is.
I already have a few local techs that know linux that can step in if something happens to me.
Also, I have long term concerns about windows considering what MS is doing with AI and the regime we are currently under and I’d like to insulate them from as much of that fallout as possible.
You want mpd to server and play the music, connected with a web front end (there are a few to choose from) accessible on the private store wifi. You should probably serve this frontend only to a certain machine on the network (like the managers computer in the back) and lock everything else out. The last time I ripped CDs on Linux I used whipper, which I believe was the successor to morituri. This is all only legal if the CDs they have already included the licensing fees to play them publicly or are themselves freely licensed. There are sources of freely licensed music out there that you can play publicly without paying.
I ran Blue Iris, but despite my love for it, my disdain at having to run it on Windows made me move away. You can run it still in a VM, but it’s not ideal, and also not meeting your requirement of moving off Windows.
I would recommend Home Assistant with Music Assistant for music playback of local library files, and that gives you a web page controller. I see Home Assistant also integrates iSpy DVR. No experience of iSpy, but the Music Assistant integration is superb. I use it to stream all music at home for the family to Chromecasts etc and this way everyone just accesses the same web portal.
Home Assistant can be Docker or it’s own OS.
blue iris is so clunky and inelegant and I keep seeing it reach out to weird things on the internet that I’ve never been happy about. There’s also some weird update server in china that keeps trying to push something to it I’ve been blocking for years and it just keeps trying it. I get that its kid of the gold standard here but it has enough negatives and nothing it offers over anyone else is relevant here so I can move to something else.
Fedora is a Desktop OS, not a server OS. Proxmox is ok, but overkill for your needs.
Ubuntu server is what you’re looking for. 12 years of security updates, officially supported livepatch (so no reboots after even kernel updates), and official support.
Hire a professional. This is not a safe thing to do yourself. Any server needs to be professionally secured.
Just like Ubuntu and several other distros they have a server focused variant
I use Plexamp for music, and I can connect the app on my phone to the client on my Roku. Then I can select tracks on my phone and they’ll play on the Roku.
I would strongly recommend hiring a professional
Business needs are very different that self hosting
You need licensing to play music over intercoms.
Technically you don’t
You can just pay out damages down the line
It’s easier to apologize than to ask for permission.
For frigate, you don’t need to have object detection on, if you’ll know what times to look for for footage. You can also just use the CPU for object detection, but ymmv based on performance. FWIW the coral tpu I use for detection cost like $50.
Fedora and Proxmox are substantially different. Proxmox is meant to be used from a web interface only, and is meant to host virtual machines and containers.
An extremely appropriate use for you, BTW.
Fedora can be a desktop or a server, as can Debian or Arch or pretty much anything else, including installing qemu (vm’s).
The proxmox benefit is specifically that web interface, IMO, along with (if you had more servers) clustering. Which is not to put down proxmox at all, its on almost all of my servers (including a bunch for work).
Jellyfin is a server, yes, but you can still control Jellyfin clients - https://github.com/xnstad/jellyfin-remote
That said, there are many options. You can use vlc or juk and control them both from a web interface. You don’t need a server solutions for audio playback, you want a local media player.
Yes, but fedora server has cockpit and I can swing that or proxmox to do that same thing so either way this is doable. I’m still planning this all out.
The server was overbuilt years ago and I want to give it more responsibilities this time around. They currently have a dying all in wone pc that just runs iheartradio all day I tot he speakers int eh store and that seems wasteful to me. The server is running all the time anyway so I want to just fold that into its responsibilities. Give int a nice simple webUI is a just a bonus.
No worries, just wanted to make sure you knew the difference there.
Also, check out shinobi, motioneye, and Nx witness. Frigate is oriented for detection, so not the ideal answer if you have no interest in detection.
@muusemuuse You can use navidrome in jukebox mode, and then play stuff either using navidrome’s built-in web interface, or any number of subsonic clients. https://www.navidrome.org/docs/usage/jukebox/
Navidrome jukebox mode needs a third party app to work. I’d like the built in interface to be able to do all it needs to.
