How to backup a JF instance ?

[nklamann]

Hello all,
i am starting with JF and installed it (10.7.7 ) under debian 11.

I want to backup the configuration and metadata and can accept a reasonable short downtime. The media files are cared of already.

My idea is

• Stop the jellyfin service

backup the following files/dirs

• /etc/default/jellyfin

backup these subdirectories of $JELLYFIN_DATA_DIR

• data
• metadata
• plugins
• root

(but NOT transcodes)

• Start the jellyfin service

Does that makle sense, am I missing something ?

Thanks for listening

Norbert

[aransou]

So far I understand this construct this should work. All files include the database are stored unter this directory jellyfin.

[gamerkonks]

Could you exclude the metadata directory and rebuild the metadata on restore?

[Abdull]

For Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with a Jellyfin Server 10.8.9 installation via Jellyfin's apt repository, I have spotted the following directories of (possible) interest for backing up:

• /var/lib/jellyfin (database, metadata; also is Unix user jellyfin's home directory)
• /var/log/jellyfin (logs)
• /etc/jellyfin (configuration)
• HTTP server access and error logs (e.g. from a Apache2 HTTP Server reverse proxy setup)
• directories containing media files
• maybe /usr/lib/jellyfin/bin/Resources/
• any own custom Jellyfin-specific assets such as media library maintenance scripts and HTTP server configuration

Based on information gathered from:

• Jellyfin environment variables setup as per systemctl status jellyfin > /lib/systemd/system/jellyfin.service > /etc/systemd/system/jellyfin.service.d/* and /etc/default/jellyfin.
• https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/administration/configuration/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/jellyfin/comments/x8c3yj/full_backup_of_your_jellyfin_setup/inki0h6/