# Prerequisites

> Hardware, software, and accounts you need before starting the media stack installation.

# Prerequisites

Get everything on this list ready before starting. Skipping items here causes problems later that are harder to debug mid-installation.

## Hardware

| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|-----------|---------|-------------|
| CPU | x86_64, 4 cores | 6+ cores |
| RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB (especially with ZFS) |
| System disk | SSD/NVMe | NVMe (Proxmox + VM OS) |
| Data disks | 2 disks for ZFS mirror | 2× HDD or SSD |
| Network | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet (no WiFi) |

A GPU or iGPU (Intel Quick Sync or AMD) is optional but needed for Plex hardware transcoding. This requires Plex Pass.

## Proxmox

- Proxmox VE 8.x installed on bare metal
- Updated to the latest minor release (`apt update && apt upgrade`)
- LXC and VM support working
- ZFS support enabled (included in PVE by default)
- Web UI accessible at `https://<host-ip>:8006`

You should be comfortable with the Proxmox UI, basic Linux CLI, and creating VMs and LXCs.

## Network

This setup assumes a simple flat LAN:

- One subnet (e.g. `192.168.1.0/24`)
- Static IPs or DHCP reservations for the Proxmox host, Plex LXC, and Docker VM
- No VLANs required

Remote access to Plex is handled by Plex's own relay. All other services (Sonarr, Radarr, Overseerr, etc.) are LAN-only by default.

## Disk layout

You need at least two physical disks for the ZFS pool (mirror). The system disk (Proxmox OS) must be separate from the data disks.

Example layout used in this documentation:

| Disk | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `/dev/sda` | Proxmox OS (system) |
| `/dev/sdb` | ZFS pool disk 1 (data) |
| `/dev/sdc` | ZFS pool disk 2 (data, mirror) |

The ZFS pool name used throughout: `tank`.

## Accounts

Create these before starting:

| Account | Where | Notes |
|---------|-------|-------|
| Plex account | `plex.tv` | Free account is enough; Plex Pass needed for hardware transcoding |
| Usenet provider | `frugalusenet.com` | Keep credentials ready for SABnzbd |
| Indexer — NZBGeek | `nzbgeek.info` | API key needed for Prowlarr |
| Indexer — NinjaCentral | `ninjacentral.co.za` | API key needed for Prowlarr |

Store credentials securely before you start. You will need them at multiple points during setup.