# Overview This page tells the story of what will happen during the Media Manager setup: a clear, step-by-step timeline of actions, goals, and outcomes. Think of it as the "mission plan" — what we do, why we do it, and what success looks like at each stage. --- ## The goal We'll transform a single Linux host (example: a Raspberry Pi) into a dependable, mostly-automated media management server that: * Downloads TV shows and movies automatically via qBittorrent * Uses the ARR stack (Radarr, Sonarr, Prowlarr, Bazarr) to find and manage media * Organizes and moves completed downloads into a structured media library * Serves your media using Plex Media Server * Runs ARR services in Docker for portability and ease of upgrades --- ## High-level architecture * **Host OS**: Linux (Raspberry Pi OS / Ubuntu Server) * **Host services**: Docker (engine) + Plex + qBittorrent (native host installs) * **Containerized services** (docker-compose): Radarr, Sonarr, Prowlarr, Bazarr, and any auxiliary containers (e.g., file indexers, notifications) * **Storage layout**: downloaded files land in `/mnt/downloads`; completed and organized media live in `/mnt/media`; service configurations in `/mnt/config` --- ## Step-by-step timeline (what will happen) Each step below explains the action, the reason, and the expected result. ### 1) Validate base system **Action:** Confirm OS, update packages, set hostname, timezone, and networking. **Why:** Ensures reproducible behavior, correct timestamps, and easier network access. **Result:** A stable host with SSH enabled and a predictable IP/hostname. --- ### 2) Prepare and mount storage **Action:** Attach external drives (HDD/SSD or network share), create filesystems if needed, and mount them persistently (e.g., `/etc/fstab`). Create top-level folders: ``` /mnt/media /mnt/downloads /mnt/config ``` **Why:** Separates volatile system disk from large media storage and config data; makes backups and maintenance easier. **Result:** Durable storage locations that all services will reference. --- ### 3) Install Docker on the host **Action:** Install Docker Engine and docker-compose (or use `docker compose` plugin). **Why:** ARR services are containerized for isolation, portability, and simplified updates. **Result:** Host ready to run docker-compose stacks. --- ### 4) Install Plex on the host **Action:** Install Plex Media Server as a host service (native install or package). Configure initial library paths and remote access as needed. **Why:** Plex performs heavy I/O and benefits from being on the host where hardware acceleration and direct disk access are easier to configure. **Result:** Plex server visible on the network and ready to index `/mnt/media`. --- ### 5) Install qBittorrent on the host **Action:** Install and configure qBittorrent (preferably `qbittorrent-nox` for headless use). Set download paths to `/mnt/downloads`. Configure a web UI and credentials. **Why:** Torrent client handles downloads; being on the host simplifies mounting and permissions. **Result:** qBittorrent runs as a service, accepting search/download requests from ARR services. --- ### 6) Deploy ARR Stack via docker-compose **Action:** Create a `docker-compose.yml` to run Radarr, Sonarr, Prowlarr, Bazarr (and optional services like bazarr, jackett if needed). Mount config and media/downloads into containers. **Why:** Containers give predictable runtime environments and make upgrades simple. **Result:** ARR services running and reachable on defined ports (e.g., `:7878` for Radarr, `:8989` for Sonarr). --- ### 7) Integrate ARR with qBittorrent and Plex **Action:** In Radarr/Sonarr, add qBittorrent as the download client and Plex for library updates. Configure Prowlarr as the indexer aggregator and link it to Sonarr/Radarr. **Why:** This creates an automated chain: indexers → ARR → torrent client → completed move → Plex scan. **Result:** A working automation pipeline where new media requests result in downloaded, organized, and indexed media. --- ### 8) Configure media organization and quality profiles **Action:** Create library structures (Movies, TV), set naming formats, define quality profiles and root folders in Radarr and Sonarr. **Why:** Ensures consistent file naming, reduces duplicates, and keeps libraries tidy for Plex. **Result:** Downloads are renamed and moved automatically into `/mnt/media/Movies` and `/mnt/media/TV`. --- ### 9) Verify and test end-to-end flow **Action:** Manually request a test show or movie in Sonarr/Radarr, verify it appears in qBittorrent, completes, is moved, and shows up in Plex. **Why:** Confirms the full automation loop works and surfaces permission or path issues. **Result:** Confirmed working pipeline. --- ### 10) Backup, maintenance, and monitoring **Action:** Implement config backups (snapshot `/mnt/config`), schedule regular system updates, and optionally add monitoring (Prometheus/Grafana or simple scripts). **Why:** Protects against data loss and keeps services healthy. **Result:** Resilient installation with a recovery plan. --- ## Success Criteria — How you’ll know it’s working * You can add a movie/show to Radarr/Sonarr and see it downloaded automatically. * Downloaded files are renamed and relocated to `/mnt/media`. * Plex detects new content and makes it available for streaming. * Services restart correctly after a reboot and maintain configuration. --- ## Next steps Proceed to the **Setup Mount Points** step to prepare storage paths and permissions: `steps/setup-mount-points.md`.