unRAID Docker and Plugins - What I use!

Docker Containers

unRAID is a very flexible Operating System right out of the box (based on Debian). The web UI presents the ability to search for, download and run Docker Containers. I mainly use Plex Media Server for my media needs, I've used the Docker image to take more of a raw advantage of the CPU to encode where required for content streaming (though very little difference between using a Virtual Machine such as KVM).

Docker container installation on unRAID is simple, search for applications and install them with optional docker settings to configure.

I use the following containers on my setup:

• Plex - Media Server
• Deluge - Torrent Client
• Nextcloud - Cloud storage server
• Nginx - Web and Reverse Proxy Server
• MariaDB - Database

Plugins

unRAID offers the ability to install plugins that bring in new or enhanced functionality to the system. Some offer the ability and interfaces to tweak certain settings to improve or modify existing behaviour of unRAID's arrays or system functionality such as displaying IPMI settings or system information such as temperatures.

There are also plugins made to monitor the file shares for potential ransomware encryption/deletion actvities and lock down the fileshares if such activity is detected. Another is one that looks out for issues present with unRAID such as security weaknesses and array settings, it offers quick fixes usually at the press of a button.

I highly recomend to check out the plugins on Lime Tech's forums or within the unRAID Web UI.

I use the following for those who are interested:

• CA Fix Common Problems - Identifies issues with your unRAID setup
• CA Resource Monitor - Displays what resources are consumed by various docker applications
• CA Application Auto Update - Automates the updating
• CA Auto Turbo Write Mode - Enables Turbo Write Mode for the Disk Array (this brought my 50MB/s disk speed to 112MB/s over the network).
• NerdPack - Additional CLI tools within unRAID
• IPMI for unRAID - Shows IPMI settings and monitors
• Active Steams - Shows real time open connections to SMB and AFP shares
• S3 Sleep - Configures when the system will go to Sleep mode
• System Info - Details of the system
• System Stats - shows real time disk, RAM, CPU and network I/O utilizations
• System Temp - shows real time temperature of CPU, motherboard and other system probes.
• System Buttons - Displays one-click buttons for sleep, shutdown, restart or array stop/start.
• SSD TRIM - Creates a cronjob to perform SSD TRIM operations.