firefrost-operations-manual/docs/tasks/plane-decommissioning

Task #82: Decommission Plane Project Management

Created: March 26, 2026
Status: 🟡 PENDING
Priority: Medium
Time Estimate: 30 minutes
Assigned To: Next Chronicler

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Overview

Remove Plane project management system from TX1 Dallas server. Plane was successfully deployed but did not fit Firefrost's workflow. Team switched to Gitea's built-in Kanban project boards instead.

Decision Context:

• Plane worked technically (5 projects created, members invited, labels configured)
• Gitea↔Plane sync via n8n had issues (webhook loop crash)
• Gitea Kanban projects proved to be better fit for team workflow
• Plane adds unnecessary complexity and resource usage

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What Was Plane?

Deployment Details:

• Location: TX1 Dallas (38.68.14.26)
• URL: tasks.firefrostgaming.com
• Port: 8090 (proxied via Nginx)
• Version: Plane v2.4.2 (self-hosted)
• Installation Path: /opt/plane/

What Was Created:

• 5 projects: Infrastructure, Community, Content, Builds, Operations
• 14 labels in Fire/Frost brand colors
• Meg and Holly invited as members
• Workspace: firefrost-tasks

Integration Attempts:

• n8n workflow: Gitea issue → Plane task (working)
• n8n workflow: Plane → Gitea (webhook loop, deactivated)

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Decommissioning Steps

Step 1: Stop Plane Services

SSH to TX1:

ssh root@38.68.14.26
cd /opt/plane
docker-compose ps
docker-compose down

Step 2: Remove Nginx Configuration

rm /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/plane
rm /etc/nginx/sites-available/plane
nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx

Step 3: Backup Data (Optional)

If you want to preserve Plane data before deletion:

cd /opt/plane
tar -czf /root/plane-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz volumes/

Step 4: Remove Plane Installation

CAUTION: This permanently deletes all Plane data.

cd /opt/plane
docker-compose down -v  # Removes containers AND volumes
cd /opt
rm -rf plane/

Step 5: Remove DNS Record

Option A: Remove tasks.firefrostgaming.com DNS A record entirely

Option B: Repurpose subdomain for something else (decide before removing)

Step 6: Remove n8n Workflows

Check n8n for Plane-related workflows:

• "Gitea Issue → Plane Task" (was working, now obsolete)
• "Plane Task → Gitea Issue" (was deactivated due to webhook loop)

Delete or archive these workflows.

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Documentation Updates

Update these files after decommissioning:

1. docs/core/infrastructure-manifest.md

   • Remove Plane from TX1 service list
   • Update port 8090 status to "available"

2. docs/core/tasks.md

   • Mark this task as COMPLETE
   • Remove any Plane-related tasks

3. SESSION-HANDOFF-NEXT.md

   • Remove Plane references from pending items

4. docs/tasks/gitea-plane-integration/

   • Mark directory as ABANDONED
   • Add README explaining why integration was abandoned

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Verification

After decommissioning, verify:

• docker ps on TX1 shows no Plane containers
• https://tasks.firefrostgaming.com returns connection error (or redirects if repurposed)
• Port 8090 freed up: netstat -tulpn | grep 8090 returns nothing
• /opt/plane/ directory removed
• Nginx config removed: ls /etc/nginx/sites-*/ | grep plane returns nothing
• n8n workflows archived or deleted
• Documentation updated

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Why Plane Didn't Fit

Technical Success:

• Deployment worked
• Projects created successfully
• Member invites sent
• Labels configured

Workflow Mismatch:

• Gitea's built-in Kanban boards proved simpler
• n8n sync integration was fragile (webhook loops)
• Added complexity without clear benefit
• Team already comfortable with Gitea workflow

Decision: Simplify stack, use Gitea Projects exclusively.

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What Replaces Plane?

Gitea Projects (Kanban Boards):

• Native to our existing Git workflow
• No additional infrastructure
• No sync complexity
• Familiar interface for team
• Integrated with issues/PRs

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Related Tasks

• Task #54: n8n Workflow Documentation (update to remove Plane workflows)
• None currently (Plane was isolated experiment)

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Notes

• Plane data is not mission-critical (project tracking can be recreated in Gitea)
• No external dependencies to notify (internal tool only)
• DNS change may take 24-48 hours to propagate
• Consider what to do with tasks.firefrostgaming.com subdomain

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Standard: This task follows FFG-STD-002 (Task Documentation Standard)