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  1. #1

    Question game server specs

    Hi, Im thinking about starting a game server. Id like to know what is a good game server specification? What processor? How many RAM, HD and bw? What is more necessary: more CPU or more bw?

    Thanks a lot.
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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    What game/s are you hosting?
    What size server/s?
    Is this for your clan or are you starting a game service provider?
    What is you monthly budget?
    Are you familiar with linux? If so what distro? Do you want windows?
    What location?
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  3. #3
    I dont know much about many games. I think about Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Warcraft and some others if necessary. But I dont want a such big server, just for 80 or 100 users(is it big?). Do these games use so many space and bw? I want to start a small game service provider. I have about $200.
    What kind of software will I need?

    Thanks
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  4. #4
    there is lots to learn if you wish to start a GSP, dont be another here one day gone the next, be smart and read up more on the subject before you jump straight in
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  5. #5
    olimaboys, first off, if you want to start hosting game servers, you need to do ALOT more research then just asking this question. Also, with only $200 to invest in this, my advice is to turn back and run as far as you can.

    I'm sure you'll appreciate the Search function of this forum to bring up older posts regarding this topic.
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  6. #6
    I have read many posts today. I ve found some specs but I just want to know if, for example, I can use a P4 2.4, 2Gb Ram, 80 GB, 2000 Gb BW for 80 users.
    What I have found doesnt show how many users can use a specific server config without delay.
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  7. #7
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    Yea, I agree with Jake and 135791 , you need to multiplly your budget by about 10 to be able to compete and stand a chance in todays market, if you did want to start hosting games from scratch I suggest you resell for another company first and take affiliate money, rates for getting game server customers are currently very very nice.
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  8. #8
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    200 bucks wont be near enough money to get a good machine and the bandwidth necessary to start this. Also don't expect to buy a 200 dedicated box and rent it out right away. It would probably take several months to rent out servers on your box which would mean you would need a minimum of 600 bucks to get started. Even then it could take you even more than 600 bucks to start break even. You best do some research or maybe save up more money so that you can get started right.

    Things to consider:

    Business Licenses
    Tax Issues
    Marketing
    Losing money - over the short term

    If you want to have a game server and you can afford 200 bucks a month to mess with it. And host a few servers for friends and they kick money in to support it ... then by all means go for it. Have fun. Because if you don't really like what you are doing then whats the point of starting a business in that field.

    Originally posted by olimaboys
    I have read many posts today. I ve found some specs but I just want to know if, for example, I can use a P4 2.4, 2Gb Ram, 80 GB, 2000 Gb BW for 80 users.
    What I have found doesnt show how many users can use a specific server config without delay.
    I don't think a P4 2.4 alone could handle 80 users. But since I have never used a P4 2.4 for such things I don't know for sure. The first server I bought to do game server hosting was a dual opteron 246 with 2 gig of ram and 6 seperate hard drives. (which now I think I could probably live with just 3 - maybe 2)
    Last edited by DaSoul; 07-30-2005 at 05:13 PM.
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  9. #9
    How many users do you think a P4 2.4, 2Gb Ram, 80 GB can handle?
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  10. #10
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    Originally posted by DaSoul
    200 bucks wont be near enough money to get a good machine and the bandwidth necessary to start this. Also don't expect to buy a 200 dedicated box and rent it out right away. It would probably take several months to rent out servers on your box which would mean you would need a minimum of 600 bucks to get started. Even then it could take you even more than 600 bucks to start break even. You best do some research or maybe save up more money so that you can get started right.

    Things to consider:

    Business Licenses
    Tax Issues
    Marketing
    Losing money - over the short term

    If you want to have a game server and you can afford 200 bucks a month to mess with it. And host a few servers for friends and they kick money in to support it ... then by all means go for it. Have fun. Because if you don't really like what you are doing then whats the point of starting a business in that field.



    I don't think a P4 2.4 alone could handle 80 users. But since I have never used a P4 2.4 for such things I don't know for sure. The first server I bought to do game server hosting was a dual opteron 246 with 2 gig of ram and 6 seperate hard drives. (which now I think I could probably live with just 3 - maybe 2)
    Pentium 4 2.4 is perfectly able to handle a good server.. If he dedicates one game to each box.. rents the 2.4 boxes from layeredtech, gets them configured properly, he could very well do it.

    Even on 1 GB of ram, he could do it.
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  11. #11
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    I had a 2.8 P4 through server beach and I could barely squeak out 3 X 16 man cs servers. But when they were all full if one of them changed to a different map the others would lag. I don't know if this was specifically because of disk access or if it was cpu.

    on a side note: At some point is the 90 second posting rule lifted? It can be very frustrating if you are participating in two quick moving threads when you cant post for 90 seconds


    Originally posted by ScreamingEaglePC
    Pentium 4 2.4 is perfectly able to handle a good server.. If he dedicates one game to each box.. rents the 2.4 boxes from layeredtech, gets them configured properly, he could very well do it.

    Even on 1 GB of ram, he could do it.
    Well sure he could probably run one 60 or 70 man cs server but that doesnt sound like what he would want to do. As there are few people that would want to buy it. And considering how much dedicated servers cost he would likely not break even enough to pay for the machine.
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  12. #12
    I think to start only as a CS server for friends. What software will I need? Where can I find it? And for another lan games?
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  13. #13
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    Originally posted by DaSoul
    I had a 2.8 P4 through server beach and I could barely squeak out 3 X 16 man cs servers. But when they were all full if one of them changed to a different map the others would lag. I don't know if this was specifically because of disk access or if it was cpu.

    on a side note: At some point is the 90 second posting rule lifted? It can be very frustrating if you are participating in two quick moving threads when you cant post for 90 seconds
    Well, for one thing, you shouldn't be running 3 individual game servers on one box PERIOD. That's just unhealthy for the machine.

    The best thing to do is to dedicate 1 game per server, or run each game during a different time of the day..

    In example:

    Option #1:

    1 24/7 Dedicated Counter Strike 32 man server.

    Option #2:

    Counter Strike: 1am-5am
    Battlefield 2: 5am-9am
    etc etc etc.

    That's the best two options to take. When you are running 3 servers on one box, you're not only jeopardizing the performance of the CPU and RAM, you're also making each one fight over the internet connection..

    So, if one gets really big, the other 2 games that are running simutaneously are gonna be real real slow.

    Which is why I always suggest, and always did, a round-robin style server.

    Just some food for thought
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  14. #14
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    Originally posted by olimaboys
    I think to start only as a CS server for friends. What software will I need? Where can I find it? And for another lan games?
    Nobody will hold your hand through this... it takes alot of time and reading...

    I will get you started with one....

    Half-Life based servers (TFC,CS,CS,HL-DM,DOD):

    http://www.steampowered.com
    Half-Life Source Windows Servers
    Half-Life Source Linux Servers
    Half-Life Windows Servers
    Half-Life Linux Servers

    For other games see the respective websites/forums for each game and use Google


    Originally posted by ScreamingEaglePC
    Well, for one thing, you shouldn't be running 3 individual game servers on one box PERIOD. That's just unhealthy for the machine.

    The best thing to do is to dedicate 1 game per server, or run each game during a different time of the day..

    In example:

    Option #1:

    1 24/7 Dedicated Counter Strike 32 man server.

    Option #2:

    Counter Strike: 1am-5am
    Battlefield 2: 5am-9am
    etc etc etc.

    That's the best two options to take. When you are running 3 servers on one box, you're not only jeopardizing the performance of the CPU and RAM, you're also making each one fight over the internet connection..

    So, if one gets really big, the other 2 games that are running simutaneously are gonna be real real slow.

    Which is why I always suggest, and always did, a round-robin style server.

    Just some food for thought
    You are mistaken here. On my dual Opteron 246 I can easily run 8 servers. Without performance issues.

    I would never try to run 3 X 16 man cs servers on a P4. That would be plain silly. I only did it so I could find out what the system could support. A P4 in my opinion is not a system that is designed for "Game Server Hosting". Which is what the OP seemed to want to do. When your computer is connected to a burstable 10Mbit connection 3 - 16 man cs servers will hardly make a blip. You will only use about 1.8Mbit.
    Last edited by DaSoul; 07-30-2005 at 05:30 PM.
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  15. #15
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    I dont know much about many games.

    That statement says it all..



    Heck, I always wanted to be an astronaut.. Is there a message board I can sign up for?
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  16. #16
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    Originally posted by X-Gaming
    That statement says it all..



    Heck, I always wanted to be an astronaut.. Is there a message board I can sign up for?
    I wanna be an astronaut.... ME ME ME!!!

    Good catch on that stement X-Gaming I didnt even notice that portion of his post.

    Spend a year working with the games and using them, installing then, and troubleshooting them and then think about becoming a GSP. Save up money while you are getting educated about games too
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  17. #17
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    Originally posted by ScreamingEaglePC
    Well, for one thing, you shouldn't be running 3 individual game servers on one box PERIOD. That's just unhealthy for the machine.

    The best thing to do is to dedicate 1 game per server, or run each game during a different time of the day..

    In example:

    Option #1:

    1 24/7 Dedicated Counter Strike 32 man server.

    Option #2:

    Counter Strike: 1am-5am
    Battlefield 2: 5am-9am
    etc etc etc.

    That's the best two options to take. When you are running 3 servers on one box, you're not only jeopardizing the performance of the CPU and RAM, you're also making each one fight over the internet connection..

    So, if one gets really big, the other 2 games that are running simutaneously are gonna be real real slow.

    Which is why I always suggest, and always did, a round-robin style server.

    Just some food for thought

    Not really effective strategy if you want to actually make any income renting games..

    I have no idea where you get this "It's not healthy for the machine" junk.. It's a peice of metal not your favorite shirt.. Running multiple instances of anything is what they call "HOSTING"... Wow..

    I have machines that have been running non-stop for two plus years now with multiple servers on each and not one machine has mentioned it was not "feeling good"..
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  18. #18
    Sorry about that phrase. I just mean that I intend to begin with the games I play more like CS and when I know more games I like, Id start playing them on my server.
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  19. #19
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    Not being nitpicky but what you said was...

    "I want to start a small game service provider"

    I saw somplace had a dual opteron 244 with 2gig of ram and maybe two drives in it with 1200 GB of bandwidth for like 200 bucks. It will get you started if all you want to do is play around.

    I will have to look around to see if I can find it. I also have no idea if the company or the network that box is on is actually any good.

    EDIT:

    This is one that is pretty close. Not sure about the quality though. I have never hosted with them so I cant say.

    http://www.layeredtech.com/order.php?packageId=64
    Last edited by DaSoul; 07-30-2005 at 05:44 PM.
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  20. #20
    I have said $200 because I have found this P4 2.4, 2Gb Ram, 80 GB, 2000 Gb BW for $99 and thought that there was a much better server for the double of the price.
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  21. #21
    Ok. With this
    • 2 x 2.8GHz Intel XEON
    • 2 x 80GB IDE Hard Drive or 1 x 160GB Drive
    • 1024MB ECC RAM
    • Bandwidth: 1500GB

    how many users of CS this server handle?
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  22. #22
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    Originally posted by olimaboys
    Ok. With this
    • 2 x 2.8GHz Intel XEON
    • 2 x 80GB IDE Hard Drive or 1 x 160GB Drive
    • 1024MB ECC RAM
    • Bandwidth: 1500GB

    how many users of CS this server handle?
    I couldnt tell you for sure. I havent even maxed out my dual opteron to see how many people it can handle. But I was running the following:

    1 - 16 man cs source server
    4 - 16+ man cs 1.6 servers
    1 - dod server

    At peak times I would have about 45 players. And didnt blip on the cpu until there was a map change. Then it might go to only like 40% of one cpu... because the games really arent written to use dual procs.
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  23. #23
    Thank you DaSoul!!! You have finally answered what I was looking for!
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  24. #24
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    I apologize, I was running under the suspicion he was only doing this as a private server, and not openly for any profit.

    X-Gaming, pardon me for being mis-informed. There's no need for childish sarcasm. You wanna criticize my statement, do it with a little respect.
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  25. #25
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    You don't have to apologize. Just don't bother posting about things you apparently cannot comprehend..

    And no I wasn't being sarcastic..



    Hope this helps.
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