Multiplayer Server for Community

[nosaMtrevoC]

Excuse the ignorance, I've been playing DCS off/on (with some large breaks in between) since lock on su27/a10

 

I also have a large on-premise infrastructure of servers (for my business) that has a very fast gigabit up backbone connection and a number of Hyper-V Servers.

 

Considering spinning up a vm for people to use but have a few questions.

 

1. I have a few hosts that have high core counts but low MHz (40 core, 2.8) and also some lower core higher MHz machines at 4 core 4.2 i think. Which would benefit more, Higher core count or speed? I'm guessing speed if DCS Server isn't optimized for multi-threading? That's the case on the client but I wondered if there is a difference with the multiplayer workload.

 

2. Does the multiplayer information get cached to disk? If not I can run on slower SSD drives, if so I can run on SAS Raid10 arrays.

 

3. How much memory is required to run this? Is 16 or 32gb enough to provision? is more better? Does the memory scale with how many players are connected?

 

4. I've seen a lot of posts about people with up to a dozen connected, but what scales when lets say a hundred people are connected? Is DCS even optimized for this, or is this even possible? and what hardware scales with number of people connected? more ram, proc?

 

5. Can I allow people to use the server without my intervention or do I need to logon and start the missions for them. Ideally I'd like to just offer the server for use to see if I can get some data on scalability over number of people connected. I wouldn't want to have to logon every time someone wants to play for instance and start the mission for them. I'd prefer to just offer the server for use (maybe an ongoing mission that just has radar and generates random AA traffic?)

 

6. What are the challenges for scalability of players on the server?

 

Any of your thoughts or suggestions are welcome. I enjoy programming and tech and usually spend more time messing with DCS than i do flying. Have a lot of hardware resources at my disposal and figured I could have fun messing with a MP server and providing the information to the community.

 

Any pre-help on these items would be appreciated along with any of your findings and experience which is usually invaluable.

 

Thanks.

[71st_AH Rob]

I would be interested in testing with you, located in Kingston so on EDT.

 

 

1. I think higher count is more beneficial but why not try both?

2. yes

3. 16 should be fine to run a Dedicated Server instance

4. no idea, 30-40 is the most I had at one time. Total number of objects and spawning AI and Clients seems to be one of the big issues, not total number of clients also high ping of clients

5. You will need to install the Open Beta Dedicated Server and then allow people to set it up or set it up for them, install mods and upload missions. Then they should be able to run with the Web GUI to manage it day to day.

[nosaMtrevoC]

I would be interested in testing with you, located in Kingston so on EDT.

 

 

1. I think higher count is more beneficial but why not try both?

2. yes

3. 16 should be fine to run a Dedicated Server instance

4. no idea, 30-40 is the most I had at one time. Total number of objects and spawning AI and Clients seems to be one of the big issues, not total number of clients also high ping of clients

5. You will need to install the Open Beta Dedicated Server and then allow people to set it up or set it up for them, install mods and upload missions. Then they should be able to run with the Web GUI to manage it day to day.

 

Thanks Rob, I'm just outside of Toronto bordering Georgetown/Caledon/Brampton. Love Kingston, I have family in Kingston who have worked in the penitentiaries for years.

 

on point 4. I wonder what is effecting the lag in spawning AI? Proc./Memory/Caching. (this is exactly the type of information I want to compile so that we can get to the point where we know what type of hardware effects the MP experience. Have trouble finding guidance here.)

 

On point 5., I have no problem setting it up, but can the server run in a mode that just allows people to come and go without my intervention (or anyone elses for that matter). I don't mind some sort of intervention (say changing the mission up once a day on a posted schedule etc..), but I just want to set it and forget it so to speak as people come and go. Excuse my ignorance here, I should probalby hop on and off a few MP servers myself so I'm not so blind in this respect. Have a lot of SP hours, no MP hours in DCS. If I have multiple missions uploaded can people select their missions or do I have to host a specific mission until I change it.

 

I'll take you up on your testing offer. Just back to work over COVID to do some spring cleaning and Inventory before manufacturing starts again next week, but I'm going to poke at this and get some bare metal live for us to play with.

[71st_AH Rob]

Once the Dedicated Server is set up the Web GUI can be used to start and change missions remotely. Someone would need to be able to access the server to upload the missions but once there it can be done through the Web GUI.

 

 

 

The Dedicated Server version of DCS world can be found here:

 

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/

 

I will send you a PM with some ideas.

[dSAF Dancer]

We have our server setup, so the people from our staff have acces to a google drive wich is hardlinked to the missions folder of our servers, so they can access the webgui, drop a mission into the google drive and upload it to the server.

 

Then a limited number of People have full access to the server to perform the updates and stuff.

[xcom]

1. Better Ghz as DCS uses 2 cores, one for the simulation and one for the sound (AFAIK).

So having a CPU that holds 6/8 cores with 4+GHZ would be more beneficial if you want to run massive servers, if you would like to run smaller scale, lower GHZ should do.

2. IO is used by DCS, especially with scripting, but slower SSD should be enough to hold it.

3. 32GB is better, obviously DDR4 and above.

4. There's a small formula here -

(number of players) * (number of units) * (moving ground units) = the higher the number the worse the stability.

DCS can run a really heavy missions with up to 60 players, although I saw some really lean missions holding 70 players, but that's about as much as DCS can hold at the moment.

5.Obviously you wouldn't need to go into the server unless there's a real problem (server not starting etc..) usually server admins can just remote the machine, if you have a rescue boot with KVM or even SSH, server admins can use that to avoid having to need your assistance.

6. see 4.

 

So there's levels of access that usually you want your server to provide.

DCS today has a webgui that allows good handling of the server, the only missing part is a way to upload missions, this is easily solved by an FTP or a simple dropbox etc...

Other then that, the server should run automatically without any need of intervention.

 

We run currently 3 servers holding 5 DCS scenarios.

Let me know in PM if you have any other questions, we would be glad to test on your hardware.

[PravusJSB]

in my experience, 16gb is fine my server takes around 3-6Gb with 1100-1300 units and 6-10 players, the cpu isn't actually that costly either, when I optimise the profiles for the system and give DCS a dedicated core it idles in a mission at around 30-40%, some large tasks occurring at the same time might take it up near max but its rare my server hits the top line. I would say SSD is a must, faster the better, some tasks I do go back and forth from disk to memory often and would be detrimental to performance should I have a slow disk, but any SSD should be fine. My server ran 24/7 on my laptop with core speed of 4GHz and 16Gb DDR4 without a problem.