[GUIDE] Multiple DCS Server Instances on a Single Installation + Auto Restarts

[Damned - Gh0st]

As I haven't seen a complied, all inclusive guide on how to set up multiple dedicated servers using a single installation of DCS, I have created a guide that I hope will be of help to new and existing server hosters.

I have also included a method I developed for automatically restarting all servers running off a single installation.

 

This guide is meant for those with local hardware, though it may work for hosted methods with modification. Your mileage may vary.

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I have found these methods to be most reliable for setting up multiple dedicated DCS Servers running from a single install of DCS. 

 

These methods will also allow for easy automatic shutdowns and restarts of your servers.

This has been tested with many 24/7 servers over long periods of automatic restarts utilizing a combination of Task Scheduler, Powershell, and the DSMC Mod by Chromium. (6+ Months server run time, 300+ automatic restart cycles per server).

 

I had collaborated with Chromium, DSMC now includes a working auto-restart as part of the mod if you wish to skip the powershell and go that route

 

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If you would like to have auto-restarts without the use of DSMC, I will leave it to you to figure out a way to terminate your server process and not cover that here, though it should be easy to implement a modified version of the auto-restart method for auto-shutdown.

 

GOOGE DRIVE: GUIDE - CLICK HERE

Edited December 22, 2022 by Damned - Gh0st

[Rudel_chw]

2 hours ago, Damned - Gh0st said:

As I haven't seen a complied, all inclusive guide on how to set up multiple dedicated servers using a single installation of DCS, I have created a guide that I hope will be of help to new and existing server hosters.

 

Thanks a lot for sharing this, looks like a well made guide .. even tough I will probably never need it, I saved it as a reference document just in case 

Perhaps you have somewhere a similar Guide, but on the subject of running a DCS Server and a DCS client on the same PC? 

I'm not really interested on multiplayer, but would like to try this setup to confirm if it does indeed have performance benefits from using more cores of my CPU, and to check if it is indeed true that Track Files recorded on a Server are more faithful than the ones I get on single player   

Thank you so much,

 

Eduardo

[Damned - Gh0st]

6 minutes ago, Rudel_chw said:

 

Thanks a lot for sharing this, looks like a well made guide .. even tough I will probably never need it, I saved it as a reference document just in case 

Perhaps you have somewhere a similar Guide, but on the subject of running a DCS Server and a DCS client on the same PC? 

I'm not really interested on multiplayer, but would like to try this setup to confirm if it does indeed have performance benefits from using more cores of my CPU, and to check if it is indeed true that Track Files recorded on a Server are more faithful than the ones I get on single player   

Thank you so much,

 

Eduardo

I'm sorry I don't have any experience with running separate DCS Server and Client EXEs on the same PC.

I would imagine you could try using the DCS Dedicated Server Installation alongside your normal DCS, but keep in mind the Dedicated server version is about another 170GB worth of space needed.

The Dedicated Server version without any special configuration sets up and uses a separate saved games folder than the normal install so there shouldnt be conflicts? (I think?)

Be aware that while it might disperse the load on your CPU, you may end up doubling your RAM usage as both the server and your client will need their own resources. 

If you test it, I'd be curious to know your results!

[Rudel_chw]

1 hour ago, Damned - Gh0st said:

I'm sorry I don't have any experience with running separate DCS Server and Client EXEs on the same PC.

 

 Don't worry, it was a long shot anyway, as it is mostly of interest to the SP crowd. I haven't seen a Guide on this subject, perhaps I should be the one to write one

 

1 hour ago, Damned - Gh0st said:

I would imagine you could try using the DCS Dedicated Server Installation alongside your normal DCS, but keep in mind the Dedicated server version is about another 170GB worth of space needed.

 

Fortunately, I have space, as my PC currently has two 1 TB SSD drives (in addition to four other older HDD drives for backups and stuff)

 

 

1 hour ago, Damned - Gh0st said:

The Dedicated Server version without any special configuration sets up and uses a separate saved games folder than the normal install so there shouldnt be conflicts? (I think?)

 

Excellent, wasnt sure about that 

 

1 hour ago, Damned - Gh0st said:

Be aware that while it might disperse the load on your CPU, you may end up doubling your RAM usage as both the server and your client will need their own resources. 

If you test it, I'd be curious to know your results!

 

I have 32 GB of RAM to play Single Player and I understand that the DCS Server does not need a lot of RAM, but will try it and afterwards will came back and report.

Greetings,

 

Eduardo

[Maverick87Shaka]

10 hours ago, Rudel_chw said:

I have 32 GB of RAM to play Single Player and I understand that the DCS Server does not need a lot of RAM, but will try it and afterwards will came back and report.

Greetings,

 

Eduardo

Wrong statement. DCS servers takes a lot of RAM, mostly depending  on which map is running at the moment, and the complexity of the mission that your running.

Server instance fire up at least a 5GB of RAM on "empty" mission over Caucasus, and up to 14GB for "medium complex" mission over the Syria.
Persian Gulf sits in the middle.

[Damned - Gh0st]

I had collaborated with Chromium, DSMC now includes a working auto-restart as part of the mod if you wish to skip the powershell and go that route

[Steinsch]

Great stuff!

Now, bonus question.

I'm able to manage several DCS instances on the same physical server, locally, each instances having its own port open.

Now, how can I control the instances remotely, through the DCS website ? I don't think we're able choose the forwarded port to use in the DCS website admin interface. It seems to default to 8088 thus allowing you to remote manage only one instance per IP. Am I mistaken?

Edited January 28, 2023 by Steinsch

[Maverick87Shaka]

6 hours ago, Steinsch said:

Great stuff!

Now, bonus question.

I'm able to manage several DCS instances on the same physical server, locally, each instances having its own port open.

Now, how can I control the instances remotely, through the DCS website ? I don't think we're able choose the forwarded port to use in the DCS website admin interface. It seems to default to 8088 thus allowing you to remote manage only one instance per IP. Am I mistaken?

 

you have to add in all your instances, inside config folder, the autoexec.cfg file and specify the port that you want use:

webgui_port = 8088

But be aware, the local webgui is intended to be run only locally, so to make it usable from another machine inside the lan or ( ba idea ) expose it on WAN, you have to reverse proxy several different stuff.
We had long conversion in another thread to make it works, but it's not really a recommended setup IMHO.