What makes a better gameserver?

[stungmaster]

Hello.

In my neverending quest to figure out the best kind of game server out there, I was wondering what you folks think about this matter.

I currently serve games from my Intel P4 3.0HT (more details at my website) that is co-located. Needless to say that although it does fairly well, I'm not completely satisfied with its performance. I was wondering if it would be better to go with the AMD 64 939 or try out a Dual Opteron. I am aware that sometime in the future it will be possible to dual core the AMD 64 but that is a little ways away.

Keep in mind this is a gaming SERVER, which is purely dedicated to serving (multiple) games ONLY. No one is going to be playing the actual game on this box. I'm looking to upgrade here early 2005 and would like some suggestions of which way to go. Right now I'm leaning towards the AMD 64 because of the later upgradability with the socket 939. I like the dual Xeons that Intel throws out there but to get something really worthwhile it costs a lot of $$$. As it turns out, from what AnandTech says, those AMD 64s do very well when it comes to gaming. I'm looking to upgrade my MB along with, which makes sense since it's a whole different chip.

What say you? The budget for a new MB and CPU is around 800 or lower. Thanks.

 

[cbehnken]

Opterons.

 

[aka1nas]

I would also say Dual opterons as load balancing is probably at least as important as brute performance. You want your server to be fairly speedy, but also never hiccup while a game is going on.

 

[Concillian]

Depends on the situation.

Serving ONE large game (such as UT2004 ONS 32 person) I'd go with the A64.
Serving multiple smaller servers, definitely the duallie.

Server instances are single threaded just like the clients.

 

[stungmaster]

bump

 

[Dman877]

My fav UT2004 server is on a FX53 and the guy running it said the FX53 simply blew his dual xeon server (3ghz i think? can't rememer) out of the water. Dual procs don't seem to help in UT anyway, according to him.

 

[stungmaster]

Yes, you're talking about Cain who runs ONE 32 player Onslaught server on his AMD 64 FX-53. I'm more interested in running a couple of gameservers, not so much one huge gigantic server. If you're comparing one Xeon to one 64 you'd probably be right.

The posts above definitely make sense. I run a ut2004 server as well, but not nearly at the capacity he does. To put it simply, the game is a pig on cpu usage no matter what chip you use. I just want to keep servers from stepping on eachother.

 

[Markfw]

Show me how to do it on a regular comcast setup, and I will serve for the fun of it. So far nothing can even slow this baby down, two F@H, one encode, and Far Cry or Doom3 at the same time, and it doesn't even break a sweat !

 

[kEnToNjErOmE]

Go with the Opterons.

 

[Acanthus]

I cant believe this wasnt suggested. But why not multiple smaller servers for this kind of load.

Id honestly say 2x midrange machines would easily compete with one high end server, and then youre not shelling out for dual cpu mobos.

Just use your current server and build a 2nd one with your $800 budget. $800 will go very far when youre not shelling out for graphics.

Antec server chassis with bundled 400w Truepower
3200+ -$190
Nforce 3/4 -$120
2GB PC3200 -$300
Single 74GB raptor -$177
DVD-Rom -$27
Onboard audio and lan - Free

Right around your budget, then share the load between the 2 servers and youll be in better shape (imho) than 1 expensive dually setup.

 

[stungmaster]

I like your suggestion and it's a very good one. However, keep in mind this server is co-located. I pay for space and bandwidth. Sending a second server will double the monthly "rent" I pay to keep my stuff there. However, since I never scratch the 1MB pipe I'm paying for I've emailed them about using the same the pipe for 2 servers. If I can do this, that will greatly reduce the cost and then your suggestion would work out the best.

Oh, and you forgot the OS.

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: stungmaster

Oh, and you forgot the OS.

For UT2004? Use linux... free.

Then you have one box for linux based servers on top of what is obviously a Windows based server you are running now (because you mention cost).

I know Battlefield games handle load considerably better on Windows servers, but I'm pretty sure UT2004 does about equally well on Linux as Windows.

 

[Acanthus]

I assumed you were using a flavor of linux honestly.

 

[stungmaster]

I see. I won't go off topic on a discussion of Linux.

With that being said, the datacenter has informed me I can use the same pipe for 2 servers. I will be using your suggestion and go for the single AMD 64. In order to go dualie, I almost need to buy a whole new box.... more than what I'm willing to shell out at this point.

Thank you all for your help. Click here to check out my website.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

For $800 I managed 2x242 Opterons, MSI K8T Master2-FAR, and 2x512mb Crucial reg. ecc. I have them running 1.725ghz@the moment using the Corecenter pro software it comes with so you have options for 8bills

 

[dannybin1742]

i'm curious to see what the difference is between a single and dual in serving ut2004

dapunisher:

nice stick man, whats that about a 9'? i've got a 10' nose rider hanging in my parents basement, is been dry for 2 years

i'm stuck out here in iowa doing a phd, although i have learned to windsurf, i must say its as fun and you don't need waves or the ocean, just a large lake

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Hey Danny Yep, 9' epoxy. It is practically nuke-proof because the extra buoyancy of the epoxy let him get away with glassing it heavier for me. I have done a little wind surfing because one of my bros has been doing it for 20yrs now. I have only done it enough to be able to sail around a little in the intercoastal waterway on a moderately breezy day on the big board Mistral he started on back then. Too much wind and I wasn't able to handle it.

I think if I got good enough for the small surfing model he uses I'd like it alot more though. Getting in the waves so early and blasting air looks like it would be major stoke I'm impatient though, so I just stick to paddle power. If I lived where you do I'd be all over it though.