Can the DServer be run on a laptop?

[BlitzPig_EL]

I'm toying with setting up a proper server so the BlitzPigs and friends can have a smoother online experience.

I don't have enough bits to cobble up a PC without spending some somewhat serious money, so I was wondering if just getting a laptop would work?

 

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by BlitzPig_EL

[Cynic_Al]

3 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

I'm toying with setting up a proper server so the BlitzPigs and friends can have a smoother online experience.

I don't have enough bits to cobble up a PC without spending some somewhat serious money, so I was wondering if just getting a laptop would work?

 

 

 

IL2 DServer will certainly execute on a laptop, but you'll have to decide if the performance is adequate.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Well, that is my point at the end of it.  I need it to work, not just run.

[AndyJWest]

I'm sure there are laptops that will run DServer, but generally speaking you pay more for a laptop than a desktop PC for an equivalent level of performance.

[BlitzPig_EL]

I guess I was under the impression that the dedicated server didn't need to be a powerhouse, unlike a PC that actually runs the game itself.

 

Is this not correct?

 

[AndyJWest]

A couple of threads discussing server hardware requirements:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/31226-dserver-hardware/

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/38447-dedicated-server-hosting-providers/

 

From the look of it, the most important factor seems to be single-thread CPU performance. You certainly don't need top-end graphics.  You might do better though to give some sort of indication of what you are hoping to use the server for (server load can be mission dependant), and how much you are prepared to spend. Maybe then someone currently running a server can give a specific recommendation.

[BlitzPig_EL]

I am not going to be running a 24/7/365 server for 80 players.  At most it would be 10 ish of us, mostly on weekends, running missions generated for the most part with SYN_Vander's generator, plus a few I have found in my mission cashe over the years.

 

I am investigating this because hosting and playing on one PC places severe limitations on what can be hosted.

[DD_Arthur]

Hi _EL.  Don't know if this helps but our server is a rented box situated somewhere in western Germany running an i7 at 3.4 ghz.  No graphics card but a very strong internet connection.

 

Our dogfight server is of course run through the Dserver but it's also running our CLoD and DCS server simultaneously!!!   Don't seem to have much problem with it.? 

[BlitzPig_EL]

Thanks Arthur,. Info appreciated.

[Hanu]

My current gaming rig with better cpu can give much better performance on Dserver while flying at the same time than my older PC that I tried to use as standalone server. The cpu's single core performance is the most critical asset as both processes will run on different core.

 

But as I am TrackIR player it is too hard to use it continuously as TrackIR picks the first il2 instance. Ie. you have to start the game before Dserver and not exit to desktop if you plan to fly later in the same session.

[Cynic_Al]

12 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Well, that is my point at the end of it.  I need it to work, not just run.

 

I assumed you were going to run the DServer on a separate machine, which I would recommend. Ultimately you'll just have to put it to the test.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Precisely Cynic_Al, I want to run it on another computer, but if it needs to be a higher end machine then I'll have to pass.

[DD_FT-]

3 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

Hi _EL.  Don't know if this helps but our server is a rented box situated somewhere in western Germany running an i7 at 3.4 ghz.  No graphics card but a very strong internet connection.

 

Our dogfight server is of course run through the Dserver but it's also running our CLoD and DCS server simultaneously!!!   Don't seem to have much problem with it.? 

 

Arthur, you are correct for the most part, the processor is this though:  Xeon E3-1246v3 at 3.5Ghz. And the server has 32GB of RAM.

@BlitzPig_EL : 

For what it is worth: I just tested the Dserver on a system with an I3 @3.10Ghz, 4GB of RAM. It appeared to be handling a coop mission on Rheinland summer map with 23 AI aircraft in it with pride. As in: At take off, yes, plenty of these 'Multiplayer server overload' messages occurred, not much warping, and once all were in the air, no more overload messages. Have no idea how many moving vehicles were in there.  

 

I find it difficult to judge what you will be needing, as the mission-file is very relevant here, whether or not it's been optimized regarding AI, vehicles, AAA etc. Also, some significant differences in performance may/will occur from version to version ... Would be ideal if you could borrow a system from someone for a while, but I bet I am not telling you anything new here  

 

[BlitzPig_EL]

Thanks gents, lots to ponder here.

[BlitzPig_EL]

Is there no "minimum spec" for a Dserver machine set by the dev team?

 

This title really needs a comprehensive manual.  All these years in and it's still all just guesswork and trial and error by the player base.  I can't afford to guess wrong on spending the money it would take to build up a machine to host on.  Sorry for the rant, but I'm very frustrated at this point.

[DD_FT-]

3 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Is there no "minimum spec" for a Dserver machine set by the dev team?

 

This title really needs a comprehensive manual.  All these years in and it's still all just guesswork and trial and error by the player base.  I can't afford to guess wrong on spending the money it would take to build up a machine to host on.  Sorry for the rant, but I'm very frustrated at this point.

 

I get what you are saying... but it is not easy to do that, because basically all is depending on the mission itself.

 

The example I mentioned of a mission with 23 AI on the Rheinland map running good on the i3 @3.10Ghz? Well, just tonight we ran a coop with a similar number of AI (in fact even less as there were some 10 DangerDogz human Pil2ots in there) that went all red on the Xeon 3.5Ghz Dserver, "server overload" message all over, just because it had some 12 Ships in it...

A very cheap and slow and simple system will run your coop with 10 clients in it just fine, as long as there are no moving vehicles/ships in there, and a limited number of AI aircraft... 

 

What we could do with is a tool that can show us the CPU-load on the DServer, for any given mission - it listing all the objects and showing their CPU costs...

 

(You could use your own PC for this, by running the Dserver on it, but not join the mission. Watch the Dserver, and listen to your squad mates... If you can host nice and busy missions that way, go for generate even more busy ones, should give you a good pointer on what kind of CPU speed you need ...)

 

Good luck, and Have Fun!

 

[Cynic_Al]

4 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

Is there no "minimum spec" for a Dserver machine set by the dev team?

 

This title really needs a comprehensive manual.  All these years in and it's still all just guesswork and trial and error by the player base.  I can't afford to guess wrong on spending the money it would take to build up a machine to host on.  Sorry for the rant, but I'm very frustrated at this point.

 

If you don't have any spare machine on which to test a server, just use your normal machine while not playing yourself. Later, ask anyone who joined how well it performed; alternatively just read the chat logs.

 

[SeaW0lf]

On 1/23/2020 at 2:39 PM, BlitzPig_EL said:

Precisely Cynic_Al, I want to run it on another computer, but if it needs to be a higher end machine then I'll have to pass.

 

From what I recall, people who run servers in Il-2 say that the dserver is single threaded, than the best thing to do if you are on a budget is to get an unlocked i3 and overclock it to 5Ghz (a milestone these days for gaming on these simulators). Like the i3-9350K or even an used i3-7350K, although it runs with TIM paste and you might not get it to a high OC.

 

From my experience with my i5-9600K, you might get the i3-9350K to 4.9 or 5Ghz with a mid tier air cooler if you don't get screwed by the chip lottery. If you have a beefier cooler, the better. There is also the i3-9350KF (with no integrated video) if you have a GPU. Then get a cheap / sturdy motherboard like the Z390 UD and you are fine. I can get my i5-9600K to 5Ghz at 1.32V with no sweat on the Z390 UD.

 

If you are running on Windows 7, you can even get an used Pentium G3258 anniversary edition, which is an unlocked 2 core CPU. I think two cores are enough, or at least it might perform better than an i7 3Ghz CPU.

 

I might be wrong, but I would not spend money on a 3Ghz CPU to run the dserver. It seems to be far from ideal. But I might be wrong. Cynic_Al could chime in on that.

Edited January 27, 2020 by SeaW0lf