8 Tips For Managing Games Servers Like A Pro
In recent years, video games have become a mainstream form of entertainment. But unlike movies, television, or even sports, playing video games can be an isolated experience if you don’t have access to others who are also playing at the same time. That is why modern video games need game servers in order to operate more efficiently and effectively than before.
In this article we will talk about how to manage game servers from the admin console. While there are several ways to do so depending on your operating system and the type of server you have running, most of them revolve around giving local users permissions to manage the different game roles for each user account.
That way you only need one person to manage multiple user accounts instead of having to check every single box manually in front of every single computer that needs to play.
What Are Game Servers?
A game server (such as hostari) is a program that runs on a computer or virtual machine and manages player connections to match players with other players.
When someone else wants to play your game and they aren’t able to do so locally, they will need access to a game server in order for the two people playing the game remotely to connect seamlessly.
Most virtual private servers (VPS) come equipped with some type of dedicated computer hardware. This hardware is used for processing transactions as well as storing data securely.
Tips for Managing Games Servers
1- Use a Project Management Tool
Managing game servers is a complex process that involves many moving parts.
A project management tool can help you keep track of your game server activity and specifications. This will allow you to document your game server performance and more.
If you are using Trello to manage your project’s tasks, you can integrate it with Bluecatreports to display your game server specifications in a beautiful charts format.
2- Keep Track Of Your Server’s Performance
The first step to managing your game server is to keep track of its performance. There are a few ways you can accomplish this.
You should be looking at the CPU load, the RAM load, and the disk I/O load on your server. If you have several game servers running simultaneously, then you might need to look at the total number of users connected to each server so that you can balance them out.
3- Optimize Your Servers For The Best Performance
Optimizing for best performance means making sure that your servers are equipped and well suited for the platforms you are using. You should also make sure that they have enough RAM and CPUs, as those resources can be better utilized with a more efficient server.
In order to do this, you will want to start with the settings of your game in the Admin Console. You can change these settings by clicking on any of the tabs at the top of your screen. The first tab is general settings which includes things like chat language and how many players are allowed to play on your server.
Next up is performance settings where you can find a list of different optimization options such as CPU usage and loading time. From here, you can just click on each setting to see what it does, or scroll down to see all the different substeps under each option. There is no limit on how many options there are so feel free to experiment!
4- Manage The Hardware On Your Servers
Assuming your game servers run on dedicated hardware, you can manage the game servers from the admin console. This includes installing new updates, upgrading the server’s operating system, and managing settings such as how often your server restarts.
Of course, if your game uses multiple operating systems or is running on a virtual machine such as Azure, you will need to use some other software for these tasks.
5- Monitor Network Traffic And Bandwidth Usage
If you’re running a game server from your home computer, check to see how much bandwidth and network traffic your game is using. For example, if you’re running a 1v1 deathmatch map, it would only use the bandwidth of one computer while the other player would be receiving their own separate connection.
If you need to control the server remotely through a local console or web interface, keep an eye on how much network traffic your server is using.
A simple way to do this is by checking the performance tab in Windows Task Manager. There are also many third-party tools such as OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) that allow you to monitor streaming broadcasts and game servers easily.
6- Back Up Your Servers Regularly
This article is not going to go into any particular steps of backing up your servers, but it will be giving some guidelines.
Here are some general rules that you should follow when handling backups:
- Make sure your backups are stored offsite and offline
- Keep at least 3 backups of your servers
- Make sure to test all of your backups periodically
- Make sure you keep a record of what changed in each backup and what restored
7- Update Software Patches And Drivers For Optimal Performance
The most important thing you need to do when managing game servers is updating the software. If you don’t update the software, your server won’t be able to run at optimal performance.
Driver updates are also very important because they allow your computer to communicate with other computers running the same version of a game which allows the physics engine to talk to each other and share information. This will improve the game for everyone playing on that account.
8- Stay Organized With An Admin Toolkit!
A good place to start is with a desktop/laptop/tablet or smartphone admin toolkit. These are usually split into two sections: the left side contains all the different roles, and the right side has all of the permissions that can be given to users of each role.
This is very useful when you need to hand out permissions to multiple people who have overlapping roles. One good thing about these admin tools is that they give you a lot of information in regards to your game server configuration and system state – like where your players are on the map, what time it is, how many people are on a team, etc. The bigger picture view also lets you take a look at what’s going on with your server as well as add new features (like dynamic lighting) without having to restart the game engine.
Final Thoughts
Managing games servers can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be a lot less stressful. By following the above tips you’ll be on your way to being a great games server manager.
