Gentoo Install Performance

[QOOOOOOOOQ]

On the OS installation of the control panel, it says Gentoo is 32bit, but it's also said on the forums that Gentoo has specific tweaks for SRCDS servers. Would switching from some other x64 Linux to x32 Gentoo make much if any difference? Curious about if x64 is better, why were the SRCDS tweaks made on a x32 install? Or is it because SRCDS is a 32bit application that it makes no difference the CPU architecture?

[Edge100x]

We have tweaks in our managed installs, but they're not specific to Gentoo. Unless you are an experienced Linux user or don't mind spending extra time learning, I don't recommend starting with Gentoo.

32-bit and 64-bit should work similarly for small servers, but 64-bit is preferred. I will need to work on re-creating that old Gentoo installer as a newer 64-bit version.

[QOOOOOOOOQ]

We have tweaks in our managed installs, but they're not specific to Gentoo. Unless you are an experienced Linux user or don't mind spending extra time learning, I don't recommend starting with Gentoo.

32-bit and 64-bit should work similarly for small servers, but 64-bit is preferred. I will need to work on re-creating that old Gentoo installer as a newer 64-bit version.

I'm talking about unmanaged specifically, of course. How hard could it be?
1. Create a new user (100 how-to's online about how to setup one)
2. Setup IPtables (SRCDS forums list good values to use for servers, and a few how-to's online about how to get to them on Gentoo, also)
2. Connect through Filezilla
3. Transfer server directory

1. You could run the server on Windows 2008, with "srcdsfpsboost.exe" running in the background, and enable HPET under the "advanced options" section of the "Server control" page in your control panel. This is the easiest solution.

2. You could run the server on our Gentoo Linux install, using the kernel we provide. (The CentOS install's kernel won't work as well.) To achieve a stable 950 to 1000fps, start your HL1 server with a command line that looks like this:

Code: Select all

chrt -r 20 ./hlds_run -game xxxxx +ip xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx +maxplayers xx -pingboost 2

Or your Source/Orangebox server with a command line like this:

Code: Select all

chrt -r 20 ./srcds_run -game xxxxx -ip xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx +maxplayers xx

The "chrt" bit of this tells the kernel to run the process as "real-time", and removes the slack on its timers, allowing for a higher sustained FPS (the numerical RT priority that you use does not make a noticeable difference here).

Whichever method you use, make sure to check the FPS remotely with "rcon stats", rather than typing it directly into the server's console. Typed directly there, "stats" gives erroneous output.

Additionally, make sure that your "server.cfg" file specifies:

- A sys_ticrate of 0 (unlimited) or 2000+, for HL1-based games
- A fps_max of 0 (unlimited) or or 2000+, if you're running a Source or Orangebox-based game

4. Execute start parameters
5. Profit???

Differences between 32bit and 64bit for SRCDS applications are negligible? According to the post, the performance improvement from this Gentoo install makes it much better than any 'random' install, enough to where it might even just be better than a 64bit OS?

[Edge100x]

I'm talking about unmanaged specifically, of course. How hard could it be?

Harder in Gentoo for a new user than in Debian, Ubuntu, or another easy package-based distro.

I love Gentoo but it's just a bit more complicated to install and update than many others. There is a learning curve.

Differences between 32bit and 64bit for SRCDS applications are negligible?

Correct. Source runs as a 32-bit application either way. The virtualization overhead of using 32-bit will be a little higher than 64-bit, but it's not a significant amount.

According to the post, the performance improvement from this Gentoo install makes it much better than any 'random' install

The post you quoted is from before we had Debian and Ubuntu as options, and it compared Gentoo and CentOS -- more specifically, the kernel configurations of the two. CentOS has a suboptimal default kernel configuration and uses old (and incompatible with many games) libraries, so it is not a good option for game servers.

VDSes have incredible flexibility. You can try whatever OS you'd like, and change it around as you'd like. Feel free to experiment. If you don't want to waste time experimenting, Ubuntu is the easy first choice.

[QOOOOOOOOQ]

Thanks for all the clarification, it seems to me after extensive testing (15+ hours) that Debian is a fantastic choice for me. Literally I have an almost basic install with a gameserver of 8 slots on the Linux single core plan, and constantly throughout the testing people would say it's their new favorite server. Seen much more performance on it that I ever have on any server from you guys before, regardless of it being VDS, the fact that it's extremely cheap and well-performing (moreso than some friends I know that have 3-4 cores, albeit Windows, it's still not really comparable even though there's not much of a difference after the first core since srcds only uses one, apparently) means for a very happy experience from everyone involved. xD - This testing was rather extensive, common infected usually always capped out, 4 special infected players always running about doing things because of the 1 second spawn timer, it was just great.