What resources can I expect NS2 to use?
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 11:56 pm
Large (20+ slot) NS2 servers generally use a few percentage points of a CPU core and as little as 750 MB of memory when empty, and more than entire CPU core's worth of processor power and as much as 1.2 GB of memory when full.
This means that managed VDS and managed dedicated server customers need to be very careful about how many servers they create. Even empty servers can take substantial resources; a 4-core VDS can only handle perhaps two servers reliably.
It's also important to note that NS2 is a bit multithreaded. From our most recent testing, we saw it use approximately a 12:4:1 ratio of CPU usage across its three busiest threads. With a full 24-slot server on the most intensive map, this could work out to something like 100% of a CPU core being used for the main thread, 33% of a second core used for another thread, and 8% of a third core used for another thread.
This means that managed VDS and managed dedicated server customers need to be very careful about how many servers they create. Even empty servers can take substantial resources; a 4-core VDS can only handle perhaps two servers reliably.
It's also important to note that NS2 is a bit multithreaded. From our most recent testing, we saw it use approximately a 12:4:1 ratio of CPU usage across its three busiest threads. With a full 24-slot server on the most intensive map, this could work out to something like 100% of a CPU core being used for the main thread, 33% of a second core used for another thread, and 8% of a third core used for another thread.