Calling all serious game hosters and game developers
Are you ready to level up your gaming experience?
If yes, you should learn more about dedicated game servers. These servers improve the quality and reliability of the online gaming experience.
While online gaming has been around since the mid-1990s, the industry has seen significant growth in the past two decades. Dedicated gaming servers have streamlined the way people from all over the world play their favorite games without any issues.
This article will give you an introduction to dedicated game servers and how you can pick the right gaming server provider to ensure a great experience for your players.
Let’s start with a brief recap of types of games and then go into the discussions about dedicated game servers.
Table Of Contents
- Online Gaming Has Become More Than a Passing Fad
- Types of Popular Online Games
- What You Need to Know About Dedicated Gaming Servers
- What Games can a Dedicated Gaming Server Host?
- How Online Games are Structured?
- Understanding How Dedicated Gaming Servers Work?
- Benefits Of Gaming Servers: 5 Reasons to Use Them
- Four Drawbacks of Gaming Servers
- 5 Tips for Choosing a Gaming Server Provider
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Online Gaming Has Become More Than a Passing Fad
More than ever, people all over the world now prefer to play with or against each other using dedicated gaming servers maintained by either gaming companies or third-party gaming enthusiasts.
Dedicated gaming servers are often custom-built for hosting:
- Game tournaments
- Game events
- Providing users with quick access to games through high-powered networks
As you can imagine, these servers need to be much faster, more stable, and better than shared servers or similar solutions.
Types of Popular Online Games
These days, online games come in two flavors.
Single-player Online Games
These games are built to be played by one person. They can be played either against the computer or with other players in an online community. These games can range from puzzle games to sports simulations and from action-adventure titles to educational programs.
Some single-player online games allow for real-time interaction between players, while others are turn-based, allowing players to take turns as they complete levels or challenges.
Multiplayer Online Games
These games are designed to be played by two or more players simultaneously, either against each other or in a cooperative setting.
Multiplayer online games are typically hosted on dedicated servers that provide a stable gaming environment with fast response times and low latency. These types of games can range from first-person shooters to strategy and role-playing games.
What You Need to Know About Dedicated Gaming Servers
A dedicated gaming server is a server that is used for a single purpose – hosting a game.
Dedicated servers are typically hosted by a game hosting company or run on private hardware owned by the user. These servers provide a more reliable and secure environment for online gaming than shared hosting services.
Since access to most dedicated gaming servers is restricted to authorized users, the owners can ensure a smooth experience because they can avoid issues like server overload.
What Games Can a Dedicated Gaming Server Host?
A dedicated gaming server is a combination of hardware and software resources that’s exclusively used for hosting a single game or game-related application. Professional gaming organizations typically host their gaming events (single and multiplayer games) on these machines.
Some popular games that are typically hosted on dedicated servers are:
- Counter-Strike
- League of Legends
- Overwatch
- Minecraft
- Rust
- Killing More
- Multiversus
How Online Games are Structured?
While they differ on the outside, most multiplayer games have similar structures consisting of two types of entities: hosts and clients.
Hosts
The host is the entity that creates and manages the game session. Generally, hosts are responsible for setting up the game, choosing the game mode, and inviting other players to join.
The host also has the ability to kick players from the game and change game settings or game configurations. In essence, the host is the “boss” of the game session.
Clients
On the other hand, clients are the players who join the game session created by the host. They do not have the same level of control over the game as the host, but they can still play and interact with other players.
Clients are guests in the host’s game session.
A host-player is someone who hosts a game and lets other players join in. The host player uses their computer or console to run the local version of the game, but that device also keeps the entire game in sync for all clients. All players see the same game state regardless of location.
Since gaming is a popular activity for people of all ages, more players mean the host machine needs more memory, bandwidth, and processing power for a smooth gaming experience. If the host’s computer is not powerful enough to handle the demands of the game, or their internet connection is slow and unstable, it can cause delays, glitches, and even crashes for all players in the game.
In a dedicated server setup, the host functions as a server that all players connect to rather than participating as a player. This setup allows for a more stable and reliable gaming experience.
The server admin of the server is free to customize the game server settings for better performance because the server has significantly more computing power and a better connection than an average PC or console. These customizations can include the following:
- Installing an appropriate operating system and setting up the clustering of servers.
- Setting up custom scripts, optimizing the server, and installing server monitoring tools.
- Automate the enforcement of rules and regulations, kicking or banning players who break them and monitoring the game to ensure fair play.
Additionally, dedicated hosting offers more control and customization options. It’s allowing gamers to fine-tune their gaming experience to their specific needs.
Understanding How Dedicated Gaming Servers Work?
When you play an online game, your computer or console connects to the dedicated gaming server. The server then handles all of the game’s data, including player movements and actions. This data is sent back to all connected players in real-time.
As such, dedicated gaming servers are designed to handle large numbers of players simultaneously. This is achieved through a process called load balancing. Load balancing distributes the game’s data and processing requirements across multiple servers. As a result, no single server within the cluster gets overloaded.
A dedicated game server hosting solution is designed to handle the game logic and player interactions.
You might think that a gaming server needs a GPU. However, that’s not a requirement for gaming servers. That’s because a gaming server does not need to render graphics because that’s usually handled by the users’ devices.
Instead, a game server requires a powerful CPU, RAM, and a stable internet connection to handle multiple player connections, process game logic, and transmit data between players. Therefore, investing in a GPU for dedicated game server hosting is unnecessary and would only add unnecessary costs to the hosting.
dedicated game servers provide a highly efficient platform for gamers because these servers are built to ensure games can run without any lag, crashes, or glitches.
Running a dedicated server for gaming from your home can be daunting. It requires a lot of hardware and software knowledge and the necessary equipment to ensure a stable and secure connection.
This can be very expensive and time-consuming and doesn’t guarantee a smooth and reliable gaming experience.
Renting a dedicated server from a bare-metal server provider like RedSwitches is a much simpler and more affordable option. It allows you to focus on gaming and not worry about the technical aspects of running a server.
Professional data centers provide higher bandwidth, better security, and 24/7 monitoring. It ensures your gaming experience is fast, responsive, and uninterrupted.
Benefits Of Gaming Servers: 5 Reasons to Use Them
Running a dedicated gaming server for your online gaming needs brings a range of benefits, including:
Improved Performance
Using a dedicated gaming server gives you more control over the hardware and software that powers your gaming experience. This means you can customize your server’s settings to optimize performance based on your specific needs. This results in a better experience and smoother gameplay.
Reduced Latency
One of the biggest issues with online gaming is latency or lag. When you play on a shared server, you’re at the mercy of other users who are potentially hogging up valuable resources.
A dedicated gaming server eliminates that issue by optimizing network connection and bandwidth allocation.
Enhanced Security
A dedicated server is often better secured than other hosting options because you’re not sharing resources with other clients or users.
This means you can add your preferred security processes, including authentication and encryption protocols, to protect your gaming data.
Minimal Downtime
Since you’re the only user of a dedicated gaming server, there is little to no chance of running out of resources and bringing the server down. In addition, dedicated servers can be scaled by adding physical components or increasing resource allocation for virtual machines.
Dedicated gaming servers are managed by expert engineers who anticipate issues that could bring your server down. This is particularly important if you’re a professional gamer or part of a team that needs to always be available for practice or online events.
Customization Options
With a dedicated gaming server, you have full control over the customization of your gaming environment. Starting from the selection of the hardware of the server, you can set up the underlying software architecture to create game rules that suit your playing style. In addition, you can implement modifications or add-ons that enhance your gaming experience.
Four Drawbacks of Gaming Servers
Dedicated gaming servers offer gamers a reliable and fast connection for multiplayer gameplay and access to a greater range of online features. However, you should know that certain disadvantages come with using dedicated gaming servers.
Costly Setup and Maintenance
Setting up your dedicated gaming server can be expensive because it requires high-end hardware and a reliable internet connection. Additionally, ongoing maintenance and upgrades can prove costly over time. This can be a real disadvantage for those who are looking to create a server for smaller gaming communities because they may not have the resources to fund a dedicated server for a longer duration.
Security Risks
Dedicated gaming servers can be targeted by hackers, who may attempt to breach the server and steal sensitive user information or corrupt the server entirely.
This can lead to the loss of data or even the complete destruction of the server and all its data. As a result, it requires constant vigilance and upkeep to prevent any undesired intrusions, which can prove costly and time-consuming.
Unpredictable Outages
Even with the best hardware and software, dedicated gaming servers can experience unexpected downtimes and outages. This can be frustrating for gamers who rely on the server to play their favorite games.
Over time, this downtime leads to a loss of player base and trust from the gaming community. This impacts the long-term sustainability of the server.
Limited Accessibility for Some Players
Dedicated gaming servers can sometimes only be accessed by players close to the server, making it more difficult for some users to connect and play.
This can be a disadvantage for those interested in building an international community or with members from different parts of the world. It can also limit the number of potential players joining the server, impacting its growth and popularity.
Now that you know the pros and cons of dedicated gaming servers, it’s time to find out how you can pick the right dedicated hosting provider for hosting your gaming adventures.
5 Tips for Choosing a Gaming Server Provider
When it comes to online gaming, having a dedicated server can make all the difference in terms of performance and reliability. But with so many dedicated gaming server providers out there, how do you choose the right one for your needs?
Here are some key factors to consider:
Assess Your Needs
Before you start looking for a dedicated gaming server provider, it’s important to assess your needs.
Some questions to consider are – How many players will be using your server? What games will you be playing? What are your performance requirements?
By answering these questions, you can better understand the specifications you need in a dedicated server and narrow your search accordingly.
Consider Server Location
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a dedicated gaming server provider is server location. The closer the server is to you and your players, the lower the latency or lag time will be, resulting in a better gaming experience. Hence, you should look for providers with servers located in or near your preferred region.
Check Performance and Uptime Guarantees
Performance and uptime guarantees are crucial when it comes to choosing a dedicated gaming server provider. Look for providers that offer high-quality hardware with fast processors, plenty of RAM, and solid-state drives (SSDs) or NVMe (nonvolatile memory express) for faster load times.
Additionally, check to see if the provider offers an uptime guarantee of at least 99%, ensuring that your server will be available and reliable when needed.
Consider Support and Security
Another important factor to consider is the provider’s level of support and security. Look for providers that offer 24/7 customer support and have a reputation for quick response times. Additionally, check to see if the provider offers DDoS protection and other security measures to keep your server and data safe from attacks.
Compare Pricing and Plans
Finally, comparing pricing and plans is important when choosing a dedicated gaming server provider. Look for providers offering transparent pricing with no hidden fees or setup fees and flexible plans that allow you to scale up or down as needed. Don’t be afraid to shop around and compare different providers to find the best value for your budget.
Conclusion
A dedicated gaming server is the best way to ensure a stable and enjoyable multiplayer gaming experience. Setting up your gaming server allows you to create an ideal environment to play your favorite online games with friends or other players.
RedSwitches offers dedicated server packages that can be tailored to your specific needs and preferences. With a dedicated gaming server, you can avoid issues like lag, disconnections, and other common problems that can ruin the gaming experience.
In addition, you’ll also have more control over the game settings and rules, allowing you to create a more customized and enjoyable gaming experience for everyone involved. A dedicated gaming server is a great investment for serious gamers who want the best multiplayer gaming experience.
FAQs
Q-1) Do dedicated servers need a graphics card?
No, dedicated servers typically don’t need a graphics card. Dedicated servers are used for hosting gaming and other applications, which don’t require advanced graphical capabilities. All that is usually required is a powerful enough processor to handle the load of applications being hosted, as well as a sufficient amount of RAM and hard drive space. A graphics card is not necessary for this type of application.
Q-2) What is the difference between a game server and a dedicated server?
A game server is a dedicated server that hosts online multiplayer games. Game servers are hosted on powerful computers known as “hosts”, which run the game software and provide the necessary networking resources for players to connect and play. These servers are typically hosted in data centers with reliable, secure power and internet connections.
A dedicated server is a physical server that is used to host applications, websites, or other services. Dedicated servers offer more control and flexibility than shared hosting but require more time and resources from the user. A dedicated server can be used to host online gaming, web hosting, file storage, email services, and more.
Q-3) How much RAM or CPU do I need for a dedicated game server?
When selecting a dedicated game server, the amount of RAM and CPU you need depends on the type of game and the number of players you plan to host. Generally, more powerful hardware will be required for more complex games with more players. For example, an MMORPG generally requires more RAM and CPU than a simple first-person shooter.
RedSwitches recommend a minimum of 8GB RAM and 4 CPU cores for optimal performance for most gaming servers. Additionally, remember that the more players you plan to host, the more powerful your hardware requirements will be.
