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How many servers can Intel Xeon E5-2667v2 support?


MacoLa

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Hi there, so i got myself a root server runing on Windows Server 2016 with these specs for my ARK community. I am planing of making a cluster including all official maps. By your opinion and experience how much ark servers can this machine handle:

CPU:  Intel Xeon E5-2667v2 (12 cores)

RAM: 64 GB

SSD: 120GB

Network: 1Gbps

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What method are you using to run your servers? I use ARK: Server Manager. With ASM I would not go with a 120 GB SSD. For my setup, I use a 500 GB SSD for the OS and servers and then use a 120 GB NVMe SSD for server saves and 10 GB virtual memory cache. Yeah, I found that ARK does benefit from virtual memory. In fact, by using it, you can extend out your 64 GB and 12 cores to an easy 10 server cluster, maybe 12. This is including players. Keep SMT/Hyperthreading on.

The reason I use the 2nd drive for saves and virtual memory is that VM does only burst data. Same with saving. With that in mind, I can get a fast but small NVMe SSD and not have a space requirement issue. This allows for large server saves to save much faster, making the "lag" that some people report into a non-issue. I also find that bases load better, when the save is on a fast medium. You can move the save folders using mklink hard junctioning. Here is an example of mklink in usage:

mklink /j "C:\steamcmd\ark\servers\PvEAberration\ShooterGame\Saved" "E:\PvEAberration\Saved"

You need to move the save to the 2nd location and make sure the first location has no folder existing when you run this command in command prompt with administrative privileges. Make sure the source and destination are written to what you use, not just copy-paste the example.

Because saving a file at 2400 MB/s and reading at 3000 MB/s is better than 550 MB/s write and 650 MB/s read on a traditional SSD like what I have. And as you probably know, no drive works at that speed all the time. NVMe is better but more expensive. So this is why I use the 2nd drive, so that way I don't have a space requirement and can just focus on speed alone and use the benefits of hard junctioning.

Windows Server 2016 should be fine. To be honest, Windows 10 works just fine too.

Your CPU is perfect for the job requirement. However, I would consider investing in a 10G Ethernet Card that has server features. I use the ROG Areion 10G Ethernet card for my usages. You can check out my thread for Networking for the Administrator here:

Ethernet cards have more features to use that are very effectively used in the application you are using it for. These features are ASIC. They are much faster and more reliable than using a CPU. Players do not need these features on their machine. But a server very much benefits from them. Because the thing you need the most is reliable servers. Your reputation of reliable servers is as important as building a decent community. Trust me, stock Ethernet on the motherboard is a steaming pile of crap. But hey, maybe a server motherboard has them. Check out what you have available.

Last of all, try picking up a new HDD, not used. Use this to store your backup saves. Backup saves let you, for example, pull up a backup server to recover things from the past in a support ticket, or conduct investigations into possibly discovering what happened.

For the sake of dealing with a power outage and thus the trouble of dealing with cross-ark, I have a script running in the background that helps me to back up the cross-ark data, to allow rolling back to the start of the hour. This is also when my backup server map saves are done. The 2 scripts you can find below.

Cluster Backup:

Opt("TrayIconHide", 1)
$esc = 0
$tick = 0
Do
	If ProcessExists("Cluster Service.exe") Then
	Else
		ShellExecute("Cluster Service.exe","",@ScriptDir & "\","Open")
	EndIf
	If(@min < 5) and ($tick = 0) Then
		$tick = 1
		FileCopy(@ScriptDir & "\<your cluster name>\*.*", @ScriptDir & "\Backup\<your cluster name>_bak_" & @mday & "." & @mon & "." & @year & "." & @hour & "\", 8)
		EndIf
	If(@min >= 5) and ($tick =1) Then
		$tick = 0
	EndIf
	Sleep(30000)
Until $esc = 1
Exit

Cluster Service:

Opt("TrayIconHide", 1)
$esc = 0
Do
	If ProcessExists("Cluster Backup.exe") Then
	Else
		ShellExecute("Cluster Backup.exe","",@ScriptDir & "\","Open")
	EndIf
	Sleep(30000)
Until $esc = 1
Exit

These scripts use AutoIT. You will want to compile them and place the EXE files into the directory folder. For example:

C:\steamcmd\ark\clusters\Cluster Backup.exe
C:\steamcmd\ark\clusters\Cluster Service.exe

You will obviously in the code need to input the name of your cluster ID into the script in order for it to work. Replace <your cluster name> with what you use.

Then you only need to set it up to start with your server using Windows Scheduled Tasks. Cluster Backup.exe will start Cluster Service.exe. They are setup to start the other if one stops working. This guarantees 24/7 operation. So that way you end up with a backup folder with copies of your cross-ark data. Inside the folders is steam ID numbers containing important data about what people have uploaded into the Obelisk. Such things as character data, inventory, dinosaurs. Remember that the Obelisk is saved every time somebody uses it. But your servers are saved on a scheduled time. I think Official saves every 15 minutes. So if lightning outside shuts off the power to your servers, you might lose data. So therefore, by using these 2 scripts and making backup saves of your servers on the start of an hour, you could effectively roll back and not lose anything but some player time.

I hope this information and stuff helps you. Happy gaming~

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Thx for such an answer with explanations. I am using ARK Server Manager nad SSD NAS drives. I did setup like 6 servers, but then i have relized that actually i need only 4 server for my players to be able to defeat all bosses etc. So we bumped out slot to 120 and tested it, for now, everthing works like i charm. As for backups there are automated, and i dont store backups older than 5 days because i beleive that i would never need them. Currently i am at 1Gbps ethernet, for now i cant upgrade better, but for 4 servers with 120 slots each, i find it more than enought. One more time, thx for such a great answer.

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