Server Questions.....

lolage

lolage

lolage

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Hi, got a few questions on servers...

1, Can i collect old components from a computer, stick them in an old case and make it a server?
2, Will I be able to have my own server in my own house?
3, Will my own server allow me to host my own sites and host gaming servers for example on CS:S?

Thanks! :)
 
Hm ok.

I heard that if i was to have my own servers it is just a JOKE to have them in your own house? People have told me i need to put them in data centres?

How much would i need to spend to say host around 20 sites, goodish traffic.

And around 5 counter strike source servers?
 
The definition of 'server' is rather vague - technically it's anything which provides a service - so this includes an old box with simple single drive network share on it.

You can have them anywhere you like - data centres provide proper cooling, power, security and high bandwidth, your home is good if you like to tinker with them - to learn with, there is a 24U rack in my lounge for that very reason.

If you're wanting to do 20 websites and 5 CS:Source servers you need to be looking at a data centre, either Colo or dedicated server - no connection to the home is going to be adequate for that sort of traffic useage.

By all accounts CS:Source server is a high CPU service so you need a good spec dedicated server or box to put in for colo.
 
Cool, thannks.

For people having their servers at home: what do they use their servers for? Just to play with them or..?

Also, id rather keep the servers at home... even if it meant not hosting websites, just game servers. Would that be possible?

Thanks. :)
 
At home you could realistically get away with a single low traffic website or a single user on source - home game servers are good if you have 3+ people in the same house or have friends round.

I run my own domain controller, exchange mailserver, pbx for ip phones, webserver, router and z-raid backed fileserver. Mail, phones and website are public facing - but my website is very low traffic, mail doesn't really use much bandwidth and the ip phones are useful but only usually one call at a time.

All of it was setup to learn how to do that particular function - quite successfully i keep the boxes up to date, don't really have any downtime and i haven't been hacked (so far), they are a little slow on the public side due to bandwidth but that's it.

The PBX and the Vmware server box are both proper 1U rackmount servers, the fileserver is just an old desktop - although it is running Solaris.
 
lolage said:
Thanks for the link. I actually meant 5, 20 player servers. How much would it cost for a server to be able to do that?

I understand now that i may have to get it put into a data center.
Click to expand...

Well just doing a quick google (looking at jolt.co.uk although there may be cheaper). It seems to be about £1/slot/month, so you'd be looking at £100 a month rental fees
 
oddjob62 said:
Well just doing a quick google (looking at jolt.co.uk although there may be cheaper). It seems to be about £1/slot/month, so you'd be looking at £100 a month rental fees
Click to expand...

Im actually more interested in buying the actual server. Im wondering what type of server would be able to handle what i want?
 
lolage said:
Im actually more interested in buying the actual server. Im wondering what type of server would be able to handle what i want?
Click to expand...

Might be better of asking in the gaming forum, as there's more likely to be people who have set up decent sized gaming servers.
I don't know if the links are allowed but if you do a google for "Counter Strike Server Spec" you can find a few sites that give you details of what spec you'll need.
 
lolage said:
Im actually more interested in buying the actual server. Im wondering what type of server would be able to handle what i want?
Click to expand...

You would need to have a server with considerable internet bandwidth to host 5 x 20 players on CSS.

You have two options. One to build your own server and co-locate it in a data centre. Main issues with this are that if the server breaks you are going to have to pay for parts and time to fix it.

Second option is to hire a dedicated server and let the provider to all the work. This would be a recommended option.

Somebody like www.inx-gaming.com may be able to help you with a dedicated games server.
 
We rent our dedicated server from www.hopdatasolutions.com We currently run 3x CS:S servers (24,24,16 slots) and 1 COD4 server (32 slot). Dual Core Xeon (Trying to get a quad though) and it handles it no problem. You get a free TeamSpeak server with that too.
We just VNC into the box and set everthing up like that. No fuss, no hassle. You do need to know how to build a CS:S server using SRCDS though. Easy enough.
 
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