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How do managed game servers on a VDS/dedicated machine work?

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 11:45 pm
by Edge100x
When a customer orders a Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) or full dedicated machine, that customer can choose whether to make the server either unmanaged or managed for exclusive game server use. It is also possible to change to or from a managed configuration later, via the "Server control" page in the control panel for the VDS.

All types of machines, both unmanaged and managed:

* Allow the renter to create as many game servers as he wishes (isolated to his machine)
* Are not shared with any other customer -- each one has the stated dedicated resources
* Can have the OS reinstalled at any time to easily switch between an unmanaged/managed setup (VDSes only)

Our unmanaged machines:

* Come with full Remote Desktop or SSH access, along with VNC console access to see the true desktop itself (VDSes only)
* Are configured, monitored and kept up to date by the renter
* Come with assistance through the control panel for hardware and routing problems, with best-effort software assistance provided through the customer forum (http://www.nfoservers.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=44)
* Can run anything that the renter wishes to load, within the bounds of the law and TOS -- including game, web, voice, domain, or other servers
* Can be moved to a new location via an adjustment through the order page (VDSes only)
* Have a robust machine-level control panel that provides bandwidth usage graphs, virtual DVD access, various machine settings adjustments, console access, IP reverse DNS assignment, and other functions; however, no panel is provided to control applications installed on the machine
* Come with one IP address by default, with others (when justified) available at an extra cost

Our managed game server machines:

* Cannot be accessed directly by the renter -- only through FTP to the game servers (Remote Desktop, SSH, and VNC console are not allowed)
* Are monitored and kept up to date (both in terms of the OS and the game servers) by NFO, in the same way that our regular game servers are
* Come with standard NFO support for both the machine and game servers running on it
* Can only run game servers, but can run any game type that NFO offers through the standard game server ordering page, including games whose files we aren't allowed to release, such as Battlefield 3 and Medal of Honor. The number of game servers that can be run is limited only by the resources (CPU and memory) on the machine.
* Cannot be moved between locations (to move a VDS, one must switch it to an unmanaged configuration first)
* Have a basic machine-level control panel that includes graphs for bandwidth, CPU, and memory usage; each game server created on the machine also has its own control panel pages, as with our normal system
* Come with as many IPs as the number of game servers that you run -- each game server receives its own IP address
* Are automatically backed up weekly and can have their game servers linked to websites for easy fast downloads
* Are available only for full dedicated machines and certain sizes of VDSes