The CPU numbers are for a single dedicated server. There are definite CPU spikes when the game initially starts and when large mobs get spawned. If you watch the CPU usage over the course of an entire match you will get a better idea of the spikes. I did this profiling using "top" in batch mode sampling every second. It still isn't perfect, but it catches the spikes a lot better than a 5 minute instantaneous sample or a 1 minute average.
Versus doesn't change the CPU usage very much on the server side. The physics simulation workload is the same, the AI is less and the network is a little more. It does change network bandwidth (about double) due to more clients. M. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ics Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 1:18 PM To: Half-Life dedicated Linux server mailing list Subject: Re: [hlds_linux] hlds_linux Digest, Vol 9, Issue 199 This is single server instance? As a comparison (on full 4/4 server), we saw around 15% average usage for Q6600 2,4GHz machine and at peak around 24%, Q9550 2,83GHz only around 10%, peaked at 21% and dual core AMD 4600+ 2,4GHz it is around 15%, peaked at 26%. I did not monitor for long, only about 5 mins each time to time following cpu usage during the tests i ran with them. Versus increases network traffic rapidly compared to normal 4 player campaign so i would say that in versus cpu usage would also be bigger. -ics Milton Ngan kirjoitti: > While load average is a useful guideline, it does not necessarily reflect CPU > usage in all cases (e.g lots of I/O bound processes waiting to run). > > Also it is an average over time (60 seconds). It can't tell you if within the > last 60 seconds that your CPU's were over saturated for a second while a > number of the games spiked due to simultaneous mob spawns because that spike > will get averaged out. The only way to see that is to sample more frequently, > which unfortunately puts more load on the system. Or as someone else > suggested, try playing on the servers to get an idea of the servers > responsiveness. > > The CPU usage of a L4D dedicated server will range from 15% of a 2.5GHz core > to 60%, and average around 22% based on my observations. The more servers you > run, the more likely you are to run into simultaneous spikes and saturate > your CPU. If I can gather enough data on the events that cause spikes I am > sure I can work a statistical model for calculating the amount of CPU > headroom you need. > > M. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ronny Schedel > Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 10:47 AM > To: Half-Life dedicated Linux server mailing list > Subject: Re: [hlds_linux] hlds_linux Digest, Vol 9, Issue 199 > > > It depends on how many cores/CPUs you have. In the SMP world, you can run 4 > processes at 4 cores at the same time without any problem. Your load average > is 4 or less, depending on how much load they consume. > > Optimum: > load average <= cores * CPUs > > Overload: > load average > cores * CPUs > > So, optimum for one Quad Core CPU is: > load average <= 4 * 1 > > This means not you can only run 4 L4D servers on one Quad Core, you have to > look how the load is, because the servers does not run all the time, they > take some milliseconds sleep and other processes can run. Maybe you can run > 6 or 8. > > > >> Keep in mind that load average is an expression of queue depth. Some >> types >> of servers can handle deep queues with no visible impact shown to the end >> user. Gameservers are not that kind of animal. They require constant, >> nearly instantaneous updates in both directions in order to have truly >> smooth, seamless play. In the past, any time I saw load average above one >> I >> saw an impact of some sort. >> >> A load average above 3 seems to manifest itself in L4D servers in some >> unpredictable ways that can generally be ignored by most players. >> >> If you don't want to keep sending jarring notes that throw your players >> off, >> you really want to see your load average below 2. This should be true >> regardless of the number of CPUs that you have in your box. Thus, my >> comment in an earlier email about converting one of my public servers back >> over to Steam group only. Having 2 dedicated to just the Steam group will >> still let people fill up the public servers first and use the two >> semi-private ones as relief. >> >> >> [snip] >> >> >> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> Message: 3 >>> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:28:11 +0100 >>> From: "Ronny Schedel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> Subject: Re: [hlds_linux] -fork configuration tip >>> To: "Half-Life dedicated Linux server mailing list" >>> <[email protected]> >>> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; >>> reply-type=original >>> >>> >>> You have only 4 cores, with a load of 8 your server is overloaded. CPU >>> usage >>> does not matter these days, any new multicore CPU can handle Source >>> servers. >>> If you want lag free and smooth servers, your load average should not >>> exceed >>> your amount of cores. >>> >>> >>> >>>> Our load average goes up to about 8. Given that we're running 12 >>>> instances >>>> on a quad-core, this doesn't bother me, and certainly performance is >>>> fine... >>>> I've seen the blood spatter effect too, but I don't think that's >>>> specifically performance related, it's just a glitch ;) >>>> >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> please visit: >> http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please > visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux > > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please > visit: > http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux > _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: http://list.valvesoftware.com/mailman/listinfo/hlds_linux
