Load <= 8 This guarantees that there aren't more processes waiting to run than you have processors for. In a machine with two quad-core processors you effectively have eight CPUs and thus eight processes can run simultaneously.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David A. Parker Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 1:52 PM To: Half-Life dedicated Linux server mailing list Subject: Re: [hlds_linux] hlds_linux Digest, Vol 9, Issue 199 Hi, I had a quick question about the load average calculation. In the (cores * CPUs) calculation, is that cores per CPU or total cores in the system? For example, if you have two quad-core processors, would you want a load average <= 16 (8 cores * 2 CPUs) or <= 8 (4 cores * 2 CPUs)? Thanks, Dave Ronny Schedel wrote: > 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 > -- Dave Parker Utica College Integrated Information Technology Services (315) 792-3229 Registered Linux User #408177 _______________________________________________ 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
