Constant lags on a Windows server

[Deadfast]

Hello,
Over the past week I have been trying to migrate Arma 2: OA dedi server from Linux (Ubuntu 10.4) to Windows.

The server hardware is exactly the same (AMD Opteron 3280, 8 Cores, 16 GB DDR3-RAM, 2x 2,000 GB SATA II-HDD, 7.2k, 100/100Mbps switch) with the exception of the Linux server having an extra 16GB or RAM. The problem we are experiencing is massive lag on the Windows server that starts at around 50 players and as more join it becomes completely unplayable.

The Linux server is capable of handling around 80 players before the server FPS drops down to 5. Even then there is no actual lag on the server, just scripts start being delayed. At that point according to #monitor the server is sending ~12Mbps and receiving ~1Mbps. 2 threads are clearly doing some work, one being at 99% (the limiting factor of the FPS), the other at around 60% on a different core. The bandwidth config... does not actually exist so I assume it will be using default?

The Windows server... at 60 players it becomes completely unusable. Every person joining the server causes it to grind to a halt, first when connecting to the lobby, then once more after being spawned into the game. It totally freezes, #monitor output stops for up to 10 seconds. The server FPS is around 12 but it's fluctuating madly, it actually does then with 15 players too. It will dip down from 40 to 15 out of nowhere. This is accompanied by a spike in CPU usage but that never goes over 80% per core. The other cores are bored with less than 10% on them. Bandwidth usage at 70 players is around 7Mbps out, 700Kbps in.

The observed results (low CPU usage, low bandwidth) lead me to assume that there must be something wrong with the server config:

language="English";
adapter=-1;
3D_Performance=48387;
Resolution_Bpp=32;
Windowed=0;
MaxBandwidth=104857600;
MaxMsgSend=128;
MaxSizeGuaranteed=512;
MaxSizeNonguaranteed=128;
MinErrorToSend=0.001;
MinErrorToSendNear=0.039999999;
MaxCustomFileSize=0;

The Linux server is running 94342, Windows is on 94444 but we've tried older patches too.

Any ideas?

[Killswitch]

You say "Windows". What specific variant and version of Windows does the server have? Microsoft has released two updates that improve performance a little bit with AMD Bulldozer architecture processors such as your 3280. These updates are for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2:

KB 2645594
KB 2646060

Note that "Windows Server 2008" is not the same as "Windows Server 2008 R2"

If those hotfixes apply to your server, install them and see if they help.

Another tip: check the power saving settings in the server's Control Panel->Power Options. Make sure it's set to either "Balanced" or perhaps even "High Performance".

[Deadfast]

Yes, it's a 2008 R2 server. We'll apply the updates tomorrow morning and check for improvements in the evening. Thank you.

[Deadfast]

The issue has been resolved, we have moved to a different server provider.

Other than trying the two updates you suggested we even tried installing Ubuntu 10.4 to make this server identical to the other one. The lags continued and the provider insisted there was nothing wrong.

[Lokyi]

Have you tried manually setting -cpucount and -exthreads?

I'm well aware of the fact that it is supposed to auto-detect, but I don't believe that it works correctly (at least on Linux anyway).

[BasileyOne]

both netflow/memory/cpu issues can cause such impact.
basically comparing different builds, wasn't fair/meaningful, but thats what for are profiling tools are made for. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profil...programming%29 in case of iNtel-made/modied/shipped toolchain/devtools, you may remember VTune tool.
also they're recently released THIS thing http://youtu.be/sWDgjdsFRw8
also Windows products starting from Vista consist shocking amount of intel-gathering-related tools/services/jobs/drivers/packages, frequently re-launched and interfering with OS workload/customers needs/interests/goals.

[PawelKPL]

Hello,
Over the past week I have been trying to migrate Arma 2: OA dedi server from Linux (Ubuntu 10.4) to Windows.

The server hardware is exactly the same (AMD Opteron 3280, 8 Cores, 16 GB DDR3-RAM, 2x 2,000 GB SATA II-HDD, 7.2k, 100/100Mbps switch) with the exception of the Linux server having an extra 16GB or RAM. The problem we are experiencing is massive lag on the Windows server that starts at around 50 players and as more join it becomes completely unplayable.

The Linux server is capable of handling around 80 players before the server FPS drops down to 5. Even then there is no actual lag on the server, just scripts start being delayed. At that point according to #monitor the server is sending ~12Mbps and receiving ~1Mbps. 2 threads are clearly doing some work, one being at 99% (the limiting factor of the FPS), the other at around 60% on a different core. The bandwidth config... does not actually exist so I assume it will be using default?

The Windows server... at 60 players it becomes completely unusable. Every person joining the server causes it to grind to a halt, first when connecting to the lobby, then once more after being spawned into the game. It totally freezes, #monitor output stops for up to 10 seconds. The server FPS is around 12 but it's fluctuating madly, it actually does then with 15 players too. It will dip down from 40 to 15 out of nowhere. This is accompanied by a spike in CPU usage but that never goes over 80% per core. The other cores are bored with less than 10% on them. Bandwidth usage at 70 players is around 7Mbps out, 700Kbps in.

The observed results (low CPU usage, low bandwidth) lead me to assume that there must be something wrong with the server config:

language="English";
adapter=-1;
3D_Performance=48387;
Resolution_Bpp=32;
Windowed=0;
MaxBandwidth=104857600;
MaxMsgSend=128;
MaxSizeGuaranteed=512;
MaxSizeNonguaranteed=128;
MinErrorToSend=0.001;
MinErrorToSendNear=0.039999999;
MaxCustomFileSize=0;

The Linux server is running 94342, Windows is on 94444 but we've tried older patches too.

Any ideas?

TRY MU CONFIG:

MaxMsgSend=65536;
//MaxSizeGuaranteed=64;
//MaxSizeNonguaranteed=64;
MinBandwidth=1342177280;
MaxBandwidth=21474836470;
MinErrorToSend=0.0005;
MaxCustomFileSize=0;
adapter=-1;
3D_Performance=93750;
Resolution_W=0;
Resolution_H=0;
Resolution_Bpp=32;
Windowed=0;

[roflmaooo]

/realtime is your friend !