ArmA Server Manager (Web Service Based)

[CaptainMurphy]

This is an Alpha of the program we will be release in the next month. Our team has several servers and we got tired of having to log in to each one to check its' status and set its config files, so we wrote an application that can control all of the variables we needed to get to without having to use a remote desktop manager or other outside programs.

This program works on a Windows machine that has IIS 5+ installed on it and .NET 3.5. Here is a quick list of features available for it:

* Start and Stop *ArmA server instance
* Modify Config file with specialized information for a particular server
* - Set multiple missions to use in Queue
* - Server Name
* - Port
* - Password
* - Admin Password
* - Max Players
* - Persistent
* - Mods
* - Message of the Day
* - Template File can be modified for each server to have special features not currently designated
* Upload Mission files to server
* Delete Mission files from server
* Ban, Unban users
* Manage an infinite number of servers

It runs as an application from your desktop and manages the server using Web Services for .NET applications. There are a few more features we are adding before we release it, mostly user management, which will allow you to define users and their administrative abilities (i.e. what they can do and not do on the server). Also event logging and ArmA server logging are next on the list. If anyone has an ideas for it, please let us know. You can visit the ArmA Manager Homepage for more information and updated screen shots.

* *




Updated:

The Beta is now available for download HERE.

Our TeamSpeak server will be available in the evenings (sometimes during the day) with people to help get it installed if you are having trouble.

IP: www.teamduck.com:8767
Pass: Quack

[Tankbuster]

Mmmm. Will be watching this one closely.
How do you get around the file permissions lockout when deleting missions for a server that's running?

[CaptainMurphy]

Well there are certain things that you just cannot get around if you stick to the same structure that exists with the ArmA file system.
The one method I have toyed with is to have a second "Missions" folder that will allow you to do anything you want to in it while a server is running. When the server 'Start' routine runs, it will synchronize the arma missions diractory to the list of missions requested by the config file and only copy those set missions into the directory. Though that method then removes the ability to have an admin fire the '#missions' command and change to a mission that is not in the config file. As it stands the delete function is only available when the server is in a stopped state in order to make it a simpler task.

If there is anyone that knows of another way I am all ears!

We are in the process of generalizing all of the custom abilities (such as profile information) and readying it for a distribution release. Possibly a release in the next week in Alpha.

[Tankbuster]

I was wondering if you could crack that one, but if your tool allows a shutdown and a start, then that's as good as we can expect.
Can it do a restart of the server, ie a one click stop and start again instantly?

[CaptainMurphy]

I was wondering if you could crack that one, but if your tool allows a shutdown and a start, then that's as good as we can expect.
Can it do a restart of the server, ie a one click stop and start again instantly?

It monitors the systems running threads for the 'arma_server' process, so as soon as the list no longer contains it (i.e. it cleanly shut down) it becomes available to start right back up.

It utilizes a lot of background processing, so it doesn't 'lock up' like a lot of other programs appear to do while they are working their magic. The one limitation I have seen so far with the Upload Mission functions is simply the IIS timeout for the server (or application instance). Normally missions aren't very large so it isn't an issue with most standard IIS settings.

Most transactions to the server are very small and extremely fast. It is sooo much easier than having to RDP or VNC into a server to manage it.

I actually store the mission list and the config file in an XML file on the server itself, so if you have multiple people managing the server, they will all see the same settings for the config. The actual config file doesn't get written until the server begins the 'start' process. At that time it verifies all file locking is cleared, builds the configs, builds the command line arguments, and fires the executable.

[Wolffy.au]

Excellent work guys - well done and much awaited! I'll be happy to test this on our server once its in beta.

The IIS component, is that FTP or HTTP that's timing out?

[Sniper-Wasp]

Nice work

We at WASP have been looking at a tool to do this for some time but non of us have the techy knowledge to write anything, and nothing has really existed.....until now.

As for some of the other posts from other squads, we'll be happy to beta test this for you guys and provide some feedback (if required). We have two servers running and anything that negates the need to VNC in will help us all


WASP Squad home page

[CaptainMurphy]

The File Upload portion is done over HTTP. Every facet of the program works over the web service itself, so there is no need to expose any other layers of the server to the internet than is absolutely needed. It simply breaks the file into filestream segments then repeats a passing of the segment to the server until it completes and reassembles the filestream. Simply recunstructing a basic HTTP file passing.

We do need some input for the User Management feature if you guys would be so kind. Pretty much we want to create levels of users that have specific feature sets available to them. Any greater level of user would have new permissions as well as whatever permission set was available to the level under them. Here is the first iteration of what I am looking at:
Level 0 allows only view options
Level 1 allows server restart
Level 2 allows banning
Level 3 allows mission adding, config modifying
Level 4 allows user editing
Control would simply lockout certain tabs of the program to certain users.

Anyone have a good tutorial on getting the gamespy info from the server? As soon as we get the rest of the ToDo list caught up we want to add that to it as well.

Once the administration component is done we plan to build a server/client mod synchronization utility. Make it easier for clilents to stay up to date with your server addons.

[Wolffy.au]

Sorry, maybe its right in front of me, but whats the download link?

I looked at your homepage, but couldn't see it there either.

[CaptainMurphy]

There is no download until we can get the user management feature added. We want to have at the least that feature and an activity log added to it before it is released (as well as a bug report tracker).

The sooner we can get the user manager hashed out, the sooner we will have it ready for distro. Until then we don't want to release it in a halfway state.