If you like to have your own dedicated L4D-server, this article is for you. I’ll try to explain differnet ways.
What the hell is a “dedicated server” ?
A dedicated servers purpose is to ..
- run 24×7 hours a week = anytime
- do nothing else than hosting (one or more) games
- be reachable at a known, public address
There are so many servers – why have my own?
Servers you own are under your control. You can configure any detail the way YOU want it to be, but mostly you want to
- manage customizations like “sourcemod”
- add custom maps/campains to play them on YOUR server
- maintain co-/admins, banned players
- show own banner art / MOTDs
- tweak game-specific parameters (like tank-health)
- have ways to control the game while you are in a game
Variants to run your own dedicated server
Rented server (as payed service)
Advantages:
- best if you don’t want to care about technical stuff
- easy to monitor, configure and monitor
most configuration is done online in your webbrowser - you don’t need to care about network stuff and security
- service quality is not affected by network traffic YOU cause, e. G. by downloading files or familiy members watching TV via steaming
Disadvantages:
- monthly costs
- you are not absolute free in terms of administration and setup
Own server (in most cases at your home)
Advantages:
- well, only in this case it’s really your OWN server
- you can do whatever you want to do with it
- you will have BEST PING you ever seen 🙂
Disadvantages:
- you need IT-knowledge and time for server setup, network setup, server maintenance (e.G. updates) and server administration
- service quality depends on your internet connection
- and will be affected by the traffic, other network-members will generate!
- you should run the server 24×7, which means you need some pice of hardware that runs 24×7
- If you don’t have such hardware, you have to invest
- you will have running costs (at least the consumed energy)
Variants of own servers at home
- bare metal (real dedicated hardware, e.g. Raspberry)
- in a virtual machine (hosted on a server, NAS or similar)
- in a docker container (hosted on a server, NAS or similar)