Manage how Amazon GameLift Servers launches game servers
You can set up an managed EC2 fleet's runtime configuration to run multiple game server processes per instance. This uses your hosting resources more efficiently.
How a fleet manages multiple processes
Amazon GameLift Servers uses a fleet's runtime configuration to determine the type and number of processes to run on each instance. A runtime configuration contains at least one server process configuration that represents one game server executable. You can define additional server process configurations to run other types of processes related to your game. Each server process configuration contains the following information:
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The file name and path of an executable in your game build.
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(Optional) Parameters to pass to the process on launch.
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The number of processes to run concurrently.
When an instance in the fleet activates, it launches the set of server processes defined in the runtime configuration. With multiple processes, Amazon GameLift Servers staggers the launch of each process. Server processes have a limited life span. As they end, Amazon GameLift Servers launches new processes to maintain the number and type of server processes defined in the runtime configuration.
You can change the runtime configuration at any time by adding, changing, or removing server process configurations. Each instance regularly checks for updates to the fleet's runtime configuration to implement the changes. Here's how Amazon GameLift Servers adopts runtime configuration changes:
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The instance sends a request to Amazon GameLift Servers for the latest version of the runtime configuration.
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The instance compares its active processes to the latest runtime configuration, and then does the following:
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If the updated runtime configuration removes a server process type, then active server processes of this type continue to run until they end. The instance doesn't replace these server processes.
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If the updated runtime configuration decreases the number of concurrent processes for a server process type, then excess server processes of this type continue to run until they end. The instance doesn't replace these excess server processes.
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If the updated runtime configuration adds a new server process type or increases the concurrent processes for an existing type, then the instance starts new server processes, up to the Amazon GameLift Servers maximum. In this case, the instance launches new server processes as existing processes end.
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Optimize a fleet for multiple processes
To use multiple processes on a fleet, do the following:
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Create a build that contains the game server executables that you want to deploy to a fleet, and then upload the build to Amazon GameLift Servers. All game servers in a build must run on the same platform and use the server SDK for Amazon GameLift Servers.
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Create a runtime configuration with one or more server process configurations and multiple concurrent processes.
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Integrate game clients with the AWS SDK version 2016-08-04 or later.
To optimize fleet performance, we recommend that you do the following:
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Handle server process shutdown scenarios so that Amazon GameLift Servers can recycle processes efficiently. For example:
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Add a shutdown procedure to your game server code that calls the server API
ProcessEnding(). -
Implement the callback function
OnProcessTerminate()in your game server code to handle termination requests from Amazon GameLift Servers.
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Make sure that Amazon GameLift Servers shuts down and relaunches unhealthy server processes. Report the health status back to Amazon GameLift Servers by implementing the
OnHealthCheck()callback function in your game server code. Amazon GameLift Servers automatically shuts down server processes that are reported unhealthy for three consecutive reports. If you don't implementOnHealthCheck(), then Amazon GameLift Servers assumes that a server process is healthy, unless the process fails to respond to a communication.
Choose the number of processes per instance
When deciding on the number of concurrent processes to run on an instance, keep in mind the following:
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Amazon GameLift Servers limits each instance to a maximum number of concurrent processes. The sum of all concurrent processes for a fleet's server process configurations can't exceed this quota.
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To maintain acceptable performance levels, the Amazon EC2 instance type might limit the number of processes that can run concurrently. Test different configurations for your game to find the right number of processes for your preferred instance type.
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Amazon GameLift Servers doesn't run more concurrent processes than the total number configured. This means that the transition from the previous runtime configuration to the new configuration might happen gradually.
