ECO Server Requirements 2025 - Hardware & Performance Guide

ECO server requirements are significantly higher than typical game servers due to complex environmental simulation, economy systems, and persistent world calculations. This guide covers hardware specifications, performance optimization, and scaling for different player counts.

Minimum Requirements

Basic Server (10-15 Players)

Component	Minimum Specification	Recommended	Notes
CPU	4 cores / 8 threads	6 cores / 12 threads	High single-thread performance critical
RAM	8GB DDR4	16GB DDR4	ECO uses 4-6GB baseline plus player count
Storage	50GB HDD	100GB SSD	SSD dramatically improves simulation tick
Network	100 Mbps	250 Mbps	Persistent connections, moderate bandwidth
OS	Windows Server 2019 or Ubuntu 20.04	Windows Server 2022 or Ubuntu 22.04	Linux offers better performance for simulation

Recommended Specifications

# ECO Server Configuration File Snippet
# These settings affect hardware requirements:

# Simulation quality (affects CPU)
SimulationQuality=Medium  # Low, Medium, High, Ultra
AnimalPopulation=Normal   # Reduced, Normal, Increased
PlantGrowthRate=Normal    # Slowed, Normal, Accelerated

# World size (affects RAM and CPU)
WorldSize=Small  # Small, Medium, Large, Huge
# Small: 1km², Medium: 4km², Large: 16km², Huge: 64km²

# Persistence (affects storage I/O)
AutosaveInterval=900      # Seconds between auto-saves
MaxBackupCount=10         # Number of backups to keep
CompressSaves=True        # Reduce storage usage

Performance by Player Count

Small Server (10-25 Players)

Metric	Target Performance	Monitoring Points
CPU Usage	40-60% average	Spikes during autosave, animal migrations
RAM Usage	10-16GB	Increases with world age and building complexity
Storage I/O	Low (SSD recommended)	Peaks during autosave (every 15 minutes)
Network	5-10 Mbps average	Higher during player join/leave events
Simulation Tick	20-30 Hz stable	Critical for smooth gameplay

Medium Server (25-50 Players)

Component	Requirements	Optimization Tips
CPU	8 cores / 16 threads minimum	Prioritize single-thread performance (Intel i7/i9, AMD Ryzen 7/9)
RAM	24-32GB DDR4	ECC RAM recommended for 24/7 operation
Storage	250GB NVMe SSD	Fast I/O for frequent autosaves and world updates
Network	500 Mbps dedicated	Low latency (<50ms) critical for economy sync
Backup	Automated daily full + hourly incremental	World files can be 5-10GB each

Large Server (50-100 Players)

Resource	Enterprise Grade	Justification
CPU	12-16 cores / 24-32 threads	ECO simulation scales with core count for parallel systems
RAM	64GB DDR4 ECC	Large worlds with extensive building and ecosystems
Storage	500GB-1TB NVMe RAID 1	Redundancy + speed for critical world data
Network	1 Gbps+ with QoS	Prioritize game traffic over backups/admin
Cooling	Enterprise cooling solution	Sustained high CPU usage generates significant heat

CPU Requirements Deep Dive

ECO Simulation Thread Breakdown

# ECO Server Process Threads (typical distribution)
Main Thread:           Game logic, player input, network
Simulation Thread 1:   Animal behavior and migration
Simulation Thread 2:   Plant growth and propagation  
Simulation Thread 3:   Pollution and climate systems
Simulation Thread 4:   Economic calculations and trade
Simulation Thread 5:   Crafting and production queues
I/O Thread:            Save games, logging, backups
Network Threads:       Player connections (scales with players)

# Recommended CPU configuration for optimal performance:
- High single-thread performance for Main Thread (most critical)
- 4-6 dedicated cores for simulation threads
- Additional cores for network and I/O
- Hyper-threading/SMT beneficial but not required

CPU Benchmark Recommendations

Memory (RAM) Requirements

Memory Usage Breakdown

# Typical ECO Server Memory Allocation (for 40 players)
Base Server:            2-3GB
World Data:             1GB per 10km²
Player Data:            50MB per player
Building/Crafting:      2-4GB (scales with world age)
Simulation Cache:       2-3GB
Operating System:       1-2GB
Safety Buffer:          2-4GB (for spikes)

# Calculation Example (40 players, Medium world):
Base: 3GB + World: 4GB + Players: 2GB + Buildings: 3GB + 
Simulation: 3GB + OS: 2GB + Buffer: 3GB = 20GB minimum
Recommended: 32GB for headroom and future expansion

Memory Configuration Tips

1. Dual Channel: Always use matched RAM pairs for bandwidth
2. Speed: DDR4-3200 minimum, DDR4-3600 recommended
3. Timings: CL16 or lower for better performance
4. ECC: Recommended for 24/7 servers to prevent corruption
5. Monitoring: Track memory usage trends over weeks

Storage Requirements

Storage Space Calculation

Component	Base Size	Growth Factor	30-Day Estimate
ECO Server Files	15GB	Static	15GB
World Save Files	500MB	10MB/day	800MB
Backups (daily)	500MB each	10MB/day growth	15GB (30 backups)
Logs	100MB	10MB/day	400MB
Mods/Plugins	1GB	Varies	2-5GB
Total (Minimum)	17GB		32GB+
Recommended Allocation	100GB		200GB+

Storage Performance Requirements

# Storage Performance Benchmarks for ECO
Sequential Read:     500+ MB/s  (World loading)
Sequential Write:    400+ MB/s  (Autosaves)
Random Read 4K:      50,000+ IOPS  (Simulation data)
Random Write 4K:     30,000+ IOPS  (Player actions)
Latency:             <1ms average  (Critical for tick rate)

# Storage Recommendations by Tier:
Tier 1 (Best):       NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (Samsung 990 Pro, WD Black SN850X)
Tier 2 (Excellent):  NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (Samsung 970 Evo Plus)
Tier 3 (Good):       SATA SSD (Crucial MX500, Samsung 870 Evo)
Tier 4 (Avoid):      Traditional HDD (except for backups)

Network Requirements

Bandwidth Calculation

# Network Usage Estimates
Per Player (idle):       5-10 KB/s
Per Player (active):     20-50 KB/s
Per Player (building):   50-100 KB/s (sync of complex structures)
Server Broadcast:        10 KB/s per player (world updates)

# Example Calculations:
25 players average:       25 * 30 KB/s = 750 KB/s = 6 Mbps
Peak (all building):     25 * 100 KB/s = 2500 KB/s = 20 Mbps
Add 50% overhead:        30 Mbps peak requirement

# Recommended bandwidth:
Small server (25 players):   100 Mbps connection
Medium server (50 players):  250 Mbps connection  
Large server (100 players):  500 Mbps - 1 Gbps connection

Network Quality Considerations

1. Latency: <50ms to all players for smooth simulation sync
2. Jitter: <10ms variation for consistent tick rate
3. Packet Loss: <0.1% for reliable economy and government systems
4. DDoS Protection: Recommended for public servers
5. Redundancy: Dual WAN for 24/7 operation

Operating System Considerations

Windows vs Linux Performance

Aspect	Windows Server	Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)	Recommendation
Ease of Setup	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	Windows for beginners
Performance	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Linux for max performance
Resource Usage	Higher (2-4GB OS)	Lower (0.5-1GB OS)	Linux for resource-constrained
Automation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Linux for scripting/automation
Cost	Licensing fees	Free	Linux for cost-sensitive
Support	Official support	Community support	Windows for enterprise

OS-Specific Optimization

Windows Server Optimization

# Windows Server optimizations for ECO
1. Disable Windows Defender real-time scanning on server directories
2. Set power plan to "High Performance"
3. Disable visual effects (System Properties > Advanced > Performance)
4. Increase TCP buffer size (netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal)
5. Disable unused services (Print Spooler, Xbox Live, etc.)
6. Set process priority: "High" for ECO server process
7. Regular Windows Updates (restart during maintenance window)

Linux Server Optimization

# Linux (Ubuntu) optimizations for ECO
# Install and configure
sudo apt update && sudo apt install tuned
sudo tuned-adm profile throughput-performance

# Network optimization
sudo sysctl -w net.core.rmem_max=134217728
sudo sysctl -w net.core.wmem_max=134217728
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_rmem="4096 87380 134217728"
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_wmem="4096 65536 134217728"

# Disk I/O optimization (for SSDs)
sudo echo 'noop' > /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler
sudo sysctl -w vm.swappiness=10
sudo sysctl -w vm.dirty_ratio=40
sudo sysctl -w vm.dirty_background_ratio=10

Cloud Hosting Considerations

Cloud Instance Recommendations

Provider	Instance Type	Specifications	Monthly Cost (approx)
AWS	c6i.4xlarge	16 vCPU, 32GB RAM, NVMe	$500-700
Azure	F16s v2	16 vCPU, 32GB RAM, SSD	$600-800
Google Cloud	c2-standard-16	16 vCPU, 64GB RAM, SSD	$700-900
Vultr	High Frequency 8GB+	4 vCPU, 8GB+ RAM, NVMe	$80-120
DigitalOcean	CPU-Optimized	8 vCPU, 16GB RAM, SSD	$160-240

Cloud-Specific Optimization

1. Instance Storage: Use local NVMe for world files, network storage for backups
2. Networking: Enable premium networking features (AWS Enhanced Networking, Azure Accelerated Networking)
3. Monitoring: Implement cloud-native monitoring (CloudWatch, Azure Monitor)
4. Auto-scaling: Not typically needed for ECO (persistent world)
5. Backup Strategy: Use cloud snapshots + object storage for backups

Performance Monitoring

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

# Critical metrics to monitor:
1. Simulation Tick Rate:      Target: 20-30 Hz, Warning: <15 Hz
2. Player Latency:           Target: <100ms, Warning: >200ms
3. Memory Usage:             Target: <80%, Warning: >90%
4. CPU Usage:                Target: <70%, Warning: >85%
5. Disk Queue Length:        Target: <2, Warning: >5
6. Network Packet Loss:      Target: <0.1%, Warning: >1%
7. Autosave Duration:        Target: <10s, Warning: >30s
8. Player Join Time:         Target: <30s, Warning: >60s

Monitoring Tools

Troubleshooting Performance Issues

Scaling and Future-Proofing

Scaling Strategies

1. Vertical Scaling: Upgrade existing server (more RAM, faster CPU, SSD)
2. Horizontal Scaling: Multiple servers with different worlds/specialties
3. Load Distribution: Separate simulation threads to different cores
4. Database Offloading: Move player data to external database
5. CDN for Mods: Distribute mod downloads via CDN

Future-Proofing Recommendations

1. Over-provision: Purchase 20-30% more capacity than currently needed
2. Modular Design: Use hardware that can be upgraded individually
3. Monitoring: Implement comprehensive monitoring from day one
4. Documentation: Maintain detailed server configuration documentation
5. Backup Strategy: Implement robust, tested backup and recovery

Budget Considerations

Cost Breakdown Example (50-player server)

Component	Entry Level	Mid Range	High End
Hardware (upfront)	$1,500-2,000	$3,000-4,000	$6,000-8,000+
Monthly Hosting	$100-200	$300-500	$800-1,200+
Bandwidth	$50-100	$150-250	$300-500+
Backup Storage	$20-50	$50-100	$100-200+
Total Monthly	$170-350	$500-850	$1,200-1,900+

Cost-Saving Tips

1. Self-hosted: Lower long-term costs but higher upfront investment
2. Hybrid Cloud: Critical services on dedicated, backups on cloud
3. Open Source Tools: Use free monitoring and management tools
4. Energy Efficiency: Modern hardware uses less power
5. Bulk Purchasing: Annual hosting contracts often discounted

Next Steps

• Set up ECO dedicated server
• Configure ECO economy and trade systems
• Manage ECO environmental systems
• Set up ECO government and laws
• Browse other game server guides