Rust: Server Performance Optimization

Rust is resource-intensive game that demands proper optimization for smooth gameplay. This guide covers hardware requirements, configuration tuning, and advanced techniques to maximize server performance and reduce lag for all players.

Understanding Rust Performance Bottlenecks

Hardware Requirements by Player Count

Players	RAM	CPU Cores	Clock Speed	World Size	Expected FPS
10-20	16GB	4 cores	3.5+ GHz	2500x2500	60+
30-50	32GB	8 cores	3.8+ GHz	3000x3000	60+
100-150	64GB	12 cores	4.0+ GHz	3500x3500	40-60
200-300	128GB+	16+ cores	4.2+ GHz	4500x4500	20-40

Essential Configuration Settings

server.cfg Performance Tuning

// Performance Settings
server.tickrate 30          // Standard tick rate (30 ticks/second)
server.saveinterval 600      // Save every 10 minutes (not too frequent)
server.maxplayers 50        // Match your hardware capabilities

AI and Population Settings

// AI Optimization
ai.horde.population 1.0       // AI horde population multiplier
ai.npc_a_d_spawn_rate 1.0     // NPC spawn rate
ai.nav_mesh_update_rate 20       // Navigation mesh update rate (higher = less frequent)
animal.population 1.0            // Animal population multiplier

Entity Limits

// Entity Optimization
entitylimit 100000              // Total entity limit
entitylimit.server 500000        // Server entity cap
nav_mesh.max_updates 200         // Nav mesh updates per tick
ai.pathfinding_threads 2         // Number of pathfinding threads

Advanced Performance Tuning

Network Optimization

// Network Settings
server.port 28015
server.queryport 28016
server.tickrate 30
net.packetsize 1000          // Packet size (1000-2000)
net.sleeptime 10             // Network sleep time in milliseconds

Rendering & Visuals

// Client-side Optimization (for server to tell clients)
env.time 0.5                // Force daytime (reduces lighting calculations)
env.clouds 0                // Disable clouds
env.fog 0                  // Disable fog
env.rain 0                 // Disable rain
env.snow 0                 // Disable snow

Decay Optimization

// Decay Settings
decay.upkeep "true"          // Decay enabled
decay.scale 1.0              // Normal decay rate
decay.brick.scale 1.0        // Stone decay rate
decay.toptier.scale 1.0      // High-tier decay rate
corpse.duration 300          // Corpse despawn time (seconds)

Rust-Specific Optimizations

Reduce Unnecessary Features

// Reduce Processing Load
server.radiation "true"      // Radiation enabled (can disable if not needed)
bracket.peacefulmode 1      // Peaceful mode (reduces bracket spawns)
bracket.time 60              // Time between brackets (increase to reduce CPU)

Optimize for Player Count

Adjust settings based on your typical player count:

Setting	Low Pop (<20)	Medium Pop (20-50)	High Pop (50+)
AI Population	1.5	1.0	0.5
Animal Population	1.5	1.0	0.5
Entity Limit	150,000	100,000	75,000
Save Interval	900s	600s	300s

Operating System Optimization

Windows Server Optimization

• Power Plan: Set to "High Performance" or "Ultimate Performance"
• Game Mode: Enable Windows Game Mode
• Core Parking: Disable CPU core parking using "ParkControl"
• Background Apps: Close unnecessary services and applications
• Windows Search: Disable indexing on server drive
• Superfetch/SysMain: Disable Superfetch/SysMain service

Linux Server Optimization

• CPU Governor: Set to "performance" mode
• Kernel Parameters: Add isolcpus=2,4,6,8 for dedicated cores
• Swap: Ensure adequate swap space (1.5x RAM)
• File System: Use ext4 or XFS for server directory
• Background Services: Disable unnecessary daemons
• Network Tuning: Optimize TCP settings for game traffic

Network Performance

Bandwidth Requirements

Players	Minimum Bandwidth	Recommended Bandwidth	Bandwidth per Player
10	5 Mbps	10 Mbps	1 Mbps
50	25 Mbps	50 Mbps	1 Mbps
100	50 Mbps	100 Mbps	1 Mbps
200	100 Mbps	200 Mbps	1 Mbps

Network Optimization Techniques

• Low Latency Connection: Use datacenter with low latency to target players
• QoS Configuration: Prioritize Rust traffic on router
• Disable Nagle's Algorithm: Reduce TCP latency
• MTU Settings: Optimize MTU for better packet handling
• DDoS Protection: Use DDoS protection services

Monitoring Server Performance

Essential Monitoring Commands

debug.stats                // Detailed server statistics
debug.network              // Network performance
debug.decay               // Decay system status
ai.nav_mesh_update_rate    // Check navigation updates
entitylimit                // Check entity counts

Key Metrics to Watch

Metric	Healthy Range	Action Required
Server FPS	60+	Below 30: Optimize settings
Tick Rate	30 (standard)	Below 20: Reduce AI/entities
Entity Count	Under limit	Near limit: Clean up entities
Network Latency	<100ms	High: Check network connection
CPU Usage	60-80%	Consistently 90%+: Upgrade CPU

Plugin and Mod Optimization

Choosing Performance-Friendly Plugins

• Avoid Heavy Plugins: Some plugins like "Economics" can be resource-intensive
• Optimize Database: Use SQLite for small servers, MySQL for large ones
• Regular Cleanup: Use plugins that clean up old data
• Limit Hooks: Choose plugins with minimal hook usage
• Async Processing: Prefer plugins that use async operations

Plugin-Specific Optimization

// Common plugin settings
// Example: Decay plugin
Decay.enabled "true"
Decay.scale 1.0
Decy.check_interval 60  // Check every 60 seconds instead of 30

Storage and I/O Optimization

Disk Requirements

• SSD Recommended: Use SSDs for Rust server directory
• Separate Drives: If possible, separate OS and Rust on different drives
• Adequate Space: Reserve 50+ GB for world saves and logs
• Regular Cleanup: Delete old backups and log files

Save Optimization

• Save Interval: Adjust based on player count (higher for more players)
• Backup Strategy: Daily backups with retention of 7 days
• Compression: Compress backups to save disk space
• Off-site Backups: Store backups on separate server/cloud

Troubleshooting Performance Issues

Symptom	Cause	Solution
Low server FPS	CPU bottleneck, too many entities	Reduce AI population, lower entity limit
High latency for all players	Network issues, insufficient bandwidth	Check network connection, upgrade bandwidth
Stuttering and rubber-banding	Tick rate drops, AI lag	Reduce AI spawns, check tick rate
Long load times	Disk I/O bottleneck, large save files	Use SSD, reduce save interval
Memory leaks (RAM usage increases)	Buggy plugins, entity accumulation	Restart server, identify problematic plugins
Lag spikes every few seconds	Saving, decay calculations	Adjust save interval, reduce decay frequency

Regular Maintenance

Daily Tasks

• Monitor server FPS and tick rate
• Check entity counts
• Review player complaints about lag
• Check for plugin errors in logs

Weekly Tasks

• Review and optimize entity cleanup
• Check plugin performance impact
• Verify backups are completing successfully
• Analyze performance metrics trends

Monthly Tasks

• Review overall server performance
• Clean up old backups and logs
• Evaluate hardware upgrades
• Consider server wipe if performance degraded

Best Practices

• Start Conservative: Begin with conservative settings and increase gradually
• Monitor Constantly: Use performance monitoring tools
• Test Changes: Apply changes on test server first
• Document Settings: Keep track of what works
• Regular Restarts: Restart server daily to clear memory
• Community Feedback: Listen to player feedback about performance

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