Architectural Guidelines for Linux Dedicated Game Server Hosting
Unlike web servers that scale horizontally with stateless request handlers, dedicated game servers maintain synchronous real-time simulation loops running at fixed tick rates (typically 30Hz or 60Hz). Every physics collision, projectile trace, and AI pathfinding update must execute within a single frame budget (16.6 milliseconds for 60 ticks/sec).
When server RAM footprint grows due to engine memory leaks, the Linux kernel begins memory swapping to disk, inflating tick duration from 15ms to over 250ms. This causes rubberbanding, desync, and player disconnects. Implementing our automated systemd memory isolation and reboot timers ensures pristine server performance around the clock.