IMS

Get started | 6 - Create an allocation

To scale the server hardware (the number of bare-metal machines and cloud servers) your game uses, you need to set up an allocation. An allocation is a set of rules which include payload definition, hardware configuration and scaling strategy, as well as the geographic regions to which the rules apply. Note that the Test project allocation below assumes you are using cloud server only.

To create allocations in the zeuz control panel:

  1. In the zeuz control panel, go to the Allocations page (Orchestration > Allocations).

  2. Click + ADD ALLOCATION to open the fields on the page.

  3. Complete the fields as follows for Basic Information, Payload Definition, and Hardware Configuration.


Basic Information

There are two fields to complete in this section, Description and Region.

DescriptionEnter: Example allocation
RegionSelect the region you are in

Payload Definition

There are two fields to complete in this section, Image and Command.

ImageSelect: zeuz test project:0.0.1
CommandDelete the default text and enter:
/opt/zeuz/bin/payloadrunner
run binaryactivename=python
binaryexecpath=/opt/zeuz/gameserver/server.sh
execargs=${serviceIP} ${servicePort:PortName}
INFO: About Payload Definition

In the Payload Definition : Image field:

  • You select the version of the image you want to use. For this tutorial, it’s zeuz test project:0.0.1.

In the Payload Definition : Command field:

  • binaryactivename is the game server’s executable file name which zeuz uses to check what game servers are running (this content is required).
  • binaryexecpath
    • If the game server has a launch script, this is the path and file name of the script.
    • If the game server does not have a launch script, this is the path to the game server’s executable (binary) file.
  • execargs are additional settings that zeuz uses to pass connecting clients to the game server, including ports (these are required), and identification variables (this are required).

Find out more:


Hardware Configuration

There are no fields to complete, leave them all as the default.

Hardware configurationMin. machine specPayload quota
Core countLeave as defaultLeave as default
Clock rate (Mhz)Leave as defaultLeave as default
Memory (MB)Leave as defaultLeave as default
Storage (GB)Leave as defaultLeave as default
IO bandwidth (MBps)Leave as defaultLeave as default
Internet bandwidth (MBps)Leave as defaultLeave as default
Payloads per machineUneditable field
INFO: About Hardware Configuration

The Hardware configuration : Min machine spec column:

  • This is where you add the specification of bare-metal machines you are using.
  • If you are using cloud server only, this does not apply, so do not change the default values.
  • If you are using bare-metal machines, you get this information from zeuz support.

The Hardware configuration : Payload quota column:

  • This is where you set the number of payload instances you want to run on your server hardware (bare-metal machines and cloud server).
  • You can leave it as the default for this tutorial or change the values.

With zeuz, you can set up the most efficient configuration to get the maximum payload instances running per server hardware machine (bare-metal machines and cloud server).

The Hardware configuration : Payloads per machine field:

  • The zeuz orchesration service uses your settings in this field to calculate the payloads per server hardware machine (bare-metal machines or cloud server).
  • For maximum efficiency, you want as many payload instances per server hardware machine as possible, depending on the requirements of your game server.

Find out more:


Scaling Rules

There is one field to complete in this section, Max amount of cloud machines (at the bottom). Leave the rest as the default.

Free payload capacity1 - 4 Leave as default
Unreserved payloads1 - 4 Leave as default
Max amount of bare-metal machinesUneditable field
(When you use cloud server only.)
Max amount of cloud machines1
Note: Make sure you change this setting from the default of 0.
INFO: About Scaling Rules

The scaling rules you set up tell the zeuz scaler what server hardware machines (bare-metal machines or cloud servers) to allocate. The scaler bases this on the number of game server instances (measured in “payloads”) you have running and the number you have on standby.

Find out more:

  1. After you have completed the fields, make sure you save your updates: click SAVE in the top right of the page.
    Note: The allocation might take a few seconds to display on the page.

  2. On the same page, enable the allocation: toggle STATUS : DISABLED to ENABLED.
    (Click OK in the Enable Allocation confirmation dialog box.)
    zeuz now assigns your server hardware machines. (For this Test project tutorial, zeuz assigns cloud servers but if you are setting up your own game, zeuz assigns bare-metal machines and/or cloud servers, depending on how you have set up your allocation.)

  3. Go to the Machines page (Orchestration > Machines) to see the server hardware machine’s CPU usage.
    Note: When you use cloud server, this can take several minutes to display on the page. This is due to the time it takes for cloud servers to spin up. If you don’t see any active machines CPU usage on the page after five minutes, check Troubleshooting: No Active Machines, below.

Image: the Machines page on the zeuz control panel, showing CPU usage

No Active Machines?
  • You might need to refresh the page.
  • Make sure you copied the text correctly in the Payload Definition : Command field on the Allocations page.

Success

If you can see data under Active Machines on this page, you have successfully set up zeuz orchestration.
zeuz is ready to spin up a game server of your game. Now you can test your client-server connection.


Now go to 7 - Test the client-server connection.

2021-sep-09 Page updated with editorial review: execdelay command setting deprecated.
2021-jun-30 Page updated: updated url for ZCP.
2021-may-19 Page updated with editorial review: clarification of zeuz terms.

Last edited on: October 15, 2021 (3690d668)