What do they do when they maintain servers?

[boleole]

Hey, any computer guys here who can say what they do when they have scheduled maintenance on the servers.

 

I dont have any idea, so I ask here.

 

In my mind its a guy going over them swiping with a broom, and change some blinking lights but I feel thats not what they do in rl.

[Nesbit]

They read the forums and slowly *** to all the nerd rage.

 

That censored word is another way to say **********.

 

And that one is a way to say choke the chicken.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Nesbit

[Unaki]

They reboot the actual hardware, update the software and in some cases like now, work on increasing in-game server capacity.

[RoJackal]

They are feeding the hamsters of course

[BenjaminminU]

I always thought they turned off the servers, had a cup of tea, turned the servers back on. But actually they're probably connecting some upgraded hardware to each server to make them able to take more people

[DaxFlowLyfe]

Diagnostics and Defragging type stuff.

 

Programs that run to make sure everything on the server is running correctly for optimum performance.

 

It may also include physical stuff, such as checking cooling systems.

Most professional server hosts are a bunch of servers in a temperature adjusted room.

[RubberDoll]

Thy watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_-5sNkAuzE

[Nowhere]

In my mind its a guy going over them swiping with a broom, and change some blinking lights but I feel thats not what they do in rl.

 

 

 

Yes, they have to clean all of the hamster cages also. We all know that those Bioware hamsters work very hard to keep the wheels turning behind the scenes.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Nowhere

[eggs_to_see]

I'm just guessing, i don't work with large scale servers, but i am a systems admin working with a few small servers. Server maintenance generally consists of things like rebooting servers to free up memory, wipe caches, flush log files, backup data and apply any fixes/patches, etc that need to be done (not necessarily to the game).

[Eldar]

Probably run a bunch of diagnostics/optimization scripts on their player databases and install updates.

[Hexide]

At a guess:

 

• Adding/changing disks in the SAN (storage area network). Usually hot-swappable but there are some things you can only do offline.
  
• Reconfiguring/adding network connectivity between servers - bridges/routers/hubs
  
• Updating/adding DNS servers, BigIP servers, load-balancers.
  
• Applying patches.
  

 

TESTING and then TEST AGAIN.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Hexide

[Szarkan]

• Diagnostics
  
• Firmware checks
  
• Hardware upgrades if needed
  
• Wiping the temporary caches
  
• Network checks, upgrades if needed
  
• Most likely some storage change-out or backup
  

 

 

....and plugging that 1 cable somebody always manages to trip up over.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Szarkan

[boleole]

Thanks for the replys. I got a little wiser in the ways of how big computers work.

[TheDecibelle]

On another note: tables and databases need to be fixed.

 

Basically, a system such as an MMO contains a lot of data in a lot of different forms. Just imagine a simple item, such as a blaster. It needs to contain how it boosts stats, the name of the blaster, item color, model, type of weapon, modifications, if it has any, level to be used at, if it's bound, if it's equipped, etcetera.

 

Now, multiply that for every item of equipment a person has. Then add experience, completed quests, light side points, dark side points, appearance, friends, guild membership, channels, maps, bind points, taxi terminals, questlines, preferences, companion levels, companion gear, and every other little tidbit.

 

Then, multiply that by every character ever made on the server.

Then multiply that number by the number of servers.

Then times it by a hundred, and you'll still have a conservative guess.

 

It's amazing that a system this complex doesn't have problems. Coding does that, but problems happen. When problems go unchecked, they get bigger, and bigger.

 

Maintenance allows them to install updates, firstly, and thus adjust the data to suit, but it also allows them to - quite literally - maintain the server's data, and ensure that there's no big problems. That's also purely for software. Imagine if hardware was not up-to-par, and the results that could have?

 

Basically, maintenance ensures that when the game is running, it's as up-to-scratch as possible.

[Jesedi]

• diagnostics
  
• firmware checks
  
• hardware upgrades if needed
  
• wiping the temporary caches
  

 

 

....and plugging that 1 cable somebody always manages to trip up over.

 

 

LOL!

Edited December 16, 2011 by Jesedi

[Xerda]

They read the forums and slowly *** to all the nerd rage.

 

That censored word is another way to say **********.

 

And that one is a way to say choke the chicken.

 

You have to master English words that slip through the net. Like wanking, bollocks and arse

[-Urquhart-]

Thy watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_-5sNkAuzE

 

lmao 10 hrs

 

<---puts gun to head...

 

no bullets... damn

 

<---smashes monitor

 

=p

[Lungbutter]

The recharge the Hamsters with a mixture of pepsi and menthos, I just can't figure out which orifice they use to do the recharging.

[Hellbrass]

Hey, any computer guys here who can say what they do when they have scheduled maintenance on the servers.

 

I dont have any idea, so I ask here.

 

In my mind its a guy going over them swiping with a broom, and change some blinking lights but I feel thats not what they do in rl.

 

With most MMO's its simply a case of taking the hamster out of its cage, giving it a few bits of carrot, grooming it etc. then let it have a few hours rest before shoving it back to in get the game going.

 

Since the merger with Activision, WoW is different to most MMOs with their downtime. Now Activision-Blizzard employees must carry out the Hamster love and sacrifice several babies into Bobby Koticks gaping maw. This blood sacrifice is necessary for without it, Kotick would break free of his bonds and rampage across the world devouring the young of all he could find in an effort to sate his black thirst for the souls of the innocent. Oh and Activision-Blizzard share prices would drop half a percent.

[iDepth]

Diagnostics and Defragging type stuff.

 

Programs that run to make sure everything on the server is running correctly for optimum performance.

 

It may also include physical stuff, such as checking cooling systems.

Most professional server hosts are a bunch of servers in a temperature adjusted room.

 

Gotta love brain types.

[Anya_Halberd]

You have to master English words that slip through the net. Like wanking, bollocks and arse

 

"You can say your *****ed your finger, just don't say you fingered your *****."

 

For some reason, your post reminded me of that.

[Eldar]

On another note: tables and databases need to be fixed.

 

Basically, a system such as an MMO contains a lot of data in a lot of different forms. Just imagine a simple item, such as a blaster. It needs to contain how it boosts stats, the name of the blaster, item color, model, type of weapon, modifications, if it has any, level to be used at, if it's bound, if it's equipped, etcetera.

 

Now, multiply that for every item of equipment a person has. Then add experience, completed quests, light side points, dark side points, appearance, friends, guild membership, channels, maps, bind points, taxi terminals, questlines, preferences, companion levels, companion gear, and every other little tidbit.

 

Then, multiply that by every character ever made on the server.

Then multiply that number by the number of servers.

Then times it by a hundred, and you'll still have a conservative guess.

 

It's amazing that a system this complex doesn't have problems.

 

Something tells me they ain't running MSSQL

[JollyRogers]

Hey, any computer guys here who can say what they do when they have scheduled maintenance on the servers.

 

I dont have any idea, so I ask here.

 

In my mind its a guy going over them swiping with a broom, and change some blinking lights but I feel thats not what they do in rl.

 

It will depend on the reason for the maintenance. In some cases they'll be implementing fixes to the game for bugs, stability, improvements, etc... Some may be for issues that the players know about, and others may be more subtle, behind-the-scenes improvements. In other cases it could be the application of patches, depending on the OS and applications being used. There can be cases of expansion, as well as troubleshooting network related issues (load balance, latency with NSP, etc...). And, there is the possibility that their hosted provider, and/or NSP's may have scheduled maintenance of their own.

 

Depending on how the topologies of the infrastructure are designed, there is probably also an issue with 'how' certain systems are brought down and then brought back up. A specific order may be required, in that system A must be up before system B can be brought up without causing issues.

 

And, of course, there's always the unplanned issues. Systems that get an attitude and suddenly don't want to talk with other systems, when it worked perfectly in a development or stage environment. Or the unplanned hardware failure that decided to give up the ghost when the system was cycled.

 

There's probably a lot more that goes on as well, but that's a few examples of things off the top of my head.

[scootle]

to the OP, if you really want to know, just look up ops-type descriptions for almost any major web service out there. everything is more or less a monster-sized database with a pretty front end (your client, in this case, labeled with fancy TOR graphics).

 

all the backend DB admin and hardware maintenance has to happen like any other system of this sort... if not moreso to quell the raging geek hordes...

 

optimizing and maintaining the database system that is behind the curtain of the typical MMO is not glamorous, but it's what you pay them to do.

[Lrii]

First they get the vaccuum and clean up all the crap inside the servers, then they hang up new waterbottles and grease the whells so no unessecary (sorry for spelling) squeeking from the wheels.

Then the put in bowls of food, and finally they let the Hamsters back in.

 

TImeconsuming work, but needs to be done