hosting java socket based server

Networking & Multiplayer
#1

Ok you beautiful smart people, i need your help once more.
I have a java socket based program

socket.bind()

and all that jazz
How do i go on to make it public to the general interwebs

My plan:
Look up a VPS hosting service. looking at linode
Get a plan
Install ubuntu
download java
Run the server (with the new ip of course);

Is this a sensible

Would you do something different
a different service maybe,

Thanks in advice

P.S
I want to run a beta for the game. Where would it be appropriate to post that.
Newbie section or multiplayer since it has multiplayer (basically debugging multiplayer)

#2

Well, yes you should do it this way, but it would cost you a decent amount of money for a dedicated server. Honestly, unless your game goes big, just host your own server and port forward it. Paying for a server is a bit of a waste if you only have a few people playing!

#3

I tried this, this isn’t a great idea. Just because it requires you to have your home computer on all the time, always connected to the network. Also you’d be violating (for most people I’d think) your ISP’s ToS. You’ll want some server space for an HTTP server as well eventually so you mid as well rent a server.

I’ve set myself up with DigitalOceans - while I haven’t actually done anything with it yet (I’ve put JevaEngine on a hold till sometime in the next two weeks just because I am training for work etc…) it seems pretty decent.

The costs for the basic plan are cheaper than most monthly subscriptions.

If you host your server with your home computer you’ll need to really double check the security since it’s your personal life at stake rather than just whatever you have floating on a cloud.

#4

With virtualization, hosted servers can be real cheap and can easily scale to the size you need if you get popular. The last one i had was less than 10EUR a month and about 100Gig of data+20Gig space. Less than i spend on beer. It was a while ago, i expect the space to be much larger now. Bandwidth really costs typically but again can scale real well.

Prices go up fast for co location, but again this is something you wouldn’t bother with till your big enough that the cost is not going to be a problem anyway. Linode has a decent reputation last i heard but is also not the cheapest either.

#5

I didn’t know it was so cheap to rent a server, I looked it up and it was going to be pretty expensive to have one. Thanks for proving me wrong!

#6

Thank you guys so much, i don’t have anybody to have these discussions with.