24slot TF2 cant keep tickrate

[larry]

Hi all,
I am managing a 24 slot TF2 and a 18slot CSS ds on the following box:
E7400
P5Q
2GB DDR2800
Linux 2.6.26.8-rt16
timer: 250hz
both ds have own core, 250max fps limit, the css is running on 100tick, the tf on 66
with the css we have no problems, but the 24slot tf ds is struggling when it comes to big action...the tickrate keeps dropping, somtimes under 30tick, and you can feel it without checking the netgraph!
the CPU usage is between 50-80% on the tf2 core.
Can sby tell me what could cause this, or we just simply run out of resources?
regards: larry

[Hazz]

On the tf2 server when you get these tick drops check the server FPS in console and see what it is doing. Do this by entering rcon stats, do it a few times and paste it back here if you like.

[larry]

Hazz Wrote:On the tf2 server when you get these tick drops check the server FPS in console and see what it is doing. Do this by entering rcon stats, do it a few times and paste it back here if you like.

i have cheked it many times but ist not that bad...it keeps the fsp ~240 but the tick is between 30-40
here you can see the server fps:
http://kartel.hlstatsx.com/?game=tf

[Hazz]

Are you sure its actually server side because you get low fps in large fights on TF2, around 30, 40 FPS which could give you the low tickrates you are describing. (The tickrate showing at your end can never be higher than your FPS!)

[larry]

Hazz Wrote:Are you sure its actually server side because you get low fps in large fights on TF2, around 30, 40 FPS which could give you the low tickrates you are describing. (The tickrate showing at your end can never be higher than your FPS!)

i ve got 100-300fps client on side
e8200@3,6Ghz & 4870
its sure that it can be only on server side

[Hazz]

Ok, what server addons are you running on your TF2 server?

[larry]

Hazz Wrote:Ok, what server addons are you running on your TF2 server?

MetaMod:Source v1.7.1V
SourceMod v1.2.0
and some plugins....afk, ping, sudden death, spray tracing etc

[BehaartesEtwas]

make a measurement with the fpsmeter (see my signature) and post a screenshot here (or better a copy of the link below the image)

[larry]

BehaartesEtwas Wrote:make a measurement with the fpsmeter (see my signature) and post a screenshot here (or better a copy of the link below the image)

hi,
i did the measurement but, unfortunately i couldnt make it during one map becouse its a popular pub server, and they changed it 5times while the measurement was running...
i dont know if it s useless or not...if it is, than i am going to try it again and that thime only on 1 map!
anyway thanks for your help guys!
http://fpsmeter.fragaholics.de/?load=srcds.94.199.180.16.27100.1238760268.session

[BehaartesEtwas]

it does not look so bad. check the netsettings, maybe it's not the tickrate but the data rate that doesn't keep stable...
if you don't know the meaning of the values, read this:
http://wiki.fragaholics.de/index.php/EN:Source_Netsettings

you might also want to try fps_max 0

[larry]

BehaartesEtwas Wrote:it does not look so bad. check the netsettings, maybe it's not the tickrate but the data rate that doesn't keep stable...
if you don't know the meaning of the values, read this:
http://wiki.fragaholics.de/index.php/EN:Source_Netsettings

you might also want to try fps_max 0

ok,
Iam going to do it!
anyway we set up the server through your guide (both linux and net settings)
wont the timer (250hz) limit the max fps to 250?
so is there a point limiting it via config to fps_max 250 or just leave it fps_max 0 and timer would do the same?
what is with the dynamic tickrate and the pingboost option? is it worth tryin it on tf2 servers too?
thx

[BehaartesEtwas]

larry Wrote:wont the timer (250hz) limit the max fps to 250?

the kernel HZ setting is not "the" timer. there is also the high-resolution timer (hrtimer) with a much higher precision. unless hrtimer is not working for some reason, the HZ will not limit your fps.

Quote:so is there a point limiting it via config to fps_max 250 or just leave it fps_max 0 and timer would do the same?

there is no point in having fps_max on any other value than 0, unless you run your box at its limits and you want to spare some few % of cpu load.

Quote:what is with the dynamic tickrate and the pingboost option? is it worth tryin it on tf2 servers too?

dynamic tickrate? you mean the kernel option? that will make the kernel's HZ dynamic, i.e. it will only tick if needed. so if your server already runs on hrtimers you can even further reduce the cpu/interrupt load by enabling this option.

there is no pingboost option for srcds, it is only present on hlds.

[larry]

BehaartesEtwas Wrote:

larry Wrote:wont the timer (250hz) limit the max fps to 250?

the kernel HZ setting is not "the" timer. there is also the high-resolution timer (hrtimer) with a much higher precision. unless hrtimer is not working for some reason, the HZ will not limit your fps.

Quote:so is there a point limiting it via config to fps_max 250 or just leave it fps_max 0 and timer would do the same?

there is no point in having fps_max on any other value than 0, unless you run your box at its limits and you want to spare some few % of cpu load.

Quote:what is with the dynamic tickrate and the pingboost option? is it worth tryin it on tf2 servers too?

dynamic tickrate? you mean the kernel option? that will make the kernel's HZ dynamic, i.e. it will only tick if needed. so if your server already runs on hrtimers you can even further reduce the cpu/interrupt load by enabling this option.

there is no pingboost option for srcds, it is only present on hlds.

thx for your detailed answer!