Server Backend Configuration

From our experience with our other online games , we had a rough idea of how many servers we'd need and how much bandwidth would be required for Camelot . We standardized on Linux as our server operating system, as it was our standard server operating system for other games. Linux was rock-solid and we had lots of in-house expertise with it. Because Linux runs so well on Intel-based boxes, we shopped around and settled on Pentium 4 dual-processor Dell boxes. We contacted several PC manufacturers, but Dell clearly rose above the others in terms of understanding what we were trying to do, as well as providing a great price/service combination.

We had planned on using Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server as the character/account database for Camelot . I had a lot of experience developing and maintaining Oracle applications from my previous career in the IT industry, so I contacted Sales departments of both companies and solicited bids. Oracle came back with the ridiculous price of about $975,000, while SQL Server, at $30,000, was more reasonable. It was still far outside our price range. So, we instead settled on a hybrid of MySQL ”a freeware Linux database ”and an in-house-developed flat-file character database. This solution cost us only the development time it took to create the databases; no licensing fees were required. MySQL manages all account and customer service (CS) records, and the flat file handles all character information. This combination has worked essentially without a hitch since launch.