I am not sure what your solution is for the situation or what the better options might be.
1. We have the current Official Login Server moving to some new heavily upgraded hardware. The current one is running something like 256MBs of RAM, which is basically all used just by starting everything up. The new one should be many times that amount, which means we won't be file swapping, which would cause major performance issues like we are seeing now. It will also probably have a CPU at least 2X or more as fast as the current one does. Not to mention that it will be running MUCH newer versions of the same software, which can remove many performance issues and maybe even some of the security issues.
2. The new Official LS hosting will be managed by currently active members of the team who have the time required to devote to it to ensure that it is as stable as possible. That includes removing exploits and blocking attackers if/when needed.
3. There is already a fairly decent mini-login alternative to the Public Login Server now with the release of the devn00b/image version. If they ever remove the 20 user limit on it, it would be very easy for any server to use it as their full-time Private Login Server if they don't ever want to rely on the Public one we are wanting to provide.
4. Discussing the release of the Official LS code is pointless as it just isn't going to happen. This isn't my decision, and I honestly can't clearly tell you who's decision it is, but there are other reason not to release it even in a pre-compiled form. I am sure legality plays a big part in that, but as I said, it is pointless to even discuss it since it won't happen. You would be much better off to discuss the release of the new LS that image and devn00b created as the decision to release that source would be completely up to them.
There are really only 2 possible best-scenario setups in respects to having a 100% available Login Server.
1. Have 2 mirrored Login Servers that use a synchronized database so that if one is down, the other will take it's place or can easily be changed to by a simple change in the eqhost.txt files on the clients. This option would be nice, but it might open up security risks and it would be more maintenance and possibly costs to have 2 dedicated hosts just for the LS. Once the new one is in place, I fully expect a 99%+ uptime average and would it really be worth it to setup a mirror LS just to have an extra < 1% availability? I don't think so.
2. The best option IMO, would be to use the Official LS as a primary when it is up, but also give servers the option to run their own backup private LS, similar to the new one that devn00b and image made. Then, in order to use the same account for both Login Servers, we could create a new #password command that would let people set passwords in-game that would be saved to the accounts table. So, when they use the private LS, they just use the same password they set in game when they were logged in from the Public LS. Then, that private LS accesses the accounts table of the server and lets them authenticate that way. It would be pretty secure and probably not too hard to code it to be able to connect to both LSs at the same time. It would probably take someone of decent skill to make sure the dual connections was coded properly for the servers though. So, this option would mostly rely on image/devn00b removing the limit restrictions on their mini-login and also on someone coding the server to be able to use both Login Servers at once.
Oh and Aergad, I believe you mentioned in another thread that you only came to this community a few days ago (and your join date shows this month too). You came at about the worst possible time! I think that if you remain here and wait out this issue, you will find that we do a pretty awesome job of running things around here. We have been doing this stuff for years and have been getting better and better at it. The Login Server was the weakest link for a very long time because it wasn't under our control. Now that it will be, you will see that it will no longer be an issue of concern. For someone only being around for a few days, you sure have alot to say about how we should do things around here :P Please be patient and give us a chance to get control of the situation.
If you are really this worried about maximum availability, then I hope you aren't playing on just any random server. Very few servers last for more than a few months. Though, most of the more popular once have been around for a while (1 year+ up to 6 years). I would hate to see what happens if you were playing on a server that suddenly vanished one day! We have no control at all over that
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