Understanding Server Resources

Every game server runs on physical hardware, and the resources allocated to your server directly affect its performance. Understanding what CPU, RAM, disk space, and network mean in practice helps you choose the right plan, diagnose performance issues, and know when it is time to upgrade.

The Four Core Resources

CPU (Processing Power)

CPU handles all the real-time calculations your server performs every tick — player movement, mob AI, physics, combat, crafting timers, chunk generation, and plugin/mod logic.

What uses CPU:

Many players online simultaneously
Complex redstone or automation (Minecraft)
Large numbers of active entities (mobs, Pals, NPCs)
Chunk generation when players explore new areas
Plugin and mod processing

How it affects gameplay: When CPU is overloaded, the server cannot process game ticks fast enough. Players experience this as lag — delayed block breaking, rubber-banding, slow item pickups, and unresponsive commands. In severe cases, the server may skip ticks entirely, causing visible stuttering.

Witchly.host difference: We do not over-allocate CPU. Your server gets dedicated processing power that is not shared with dozens of other customers. This means consistent performance even during peak hours.

RAM (Memory)

RAM is the working memory your server uses to keep active data immediately accessible. The game world, player inventories, loaded chunks, entity data, and plugin caches all live in RAM while the server is running.

What uses RAM:

Loaded world chunks (the more area explored, the more memory needed)
Player data for each connected player
Mobs, Pals, and other entities
Plugins and mods (some are more memory-hungry than others)
Caching and buffers

How it affects gameplay: When RAM runs out, the server either crashes or slows dramatically as it tries to swap data to disk. Games like Palworld are particularly memory-intensive due to the number of entities and base complexity. Minecraft modded servers can also consume large amounts of RAM depending on the modpack.

Choosing the right amount: RAM is usually the most important factor when choosing a plan. Here are general guidelines:

Use Case	Recommended RAM
Small vanilla Minecraft (2-5 players)	4-6 GB
Modded Minecraft (light modpack)	6-8 GB
Modded Minecraft (heavy modpack)	8-12 GB
Palworld (small group)	10 GB (Assembly Line)
Palworld (community server)	16 GB (The Syndicate)
Rust (small-medium)	8-12 GB

Disk Space (Storage)

Disk space is where your server stores all its files permanently — the game server software, world data, plugins, mods, configurations, backups, and logs.

What uses disk space:

World/map data (grows as players explore)
Plugins, mods, and their data files
Server backups (each backup is a snapshot of your entire server)
Log files (accumulate over time)
Database files (if using SQLite or local databases)

How it affects your server: If you run out of disk space, the server cannot save world data, write logs, or create backups. This can lead to data corruption or crashes. Disk space issues are less common than RAM issues but can be serious when they occur.

Managing disk space:

Delete old backups you no longer need
Remove outdated log files
Clean up unused plugins or mods
Compress or archive old world files instead of keeping them active

Network (Bandwidth and Latency)

Network resources determine how quickly data travels between your server and connected players.

Bandwidth is the volume of data that can be transferred. Game servers typically use modest bandwidth — most of the heavy processing happens server-side, and only game state updates are sent to players. You are unlikely to hit bandwidth limits under normal operation.

Latency (ping) is how long it takes for data to travel between the player and the server. Lower latency means a more responsive experience. Latency is primarily determined by physical distance — a player in the same country as the server will have lower ping than someone across the world.

What affects network performance:

Number of concurrent players (more players = more data to synchronize)
Player geographic distribution (some players will have higher ping)
Game type (fast-paced games like Rust are more sensitive to latency than building games)

Monitoring Your Resource Usage

The control panel at Dashboard provides real-time resource monitoring for your server.

What to Check

On your server’s main console page, you can see:

CPU Usage — Shown as a percentage. Occasional spikes to 80-100% are normal (during world saves, chunk generation, or intense combat). Sustained high CPU indicates the server is struggling.
RAM Usage — Shown in MB or GB. Compare this to your plan’s allocation. A healthy server should have some headroom — consistently running above 90% of your allocation means you are at the limit.
Disk Usage — Shown in MB or GB. Check this periodically, especially after creating backups.
Network Traffic — Inbound and outbound data. Usually not a concern unless something unusual is happening.

Reading the Graphs

Steady, moderate usage — Your server is running well within its limits
Gradual upward trend in RAM — Common with games like Palworld. Schedule regular restarts to reset memory.
Repeated CPU spikes — Investigate what is happening at those times. Is it a save cycle? A plugin running a heavy task? Too many entities in one area?
RAM hitting the ceiling — The server is running out of memory. Optimize your settings, reduce loaded content, or consider upgrading.

Signs You Need to Upgrade

Here are clear indicators that your current plan is no longer sufficient:

Performance symptoms:

Consistent lag or rubber-banding that restarts only temporarily fix
Server crashes with “out of memory” errors in the console
TPS (ticks per second) consistently below the target (20 for Minecraft, varies by game)
Long save times that cause noticeable lag spikes
Players getting disconnected during peak hours

Resource indicators:

RAM usage consistently above 85% of your allocation
CPU usage sustained above 80% during normal gameplay (not just during saves)
Disk space approaching the limit with no unnecessary files to clean up

Growth indicators:

Your player base has grown beyond what the plan was designed for
You have added more plugins, mods, or world content
Players have built larger and more complex structures

Optimization Before Upgrading

Before upgrading your plan, try optimizing your server to get more out of your current resources:

Reduce view/render distance — Fewer loaded chunks means less RAM and CPU usage
Limit entity counts — Cap mob spawns, working Pals, or NPC counts
Schedule automatic restarts — Clears accumulated memory overhead (see our Schedules guide)
Remove unused plugins/mods — Each one adds some overhead even when not actively used
Pre-generate the world — Generating new chunks on the fly is CPU-intensive. Pre-generating eliminates this cost during gameplay.
Review plugin configurations — Some plugins have performance settings (cache sizes, update intervals) that can be tuned

Resource Allocation at Witchly.host

Witchly.host does not over-allocate resources. When you purchase a plan with 16 GB of RAM, your server has 16 GB of RAM available at all times. It is not shared with other customers or subject to “fair use” throttling during peak hours.

This approach costs more on our end, but it means your server performs consistently. You will not experience mysterious performance drops during evenings and weekends when other hosts’ servers compete for shared resources.

Getting Help with Resources

If you are unsure whether your resource usage is normal or need advice on the right plan for your setup, open a ticket on Discord. Share:

What game you are running and your current plan
How many concurrent players you typically have
What mods or plugins you are using
Screenshots of your resource usage graphs

Our team can help you determine whether optimization, a plan change, or a different configuration would best solve your performance needs.