DDoS attacks are the single biggest threat to online game servers. A well-timed Layer 7 attack can knock even a well-provisioned dedicated server offline, frustrating your players and potentially costing you revenue. This guide covers the types of DDoS mitigation available for dedicated servers, what to look for in a hosting provider, and how to choose between always-on and on-demand protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all DDoS protection is created equal. Here’s what the major mitigation types actually do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scrubbing centers are purpose-built data centers that sit between the internet and your dedicated server. When an attack is detected, your traffic is routed through BGP announcements to the nearest scrubbing center, where it passes through specialized hardware (typically F5, Arbor, or Corero appliances) that filter out attack traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key scrubbing center considerations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When evaluating dedicated server hosts for DDoS protection, ask these questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Always-On vs On-Demand DDoS Protection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th> Always-On<\/th> On-Demand<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Latency impact<\/td> 5-15 ms added (always routed through filter)<\/td> 0 ms in normal operation; 5-30 ms during attack<\/td><\/tr> Mitigation speed<\/td> Instant \u2014 traffic is always being inspected<\/td> 30 seconds to 5 minutes to activate<\/td><\/tr> Cost<\/td> Higher monthly fee ($20-$200+\/month)<\/td> Lower base cost; may charge per-attack or usage<\/td><\/tr> False positives<\/td> Risk of legitimate traffic being blocked<\/td> Lower risk \u2014 filtering only activates during attacks<\/td><\/tr> Best for<\/td> Production game servers, competitive servers<\/td> Low-traffic servers, dev\/test environments<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n What to Look for in a DDoS-Protected Hosting Provider<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Top Providers for DDoS-Protected Dedicated Servers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n