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[Sitting-Duc]

Hey there, first of all thank-you to the developers of this tool and the plugins and also sorry if some of the queries in this topic have already been covered.

Overview: What I am attempting to do is setup B3 for 3 COD2 servers, 7 COD4 servers and 4 COD5 servers. Structure is three database instances, 3 echelon instances and 3 xlrstats instances. (one for each gametype). (we also have BlackOps, MW3 and BF3 tht i would like to support with this in the future)

I have currently been attempting to setup with one COD4 test server.

My main query is concerning bans; I am trying to set the system up so that it shares the bans throughout all the servers. So that's bans added by rcon tools, from B3 ingame commands, echelon AND the ban.txt (for bans added manually NOT via rcon). (i do understand bans are game specific)

so here are some questions:

1. If I add a ban manually to the ban.txt how do I get that enforced on all the servers?
2. If a ban is added via an external rcon tool, when, how and what type of ban is enforced on the servers? if any?
3. How do i need to set it up so these bans can be unbanned via echelon.. so all the different methods of adding bans can be unbanned via the website.
4. Some of our servers do not run PB, how does this affect the system.

The current system we use is a .NET application which i intend of integrating into B3 but that will not be possible for a fair amount of time, so until then I am looking to have the B3 system as a standalone.

Before i can go live with this system on all our servers i need to be able to prove to the rest of the admin team that it will work and how it works.. so as you can imagine i am under allot of pressure.

Hope you can help.

Duc.

[xlr8or]

Welcome Duc. I'll try to give you short leads for you to consider.

Everything you describe can be done with B3, no worries. You just want to make a proper plan so you won't have to revert or alter stuff in a later stage.

You're pretty much on it what the install is concerned,  3 databases (one per game, multiple servers) would be a good start.

You could consider to install only one instance of echelon v2 tho, that package is able to server different games and multiple servers/admins with one install. Also XLRstats is able to serve multiple servers/configs from one install.

Your main concern is that servers with and without PB don't mix and share data well... at least not for CoD, CoD2, CoD4 servers (maybe even more games), they authenticate differently (guid vs pb-id).

For sharing bans across servers this plugin is the one that can solve all your wishes: the Banlist plugin: http://bit.ly/xw8iUZ

This plugin will check the bans from the presented files and enforce them on the server(s) as long as the ban is on the list. Once removed, it will no longer kick the player (unless the ban is also in the specific database)

So in order to keep your bans clean and proper, I would advise you to use echelon across servers as much as possible, for it is the best graphical interface for your playerrepositories available. Try to avoid manual additions to lists as much as you can for it will increase the chance for double ban-entries (being one entry done trhough B3 ingame or echelon and another one added manual to a file). Double entries means double removal.

Once you have set this up properly and the other admins have a go at it, you won't have to sell it to them anymore...

[Sitting-Duc]

Thank-you very much for that quick response, your comments have put my mind at ease with allot of my reservations over this system. I have installed echelon v2 and have to say it is a great upgrade from the earlier versions although I will still install seperate instances for each game as there is no option to limit admin accounts to one game db :/

I'm sure that you will understand that if i'm to set this system running on 14 servers I will be double and triple checking features and facts before i set it live. stressful time for me atm lol

I will follow your other suggestions asap but just thought i should post an update and a thankyou

Duc.

[Sitting-Duc]

EDIT [[---------------------------------------------------------------------------------]]
To avoid triple posting

My apologies for the long posts, just if I i don't get this sorted then we can't use B3 at all.. which tbh sucks :/
EDIT [[---------------------------------------------------------------------------------]]

Methods to add a ban:
   - Rcon      - Ban stored in ban.txt
   - Ingame   - Ban stored in B3 database
   - Echelon   - Ban stored in B3 database

When a player that has been banned Ingame or through Echelon attempts to connect to a server their details are placed in the ban.txt.

When a player is banned via Rcon there details are not added to the B3 database but added to the ban.txt, this means that the ban is not shared between the servers (unless plugin is used).

another problem that arises is when we come to unbanning a player; they must be unbanned from echelon else they will continue to be banned when connecting to the servers; they must also be unbanned from the servers ban.txt file, removing a single entry from 6 servers is not fun.


The two problems are as follows:
   > Rcon bans are not added to B3
   > Ingame/Echelon bans cannot be unbanned without manual involvement.


So to summarise: All bans need to be added to the B3 database and when removed from the B3 database they need to be removed from the ban.txt files.


Possible Solution: Modify B3 so it kicks rather than bans (so bans are not added to ban.txt), then have a bansync program that add entries from the ban.txt to the B3 database then deletes the ban.txt.

New bans will be picked up on by the sync program and added to B3.. here they can then be edited and/or lifted.

Is this possible solution plausible? I can write a little .NET program that does the sync'ing bit very quickly and easily. I do know that this method means there's no fallback B3 crashes.. but tht shouldn't happen should it

Duc.

P.S again apologies for the long post