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For a vanilla SCP: Secret Laboratory dedicated server capped at 25 players, the official minimum is 3 GB of RAM, a 2-core CPU and 4 GB of storage. That baseline assumes the server is full and has no plugins or modifications. It is not a universal specification for larger player caps, modded servers or machines running other services.
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Official minimum requirements for a 25-player server
The SCP: Secret Laboratory technical support guide lists these minimums for a dedicated server:
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| Resource | Official minimum | Scope of the figure |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 3 GB RAM | Full 25-player server, vanilla configuration, no plugins or modifications |
| Processor | 2 CPU cores | Same 25-player, unmodified workload |
| Storage | 4 GB | Dedicated-server installation baseline |
These are minimums, not a performance guarantee or a recommended specification for every deployment. The guide explicitly limits them to a full 25-player server without plugins or modifications. It does not publish a measured utilization target, a player-to-RAM formula or a higher-capacity recommendation.
A server that merely starts and accepts connections can still be unpleasant to play if the host is swapping memory, competing with other processes or suffering CPU contention. Treat the figures as the threshold for the documented workload, then validate your own configuration under its real player count and plugin set.
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Do not confuse server requirements with client requirements
The computer running the game and the computer running the dedicated server have different jobs. Northwood’s official system-requirements page lists 4 GB RAM minimum and 6 GB recommended for the game client. Those numbers describe a player’s PC; they are not dedicated-server specifications.
| Use case | RAM figures published by Northwood | What the figures mean |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated server | 3 GB minimum | Full 25-player vanilla server with no plugins or modifications |
| Game client | 4 GB minimum; 6 GB recommended | Computer on which a player runs SCP: Secret Laboratory |
A host does not need to match the client’s 6 GB recommendation simply because a player does. Conversely, a PC that meets the client requirement is not automatically suitable for hosting: the operating system, background services, network conditions and server workload still matter.
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RAM: 3 GB is a documented floor
At 3 GB, the official assumption is a single, unmodified server filled to 25 players. The operating system and any control-panel, monitoring, backup or security processes also need memory, so allocating every available megabyte to the game leaves no safety margin. If the host begins paging to disk, players may see stalls even when the game process itself appears within its nominal limit.
No official source reviewed here quantifies how much additional RAM a particular plugin, modification, larger player cap or co-located service consumes. Do not turn the 3 GB figure into a claim such as “X GB per player.” Measure the complete workload instead: operating-system usage, the server process, plugins, logs, monitoring and any other applications should be included.
CPU: two cores satisfy only the stated baseline
The minimum is a 2-core CPU, not a specified clock speed, architecture or generation. Two available cores can be enough for the documented 25-player vanilla case, but CPU time may also be needed by the operating system, network stack, antivirus, backups and panel software. A heavily loaded or oversubscribed virtual machine can therefore perform worse than a faster, less-contended host with the same core count.
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Because the official documentation provides no benchmark for tick time, frame simulation or plugin overhead, there is no evidence-based way to promise a particular processor model for a larger or modified server. Check real CPU utilization and server responsiveness while players are connected rather than relying on core count alone.
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The guide lists 4 GB of storage for the server baseline. Keep additional capacity for updates, configuration files, logs, crash information and backups. A full disk can prevent an update or stop the server from writing logs, so the usable free space matters more than the drive’s advertised total.
Supported operating systems: use the current developer announcement as the reference
Northwood’s October 11, 2024 system-requirements and privacy-policy announcement specifies these server platforms for update 14.0:
- Windows 10 or Windows 11, version 21H1 or newer (build 19043+), x64
- Windows Server 2022 or newer (build 20348+), x64
- Ubuntu 22.04 or newer, x64
The live technical-support guide contains older or differently worded operating-system references: its Windows paragraph mentions Windows 8.1 and says Windows 11 is not officially supported, while its Linux section names Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Debian 13. Those statements do not line up cleanly with the developer’s update-14.0 announcement.
For platform selection, use the developer announcement above, then check the live setup guide immediately before installation because support can change. Do not silently combine the two lists or assume that a distribution mentioned in one document is guaranteed by the other. Whichever platform you choose, use a 64-bit build and apply current security updates.
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Installation options documented by Northwood
The technical-support guide documents two ways to obtain the dedicated-server files: the Steam Dedicated Server tool and SteamCMD. Both use the SCP: Secret Laboratory dedicated-server application; the guide identifies its Steam app ID as 996560.
Steam Dedicated Server tool
- Install or open Steam on the server machine using an account permitted to install server tools.
- In the Steam library, enable the tools or server-tools filter, then locate the SCP: Secret Laboratory dedicated-server tool.
- Install it to a directory with enough free space for the 4 GB baseline plus logs and updates.
- Open the installed server directory and follow the configuration and launch instructions in the current technical-support guide.
- Run a local test first, confirm that the process stays online, and only then expose the required game and query ports through the host firewall and router.
SteamCMD
SteamCMD is useful for a headless Windows or Linux machine. The documented route uses anonymous login and app ID 996560. A typical installation session is:
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./scpsl-server +app_update 996560 validate +quitUse an absolute installation path if the service account’s working directory is uncertain. The validate option checks the downloaded files; it can take time and may redownload damaged content. After installation, apply the server’s configuration, run it under a dedicated account with only the permissions it needs, and keep the SteamCMD update process separate from the account used to administer the operating system.
Commands and file locations can change with future releases, so compare your procedure with the live guide before scripting unattended updates. Back up configuration and plugin files before replacing the server directory.
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The 3 GB, 2-core and 4 GB figures explicitly exclude plugins and modifications. A plugin can add memory use, CPU work, network traffic or disk writes; several plugins can interact in ways that are not predictable from their individual descriptions. Larger player caps also represent a different workload from the documented 25-player case.
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Northwood’s LabAPI README describes LabAPI as the official server-side plugin loader and framework. Dedicated-server builds bundle a compiled LabAPI.dll. LabAPI is therefore not a separate hardware requirement, and installing it does not mean every server needs additional plugins.
How to size a modified server without inventing a number
- Start with the official 25-player vanilla baseline.
- Install one plugin or modification at a time and record idle and peak RAM use.
- Watch CPU utilization and server responsiveness during a real play session, not only while the server is empty.
- Leave memory for the operating system, logging, updates, backups and security tools.
- Repeat the test at the intended player cap and after every major plugin or game update.
There is no published official headroom figure for these cases. If you cannot test, choose a host that allows you to increase RAM and CPU allocation later rather than treating the minimum as a fixed recommendation.
Self-hosting or renting: choose the administration model first
The official guide links to a server-rental guide, but no provider, plan, current price or affiliate offer is established here. Renting is a service choice, not a specific hardware recommendation. Compare the following items in writing before paying:
| Decision factor | Self-hosted machine | Rented game server |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware resources | You control the machine, but must buy, maintain and monitor it. | The provider allocates resources; verify whether RAM, CPU limits and storage are disclosed. |
| Player capacity | You set the cap within your tested workload and network limits. | Check the advertised slot count and whether it is tied to a particular plan or shared node. |
| Location and latency | Usually fixed by your home, office or chosen data center. | Select a region close to most players and ask where the server is physically located. |
| Updates and configuration | Full access, but you perform upgrades, firewall work and recovery. | A panel may simplify updates; confirm access to configuration files and startup arguments. |
| Plugins and modifications | Install what the server supports and maintain compatibility yourself. | Confirm LabAPI/plugin support, file access and any restrictions before ordering. |
| Backups and support | You must design backups and provide your own troubleshooting. | Check backup frequency, restore procedure, support hours and what support actually covers. |
| Total cost | Includes hardware, electricity, internet service and your time. | Includes the recurring plan and possible fees for extra slots, backups or transfers. |
Self-hosting makes sense when you already have a suitable, reliable machine and are comfortable with firewall, update and backup administration. Renting is usually simpler when you want a public server without maintaining hardware, but resource limits and support policies must be clear before purchase.
Network and operational checks that minimum specifications do not cover
RAM, CPU and storage are only part of a usable server. Before inviting players, verify:
- The host has a stable upstream connection and a reachable public address, or the rental provider supplies an accessible endpoint.
- Required ports are allowed by the operating-system firewall, router and hosting network.
- The server is in a region that keeps latency acceptable for the intended community.
- The process can restart after a crash or reboot, and logs are rotated so they cannot fill the disk.
- Configuration and plugin files are backed up outside the live installation directory.
- Automatic updates are scheduled for a maintenance window and tested before a major event.
Troubleshooting resource-related problems
The server will not start
Confirm that the operating system is a supported 64-bit version, the installation is complete, and at least the documented 4 GB storage baseline remains free. Re-run a SteamCMD file validation, inspect the server log for a missing dependency, and check that the service account can read and write its installation and configuration directories.
Players report lag or periodic freezes
Check CPU and RAM while the server is full, not when it is idle. On Linux, free -h, nproc and df -h provide quick memory, core-count and disk-space checks; on Windows, Task Manager shows memory, CPU and disk pressure. If memory is exhausted, stop nonessential services and review plugins before increasing capacity. If CPU is saturated, identify the process consuming time and test with optional plugins disabled.
The server works until a plugin is enabled
Disable the newest plugin, confirm the vanilla server is stable, then check that the plugin version matches the game and LabAPI build. Reintroduce plugins one at a time and keep a rollback copy of the last known-good configuration.
Updates fail or the server loses settings
Keep configuration and backups outside the directory that SteamCMD replaces, verify ownership and write permissions, and perform an update with the server stopped. Restore configuration only after confirming that the new game version and plugin framework are compatible.
A practical pre-launch checklist
- Decide whether the target is a 25-player vanilla server or a different workload.
- For the documented baseline, provide at least 3 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores and 4 GB storage, while reserving additional resources for the operating system and operations.
- Choose a supported x64 operating system using Northwood’s update-14.0 list and recheck the live guide.
- Install through the Steam Dedicated Server tool or SteamCMD with app ID 996560.
- Apply firewall, account-permission, restart and backup policies before opening the server publicly.
- Load the intended player count and plugin set in a test session, record resource use, and increase capacity if the host approaches exhaustion.
- Document update, rollback and recovery steps so another administrator can operate the server.
The defensible starting point is therefore precise but limited: 3 GB RAM, 2 CPU cores and 4 GB storage for a full 25-player, unmodified server. Anything beyond that boundary should be sized from measurements and kept flexible, because the official documentation does not publish a universal headroom formula or benchmark.
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