HonseFarm server sizing guide
HonseFarm is a client/server application. Small community servers do not need large hardware. The normal workload is light: client metadata, presence/session traffic, database records, Redis state, and streamed file downloads.
The main load comes from file downloads, occasional uploads, validation, hashing, decompression, antivirus scanning, SSL/TLS traffic, and storage I/O.
Recommended server sizes
Minimum small server
Expected use:
Private server, light use, rare uploads
Hardware:
2 vCPU
2 GiB RAM
50+ GiB persistent storage
Suitable for:
Around 10 users
Standard small community
Expected use:
Normal small community use
Hardware:
2 vCPU
4 GiB RAM
50-100 GiB persistent storage
Suitable for:
Around 10-25 users
Larger small community
Expected use:
More uploads, antivirus scanning, cache, or public downloads
Hardware:
2-4 vCPU
6-8 GiB RAM
100-250 GiB persistent storage
Suitable for:
Around 25 users with more activity
Busy public server
Expected use:
Popular files, frequent uploads, heavy validation or scanning
Hardware:
4+ vCPU
8+ GiB RAM
250+ GiB persistent storage
Suitable for:
Larger or public deployments
VPS recommendation
2 vCPU / 2 GiB RAM
Recommendation:
Valid minimum for a small private server.
Use for:
Small private communities, rare uploads, mostly downloads.
2 vCPU / 4 GiB RAM
Recommendation:
Recommended starting point for most new server owners.
Use for:
Small communities that want safe headroom for normal usage.
2-4 vCPU / 6-8 GiB RAM
Recommendation:
Use this when enabling antivirus scanning or expecting more activity.
Use for:
More uploads, validation, decompression, scanning, or public downloads.
4+ vCPU / 8+ GiB RAM
Recommendation:
Use this for public servers, heavy downloads, or frequent concurrent uploads.
Use for:
Busy instances with more active users or popular shared files.
For VPS hosting, prioritize reliable persistent storage and a generous outbound traffic allowance. CPU is less important than stable disk and network performance for normal HonseFarm usage.
Private hardware, VM, or bare-metal recommendation
CPU:
Modern 2-core CPU minimum.
Use 4 cores for more headroom.
CPU features:
Use a CPU with AES acceleration support for efficient SSL/TLS handling.
RAM:
2 GiB minimum.
4 GiB recommended.
8 GiB for more active servers.
Disk:
SSD strongly preferred.
Network:
Stable upload speed matters more than download speed.
Storage layout:
Use persistent volumes or bind mounts for database and files.
Backups:
Back up Postgres data and uploaded/shared files.
A home machine, small server, VM, or bare-metal system works well for a small community. Public download performance depends mostly on the machine's upload bandwidth.
Workload expectations
Users online
Main resource: RAM and light CPU
Impact: Low
Metadata and API traffic
Main resource: CPU and Postgres
Impact: Low
File downloads
Main resource: Network and disk I/O
Impact: Main scaling factor
File uploads
Main resource: RAM, disk, and CPU
Impact: Occasional spike
Hashing and validation
Main resource: CPU and RAM
Impact: Temporary spike
Decompression
Main resource: CPU and RAM
Impact: Temporary spike
Antivirus scanning
Main resource: CPU and RAM
Impact: Noticeable spike
SSL/TLS traffic
Main resource: CPU
Impact: Low on CPUs with AES acceleration
Logging
Main resource: Disk and CPU
Impact: Keep production logging moderate
Network sizing
Outbound traffic is usually the largest external cost
a 25 MB file x 1,000 downloads equals about 25GB
Outbound traffic recommendation
Small private server
250 GB-1 TB/month
Small public/community server
1 TB/month
More popular public server
1-5 TB/month
Storage sizing
Postgres data
Persistent storage:
Required
Notes:
Database state must be persistent.
Uploaded and shared files
Persistent storage:
Required
Notes:
User file data must be persistent.
Server state
Persistent storage:
Required
Notes:
Server state must survive restarts and updates.
Certificates
Persistent storage:
Required
Notes:
TLS certificates must be kept across restarts.
Redis data
Persistent storage:
Optional
Notes:
Persistent Redis storage is preferred but not always required.
Fileserver cache
Persistent storage:
Optional
Notes:
Persistent cache improves reuse and reduces repeated work.
Final recommendation
Small private server
Expected use:
Around 10 users
Recommended size:
2 vCPU
2 GiB RAM
50+ GiB persistent storage
New small community server
Expected use:
Small community with normal activity
Recommended size:
2 vCPU
4 GiB RAM
50-100 GiB persistent storage
More active small community
Expected use:
More uploads, validation, antivirus scanning, or public downloads
Recommended size:
2-4 vCPU
6-8 GiB RAM
100-250 GiB persistent storage
Public or busy server
Expected use:
Popular files, frequent uploads, or heavier concurrent activity
Recommended size:
4+ vCPU
8+ GiB RAM
250+ GiB persistent storage
Start with the size that matches the expected community. Scale storage and network first when downloads grow. Scale RAM and CPU when uploads, validation, antivirus scanning, or concurrent activity increase.
