SmartFoxServer

SmartFoxServer is a socket server for multiuser applications and games. It’s designed primarily for Adobe Flash, with APIs for Actionscript 2.0 & 3.0. Other APIs include Java, .Net/Unity3D, iPhone and Android.

SmartFoxServer comes in 3 flavours – Lite, Basic and Pro - with a new "2X" version at the RC stage. The Lite provides basic functionality and supports only Actionscript 1.0 & 2.0; Basic has increased functionality and supports Actionscript 3.0 – it is suitable for the development of multiplayer applications that don’t require server side coding; the Pro version supports server-side extensions, database access, clustering and includes an embedded web server. This table compares the versions:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/products/

The Lite version is free; Basic costs between 200€ (100 users) and 800€ (unlimited); Pro costs between 500€ (100 users) and 2000€ (unlimited). “Trial” versions of Basic and Pro products can be used to a maximum of 20 users. The trial versions are full-functional, the license is not time-limited and the servers can be used commercially.

The 2X version is a major redesign of the original server and is claimed to to be simpler to use, more versatile and offer higher performance than its predecessor. Current price is 750€ for 500 concurrent users though the server can be used with up to 100 users at no charge.

Installation is fairly straightforward though with Vista and Windows 7 it is best to avoid installation in C:/Program Files as you won’t be able to modify the configuration & example files without Administrator privileges. However choose a location on a local disk as the installer complains if you try to install on a network drive. Once installed you can set the server to run as a service (Basic and Pro versions only).

SmartFoxServer has a useful Admin Tool that enables you to start/halt the server, keep track of performance, manage zones, extensions and banned user lists.

Java and other APIs can be downloaded here:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/labs/API/

I installed the Java API, following these instructions:

http://www.smartfoxserver.com/docs/index.htm?http://www.smartfoxserver.com/docs/docPages/sfsPro/javaExtensions.htm

I also had to download nanoxml-2.2.3.jar from here:

http://www.codecase.cn/Code/Jar/MNOPQR/Downloadnanoxml223jar.htm

though was unable to find "it.gotoandplay.utils.net.xmlsocket" for the Java client code.