Looking for static servers? They’ve been replaced by Persistent Servers - single instances that keep their data between restarts and don’t auto-scale.
Understanding Groups
A group is a collection of servers that:- Share the same software (Paper, Velocity, etc.) and configuration
- Can automatically scale up or down based on player count
- Are deployed to your configured server hosts
- Inherit plugins, properties, and workflows from the group configuration
- Server Groups - Minecraft game servers (Spigot, Paper, Fabric, etc.)
- Proxy Groups - Load balancers that route players to servers (Velocity, BungeeCord)
Creating a Group
Navigate to Groups
Click Groups in the navigation to view your existing groups. Click the New Group button in the top right.
Configure Basics
- Name: Enter a unique name for your group (e.g., “Lobby”, “SkyWars”, “BungeeCord”)
- Type: Choose Server for game servers or Proxy for load balancers
- Activate on creation: Toggle on to start scaling immediately after creation
Select Software
- Software: Choose your server software (Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Fabric, Velocity, etc.)
- Version: Select the Minecraft/software version
- Custom URL: Alternatively, provide a direct download URL for custom server JARs
- Configurator: Select how your server should be configured (appears for Server type)
Set Resources
- Memory: Use a preset or set custom min/max memory allocation (in MB)
- Max Players: Maximum players allowed per server instance
Configure Scaling
- Scaling Mode:
- Slots - Scale based on available player slots
- Servers - Scale based on server count
- Min Servers: Minimum servers to keep running at all times
- Max Servers: Maximum servers allowed to scale up to
- Player Threshold: Percentage (0-100%) at which to trigger scaling
- Available Slots: Number of open slots to maintain across the group
Add Plugins (Optional)
Search and select plugins from Modrinth to automatically install on all servers in this group. You can also add plugins later in group settings.
Group Status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Healthy | Running normally, meeting minimum server requirements |
| Scaling | Currently scaling up to meet player demand |
| Down | No servers running - verify the group is activated, at least one server host is enabled in deployment settings, and hosts have available resources |
| Inactive | Group is deactivated - enable it in general settings |
| Disabled | Minimum servers set to 0 - increase min servers to start scaling |
Group Settings
General Settings
- Active Toggle: Enable or disable auto-scaling
- Memory: Adjust min/max memory allocation
- Max Players: Change player limit per server
- Tags: Add organizational tags for filtering
Scaling Settings
Fine-tune auto-scaling behavior:- Scaling Mode: Switch between Slots and Servers mode
- Server Limits: Adjust min/max server counts
- Player Threshold: When to trigger scaling (as decimal, e.g., 0.8 = 80%)
- Available Slots: Target number of open slots to maintain
- Idle Time: How long before scaling down idle servers (e.g., “3m”, “1h”)
Deployment Settings
Control where servers are deployed:- Toggle hosts on/off to allow or prevent deployment
- Drag to reorder priority (when some hosts are disabled)
- First host in the list is preferred for new server deployments
Blueprint Settings
Modify the underlying server template:- View current software and version
- Change configurator settings
- Edit JVM options and runtime arguments
Properties Settings
Add custom key-value properties to your group:- Properties are metadata you define for your own use
- Access them in your plugins via the Cloud API
- Available as environment variables on servers (prefixed with
SIMPLECLOUD_) - Use cases: game modes, map names, custom settings for your plugins
Workflows Settings
Automate tasks with workflows:- Manual Workflows: Trigger on demand
- On Start Workflows: Run when servers start
- On Stop Workflows: Run when servers stop
Plugins Settings
Manage plugins for the group:- Add plugins from Modrinth, GitHub, or direct URLs
- View installed plugins with source information
- Remove plugins from the group
Danger Zone
Permanently delete the group:- Removes the group and its configuration
- Does not delete running servers (stop them first)
- Requires confirmation by typing the group name
Troubleshooting
Servers stuck in QUEUED
Servers stuck in QUEUED
Symptom: Servers stay in QUEUED and never start.Cause: No serverhost available or has capacity.Solution:
- Check serverhost status:
sc status serverhost - Verify deployment settings allow at least one host
- Check host memory isn’t exhausted
- Review logs:
sc logs controller
Group shows Down status
Group shows Down status
Symptom: Group status is “Down” with no servers running.Cause: Group not configured to start servers.Solution:
- Enable the group (Active toggle in general settings)
- Set min servers to at least 1
- Enable at least one serverhost in deployment settings
- Verify host has enough free memory
Servers not scaling up
Servers not scaling up
Symptom: Players join but new servers don’t start.Cause: Scaling threshold not reached or max servers hit.Solution:
- Check scaling mode matches your needs (Slots vs Servers)
- Lower the threshold (default 0.8 = 80% full)
- Increase max servers limit
- Verify servers are reporting player counts
Servers scaling down too fast
Servers scaling down too fast
Symptom: Servers stop while players are online.Cause: Idle timeout too short or threshold misconfigured.Solution:
- Increase idle time (e.g., “5m” instead of “1m”)
- Raise the player threshold
- Increase min servers to keep a baseline
Servers stuck in PREPARING
Servers stuck in PREPARING
Symptom: Servers stay in PREPARING and never reach STARTING.Cause: Workflow failing during server setup.Solution:
- Check serverhost logs:
sc logs serverhost - Verify template directories exist
- Check disk space
- Test plugin downloads manually