Code Own Socket Server or Use Red5/ElectroServer on Amazon EC2?

Question

I've been thinking for a long time about working on a multiplayer game in Flash. I need updates frequently enough that ajax requests won't work so I need to use a socket server.

The system will eventually have enough objects/players that I would consider it an MMO. I would like to set up a scalable system on Amazon's EC2. (Which probably effects my choice of server) This architecture would hopefully allow the game to grow without many changes over time. (Using a domain decomposition technique or something similar)

Heres my internal debate:

Should I

a. Code my own socket server in C++ or Java?

b. Use the free and open source Red5 socket server for Flash?

or

c. Pay the licensing fees and go for Electroserver?

I consider myself a decent developer, but am at an impasse as to what road to go down. I'm not sure if I, could develop/would need, the features of one of the prepackaged socket servers.

I'm also not sure if the prepackaged servers would work well in an Amazon EC2 environment and take full advantage of its features.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I believe, your own socket server or red5 will work well on Amazon EC2 platform.:)

Answer 2

If you do decide to code your own server - rather than C++/Java, you might want to consider using the Twisted network library. It's written in Python, but Python isn't hard to learn (and you don't need much to make Twisted calls). And according to one Success Story, they had no problem implementing a RESTful service using Twisted on Amazon's EC2.