Hello Bohemia Interactive Team,

I would like to suggest adding functionality that allows administrators to assign a Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT) to a dedicated DayZ server.

Currently, a dedicated server's identity and visibility can be closely tied to its network address. This can become problematic for server operators when the server's public IP address changes, for example when moving to a different hosting provider, changing infrastructure, or using a connection with a dynamic IP.

### Proposed functionality

Allow a dedicated DayZ server administrator to specify a Steam Game Server Login Token in the server configuration.

For example, this could be implemented through an appropriate configuration parameter such as:

steamGameServerLoginToken = "YOUR_TOKEN"

The exact configuration and implementation would, of course, be up to Bohemia Interactive.

The token could then be used to provide the dedicated server with a persistent Steam-based server identity, rather than relying exclusively on the server's IP address.

### Benefits for DayZ server operators

1. Persistent server identity

A GSLT could allow a server to maintain a consistent identity within Steam's server infrastructure even when its public IP address changes.

This would be particularly useful when:

* Moving a server to another host

* Changing dedicated-server providers

* Changing network infrastructure

* Using dynamic public IP addresses

* Recovering from hosting or network issues

2. Players would be less likely to lose the server from their Favorites

One major benefit would be improving the experience for players who have added a community server to their Steam/DayZ favorites.

If the server's public IP changes, players can currently lose access to the server because their saved favorite points to the old address.

With a persistent Steam server identity associated with a GSLT, the server could potentially remain identifiable as the same server even after an IP address change.

This could make server migrations and IP changes much less disruptive for established communities.

3. Easier server migrations

Community administrators could move their DayZ server from one machine or hosting provider to another without effectively creating a completely new server identity from the perspective of the Steam backend.

This would make infrastructure upgrades and provider changes much easier.

4. Better server management through Steam

Using Steam's existing Game Server Login Token infrastructure could provide a standardized way of authenticating dedicated servers with Steam's backend.

This could also help distinguish legitimate registered servers from incorrectly configured or unauthorized server instances.

5. Better long-term community stability

Many DayZ communities invest significant time building a player base around a particular server. Having a persistent server identity would make the server less dependent on its current IP address and hosting infrastructure.

A server could therefore maintain its identity when the underlying hardware, hosting provider, or public IP changes.

### Possible implementation

Ideally, the functionality could work similarly to other Steam-integrated dedicated games:

1. The administrator generates a Steam Game Server Login Token for the appropriate DayZ application.

2. The token is specified in the dedicated server configuration.

3. The DayZ server authenticates with Steam using the token.

4. Steam assigns/maintains the server's identity.

5. The server registers itself in the DayZ/Steam server browser using that identity.

6. If the server's IP address changes, the server can re-register its new network endpoint without being treated as an entirely different server.

The token should obviously remain private and should not be exposed to clients or displayed publicly.

### Additional benefit when combined with Steam Datagram Relay

This functionality could also work particularly well alongside Steam Datagram Relay (SDR) support.

A persistent Steam server identity combined with Steam-managed networking could provide dedicated DayZ servers with:

* More reliable server identification

* Easier server migrations

* Less dependence on a fixed public IP

* Better handling of network changes

* Improved connectivity for players

* Simplified administration for community server owners

### Feature Request

Would Bohemia Interactive consider adding Steam Game Server Login Token support to dedicated DayZ servers?

In particular, it would be very useful if the token could provide a persistent Steam server identity so that changing the server's public IP would not cause players to effectively lose the server from their favorites or cause the server to appear as a completely new server.

This would be a significant quality-of-life improvement for DayZ server administrators and established community servers.

Thank you for considering this feature request.

@nitrado