Server maintenance (otherwise referred to as service maintenance, or simply maintenance) is a period in which the server is made unavailable to allow the technicians of the game publisher to undergo routine checks to the server files and hardware.
At times, server maintenance period may be used to update server contents. This require players to update their client files via a process called patching.
Typically, a period of scheduled server maintenance occurs every Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM (UTC+8), unless it is a rescheduled or an emergency maintenance. However, maintenance schedules may finish earlier than expected or be extended, with proper considerations done to the duration of Cash Items when the latter occurs. A generally longer time is allotted for maintenance and update if a patch is scheduled.
Trivia[]
In any online game, maintenance is a must to ensure that the server is in tip-top shape to receive players. Such maintenance often include backups of the player database, which can be devastating to both players and game publisher if mishandled. For instance, technical issues in Dragon Nest Europe servers leading to loss of data caused a widespread outrage despite some reimbursement and compensation.[1]