Run Your Own Conquest of Azeroth Server in 5 Clicks: CoA Manager [2026]

By Indie Kings | October 2, 2026

Updated October 2, 2026: CoA Server Manager lets you install and run your own Conquest of Azeroth server on Windows with signed one click setup and a single Start Stop PLAY button. Plan for about 10GB for the server plus about 43GB for the game client before you start.

What CoA Server Manager Does

CoA Server Manager is a Windows app that installs and runs your own Conquest of Azeroth server with no console commands, config file edits, or database tools, per the Corfirean/coa-server-manager GitHub README.

The same README describes the stack as Tauri 2 plus Rust plus React, which keeps the app native on Windows while the interface stays familiar for players who only know the game client.

The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0, per the same README, so the license terms travel with the app and with redistribution of covered code.

The repository history shows 70 commits at the time of this writing, per the same README context, which signals an active early project rather than a finished commercial product [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

The scope matters here. This is private server tooling for the community around a discontinued Ascension realm called Conquest of Azeroth, not official Blizzard software and not connected to Blizzard support or Battle.net.

The pitch is simple. You install one Manager, you press one button to install the server, and you press PLAY to launch the game with the correct realmlist already set.

Status, uptime, and player counts appear in the same window, per the README, so you can see whether auth and world services are running without opening logs.

The verified headline features are one click signed and verified install with resume and per file checks, a server import option for an existing install, and a combined Start Stop PLAY control, per the same README.

PLAY launches the client with the right realmlist, per the same README, which removes the most common manual setup mistake on private servers.

Beyond the core loop, the README lists companion bots with levels and controls, a realmlist switcher with Solo and PTR examples, account management, a modules page, a bug report form, plain language settings, a worldserver console, and a player list.

The Manager also handles reachability checks, firewall rules, UPnP router discovery, LAN and direct connections, and private Tailscale play with guides and friend packages, per the same README.

The Manager self updates without touching your installed servers, per the same README, which keeps server data separate from app updates.

Interface languages listed in the README are English, Russian, German, French, and Spanish, which helps mixed region friend groups share one setup guide.

If you only remember one thing, remember this. The Manager is an installer, launcher, updater, backup tool, and multiplayer helper in one window, built so a player with no server experience can host a private Conquest of Azeroth realm.

What It Manages For You

The value of the Manager becomes clear when you list every chore it absorbs. Private AzerothCore servers normally require database setup, config edits, realmlist edits, client version matching, module handling, account creation, port forwarding, and manual backups.

The README presents the Manager as the layer that covers those chores with buttons and plain language settings instead of terminals and text files.

The table below maps each chore to the Manager feature that handles it, all per the same README.

Two details deserve emphasis because they prevent the failures that stop most first time hosts. First, resume and per file checks mean a dropped connection does not force a full restart of a large download [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Second, authenticated Ed25519 updates mean the Manager checks that server update files come from the expected signer before applying them, per the README, which reduces the risk of corrupt or tampered update packages.

Bot controls also matter more than they sound. A private server with one player can feel empty in group content, so companion bots with levels and controls let a solo host or a small friend group run dungeons and test encounters without recruiting a full roster [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

The realmlist switcher solves a related headache. Switching between Solo and PTR manually usually means editing text files and remembering which address is current, while the switcher keeps named examples in the interface, per the README.

Account management, the modules page, the worldserver console, and the player list round out daily admin. You create accounts, adjust modules, watch server output, and confirm who is connected, all from the same app [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

The bug report form and plain language settings lower the support burden for community hosts. Players can report issues from the app, and settings use readable labels instead of raw config keys, per the README.

Requirements And Disk Space

You need Windows, enough disk for both server and client, and your own Ascension game client files or room to download them through the Manager.

The README positions the tool as Windows private server tooling, so Windows is the supported host path and other systems should be treated as unverified [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Disk planning is the step most people skip. The server needs about 10GB and the client needs about 43GB, so reserve at least 53GB plus headroom for backups, updates, and extraction temp files [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

The table below breaks the footprint into pieces so you can plan drives and backup space before you click install.

A practical tip is to keep server and client on your fastest internal drive and keep backup copies on a second drive or external disk [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

That split protects you if a drive fills during extraction or if a backup restore needs a clean copy while the game folder is open.

Game data licensing also needs a clear note. The server is built from a public AzerothCore fork with matching source in manifests, while game data extracted from the Ascension client is not covered by the app license, per the README context.

In plain terms, the app license covers the Manager and server code path described in the manifests, but it does not give you rights to redistribute Blizzard or Ascension game assets [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Use your own client files, keep client downloads for personal private server use, and read the README license section before sharing folders with others.

Install In Five Steps

The whole process fits into five clicks and waits. Follow the steps in order and do not skip the backup step at the end, because the first backup is the one that saves you after a bad experiment.

1. Install the Manager on Windows. Get the Manager from the Releases page, run the Windows installer, and confirm the app opens to the main dashboard [NEEDS VERIFICATION]. Keep the default install path unless you have a reason to change it, and allow the firewall prompt if Windows asks, since the server and friend connections need local network access.
2. Run the one click server install or import your server. Choose the signed verified server install with resume and per file checks for a fresh setup, per the README, or choose the server import option if you already have a server folder. Wait for verification to report success before moving on, because a partial server folder causes confusing auth and world errors later. Confirm status shows installed and services report stopped or ready rather than missing [NEEDS VERIFICATION].
3. Point to your client or download it. Point the Manager at your existing client folder if you already have Ascension client files, or start the about 43GB verified and resumed download from inside the Manager, per the README. Do not mix client versions from other expansions or unofficial repacks, since mismatched data causes login and map errors [NEEDS VERIFICATION]. Let the check finish and confirm user files are preserved after any client repair or update.
4. Press PLAY, create your account, and log in. Press the Start Stop PLAY button, confirm status shows running with uptime counting and player count visible, then create your account in accounts management, per the README. PLAY should launch the client with the right realmlist already set, so you should not need to edit realmlist files by hand. If login fails, check that auth and world are both running, confirm the realmlist switcher shows the intended Solo or PTR entry, and restart through the Manager rather than launching the client directly [NEEDS VERIFICATION].
5. Back up, then invite friends. Create an on demand backup of characters, accounts, and settings, verify it, and confirm restore steps are clear before you change modules or open ports, per the README. Then run reachability checks, review firewall rules, try LAN or direct connection first, and use Tailscale private play guides and friend packages for remote friends, per the README. Keep the first backup untouched as your known good restore point while you test multiplayer.

If any step behaves differently from this guide, trust the README screens and labels in front of you and treat this article as the map rather than the exact button text [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

First time hosts should also resist changing modules, bot levels, and network settings all at once. Change one thing, confirm PLAY still works, back up again, and then move to the next change [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Image: Manager play screen. Credit: Corfirean via GitHub.

Client Setup And Updates

Client setup is where private servers usually lose new players, because the wrong build, the wrong realmlist, or a partial download produces errors that look like server bugs.

The Manager reduces that risk by treating the client as a managed object. You either point to your own copy or download about 43GB verified and resumed through the app, per the README.

Verification and resume matter at this size. A 43GB transfer can fail on home networks, and per file checks let the Manager re fetch only the damaged or missing pieces instead of restarting the whole client [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Self updating with user files preserved is the next key promise, per the README. The client can pull fixes and data changes without wiping your personal settings, macros, or interface choices.

In practice, you should still back up your interface and config folders before a large client update, even when preservation is promised, because addon and layout issues are easier to fix from a copy [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Realmlist handling is automatic when you use PLAY. The Manager launches the client with the correct address for the selected server, per the README, so Solo and PTR examples stay selectable instead of becoming text edits.

If you maintain more than one realm entry, name them clearly and test each one after switching. Confirm the login screen reaches the expected realm list before creating characters on it [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Version matching deserves one more warning. Keep the Manager, server, and client together as a set, and apply server updates and client updates in the order the app suggests rather than updating one side early [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

When something breaks after an update, check the worldserver console and player list first. Those views tell you whether the server itself started cleanly or whether the client is failing to reach it, per the README feature list.

Playing With Friends

Local solo play is the easy case. Internet multiplayer needs reachability, firewall permission, router traversal, and a connection method your friends can repeat without your help.

The Manager bundles those helpers. Reachability checks, firewall rules, UPnP router discovery, LAN, direct connections, Tailscale private play, guides, and friend packages are all listed in the README.

Start with the simplest path. Confirm solo PLAY works, confirm a second computer on the same LAN can reach the server, and only then expose anything to the internet [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Reachability checks tell you whether auth and world ports are visible from outside your machine, per the README, which saves hours of guessing about firewall versus router versus client address mistakes.

Firewall rules need attention on Windows because the server may run fine locally while remaining blocked for everyone else. Approve the requested rules, confirm whether your network is private or public, and re run the reachability check after each change [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

UPnP router discovery can open ports automatically on routers that support it, per the README, but UPnP behavior varies by model and firmware and some networks disable it [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

LAN and direct connections are the most predictable options when everyone is nearby or when you can share an address and port directly. They avoid third party networking layers and keep troubleshooting inside your own router settings [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Tailscale private play is the friendlier remote option described in the README. Everyone joins the same private network, you share guides and friend packages from the Manager, and friends connect without manual port forwarding [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Friend packages matter because they reduce setup support. Instead of walking every friend through downloads and addresses by chat, you hand them a prepared package plus the guide generated around your server [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

For safety, share only what friends need to connect, keep admin accounts separate from player accounts, and make a fresh backup before opening any external access [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Also set expectations about performance and uptime. A home Windows PC can host a small friend group well, but it is not a data center, so agree on play times, restart windows, and who can request a rollback [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Backups Updates And Rollback

Backups are the difference between a fun experiment and a lost realm. The Manager makes them routine by covering characters, accounts, and settings with on demand and pre update snapshots plus verify and restore, per the README.

Make three habits automatic. Back up before every update, back up before module or bot changes, and verify the backup right after creating it [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Pre update backups deserve special care because updates touch both code and data. If the update succeeds, the snapshot costs you a minute. If it fails, the snapshot is the realm [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Server updates use authenticated Ed25519 signatures with backups and rollback, per the README, so the update path checks file origin, keeps a fallback, and can return to the previous state.

Rollback is not an excuse to skip reading update notes. Check what changed, confirm whether modules or client files also need updates, and test Solo login before inviting friends back [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

The Manager self updates separately without touching your servers, per the README, which means an app update should not rewrite realms, characters, or settings.

Even so, take a server backup before a Manager self update when you have an active realm. The separation is designed to protect data, but a known good copy removes all doubt [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Store at least one backup outside the server folder, and keep the folder names dated so you know which copy matches which update [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Finally, test restores before you need them. A backup you have never restored is only a theory, so practice on a copy or a second import and confirm characters and settings return correctly [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Sources

The feature set, install flow, client handling, update model, backup scope, multiplayer helpers, language list, license, and scope in this guide are attributed to the Corfirean/coa-server-manager GitHub README.

Read the primary README at Corfirean/coa-server-manager GitHub README for install steps, feature names, license terms, and current screenshots.

Get installers and release notes from the Corfirean/coa-server-manager Releases page and match the Manager build to the release notes before installing.

Commit count, exact disk behavior on your PC, router UPnP results, Tailscale setup details, bot behavior in specific content, and module compatibility can change, so items marked [NEEDS VERIFICATION] should be rechecked against the live README and Releases page at install time.

FAQ

What is CoA Server Manager?
It is a Windows Tauri 2 plus Rust plus React app that installs, runs, updates, backs up, and launches Conquest of Azeroth private servers, per the Corfirean/coa-server-manager GitHub README.

How much disk space do I need?
Plan for about 10GB for the server plus about 43GB for the client, with extra room for backups and updates, per the same README with headroom marked [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Do I need server experience to use it?
No console, config file, or database tool experience is required for the standard flow, per the same README, because install, PLAY, accounts, settings, backups, and multiplayer use buttons and plain language screens.

How do friends join my server?
Use LAN or direct connection nearby, or Tailscale private play with guides and friend packages for remote players, plus reachability checks, firewall rules, and UPnP router discovery, per the same README.

What happens if an update breaks my realm?
Server updates keep backups and support rollback, and the Manager self updates without touching servers, per the same README, so restore the verified pre update backup and retest Solo login first.

Is this official Blizzard software?
No. This is community private server tooling for a discontinued Ascension Conquest of Azeroth realm, not official Blizzard software, and game data extracted from the Ascension client is not covered by the app license.

Bottom Line

CoA Server Manager earns its five click promise by turning server install, client setup, PLAY, backup, and friend invites into guided actions instead of manual server admin.

Reserve about 53GB minimum, follow the five steps in order, keep verified backups before every update, and use LAN first and Tailscale private play for remote friends.

Start from the Corfirean/coa-server-manager GitHub README and Releases page, match your Manager build to the current notes, and treat items marked [NEEDS VERIFICATION] as things to confirm on your own PC before game night.