To get an ARK server running on Ubuntu (tested with Ubuntu Server 15.10) we need to start with the steam command shell:

apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get install lib32gcc1
reboot
useradd -m steam
su - steam
mkdir ~/steamcmd
cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
rm steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

We need to modifiy some limits for the ARK server:

echo "* soft nofile 100000" >> /etc/security/limits.conf
echo "* hard nofile 100000" >> /etc/security/limits.conf
echo "session required pam_limits.so" >> /etc/pam.d/common-session

Make sure the file limit is high enough:

sysctl fs.file-max

If it is not at least 100000 define it with (you can skip this if the value is already higher than 100000):

echo "fs.file-max=400574" >> /etc/sysctl.conf

Now install the ARK server with (make sure you are on user steam) (tool used from https://github.com/FezVrasta/ark-server-tools):

su - steam
curl -sL http://git.io/vtf5N | bash -s steam
logout
su - steam
arkmanager install

I changed some values in the arkmanager configfile:

~/.arkmanager.cfg

steamcmd_user="steam"
ark_SessionName="Idefix_Session"
ark_ServerPassword="password"
ark_ServerAdminPassword="verySecretPassword"

Firewall, ports used by ARK are all UDP:

iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 4242 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 7777:7778 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --dport 7777:7778 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 26900:26905 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 27015:27020 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --dport 27015:27020 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 27215 -j ACCEPT
iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --dport 32330 -j ACCEPT

To start the ARK server just type:

arkmanager start

If you have problem check the logfile:

tail -f /home/steam/logs/arktools/*

To do an automatic update edit crontab and add:

/etc/crontab

0       */1     *       *       *       steam   /home/steam/bin/arkmanager backup
0       */6     *       *       *       steam   /home/steam/bin/arkmanager update --warn --saveworld

To connect with the server right click on Steam Client the ARK (in Bibliothek) and select Eigenschaften. Click on „Startoptionen Festlegen…“ and type:

+connect IP-Address:27015 +password "password"