'Time Bomb' Takes Out Some VMWare Servers
Date : 14 Aug 2008 Category : Technology
NewsFactor NetworkVMware said the time bomb is from an errant snippet of code left over from test versions of the company's latest ESX update. It said the code's potential for disrupting IT systems only became evident when server clocks reached 12 AM on Tuesday.
"The released code causes the product license to expire," said CEO Paul Maritz. "We are doing everything in our power to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Early Expiration
The code was designed to ensure that customers would be running on the supported version of Update 2, Maritz said. "We failed in two areas: not disabling the code in the final release of Update 2 and not catching it in our quality-assurance process," he added.
VMware said the code issue will not affect virtual machines already up and running. However, when an ESX or ESXi 3.5 server thinks its license has expired, any powered-off virtual machine cannot be turned back on and suspended virtual machines will be unable to leave suspend mode, the company said.
VMware promotes its VMotion technology as a "zero downtime" solution for the migration of running virtual machines from one physical server to another. So it was highly ironic that when the clock ticked down to zero on systems running the affected update, any virtual machines running at the time could not be moved.
"Running virtual machines must be VMotioned onto ESX servers which either do not carry the original affected ESX 3.5 Upgrade 2 or which have been patched with the express...