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VMWare Bug Causes Major Headaches
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| Written by Mel Duvall |
Software bugs are all too common these days, but it’s not too often one threatens to bring down core enterprise systems and result in a personal apology from the software provider's chief executive.
That is exactly what happened to VMWare this week, when a bug in its ESX 3.5 software prevented virtual machines from powering on or leaving suspend mode. The bug also prevented administrators from migrating to the company’s VMotion software.
Such problems are a nightmare for any system administrator, but the very nature of virtualization compounds the problem. If a single server is used to host multiple virtual machines, then being unable to power up that server means multiple critical applications can be effected.
In a blog on the company’s Web site, Chief Executive Paul Maritz, who just took over the CEO post from Diane Greene on July 8, offered the following explanation for the glitch.
“Last night (evening of Aug. 11) we became aware of a code issue with the recently released update to ESX 3.5 and ESXi 3.5 (Update 2). When the time clock in a server running 3.5 or ESXi 3.5 Update 2 hits 12 a.m. on August 12, 2008, the released code causes the product license to expire. When an ESX or ESXi 3.5 server thinks its license has expired, the following can happen: Virtual machines that are powered off cannot be turned on; Virtual machines that have been suspended fail to leave suspend mode; and Virtual machines cannot be migrated using VMotion.”
The blog goes on to say that the issue was caused by a piece of code that was mistakenly left in the Update 2 release. It was originally designed to ensure that customers are running the generally supported version of the software.
Such a failure in quality control will be damaging to the company’s reputation. But at least Maritz, with only weeks on the job, is showing that he will be up front with customers. Maritz goes on to say the company is working to ensure such a glaring error doesn’t happen again.
“We have kicked off a comprehensive, in-depth review of our QA (quality assurance) and release processes, and will quickly make the needed changes,” he states.
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