Ksplice Offers No-Reboot Ubuntu Security Fixes
Linux: If you’re running a server, always-on media box or other system that’s powered by Ubuntu, you probably don’t love having to reboot just to install security updates. Ksplice, a semi-free service, eliminates the need for downtime.
Ksplice operates in way strikingly similar to Ubuntu’s built-in Update Manager, checking for the latest vulnerabilities and fixes posted by Linux system administrator and builders around the globe and pinging you when updates are available. The difference is that Ksplice makes the fixes without requiring you to reboot at all.
It’s a “semi-free” service because, unless you’re specfically running the latest edition of Ubuntu, the 9.04 release known as Jaunty Jackalope, you’re either out of luck or contacting Ksplice to cater their services to your system as a paid service. Regardless, for home server enthusiasts looking to maximise uptime, or server administrators willing to try out a clever updater, Ksplice is worth checking out.
Ksplice is free for users of Ubuntu 9.04 Linux only, but offered for any Linux-based system (and, potentially, other systems in the future).
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
Not for anything, but if you update anything that's not in the base kernel you don't need to reboot. That's one of the nice things about modularizing your kernel: You can unload and reload most of the driver bits as you need to without rebooting. You should never need to reboot for user-space programs in any Linux derivative. A simple kill/restart should be enough.
If you really need to not be down for the 20 or 30 seconds to reboot for kernel changes, you should be using redundant servers anyway. Hardware is never 100% reliable, so without it you'll get bit eventually.
WoodyInNY
@Khalil: It's not required for anything to be Open Source, nor free.
Personally I wouldn't use this as I have know way of knowing how it handles binaries already loaded into memory. Just swap it out and hope for the best? Nobody running a server from their house will require as close to 100% uptime as possible, just set a crontab to reboot at 4 AM or something...
Ronald Elliott
I think that I've only had to reboot to install an update once since I installed the official release of Jaunty (which I did on April 23rd, the day it was released). Most updates don't require a reboot.
zoomZAP
It's GPL code - so if you want to set it up for other systems, other versions of Ubuntu, you can adapt it. I imagine that one of the early adaptations will be to use the standard repositories, instead of Ksplice's servers.
Honestly, though, I think I'd rather just write a script to reboot automatically at a convenient time. If my service is so critical that I can't afford the time to reboot, I'm pretty sure I would be using redundant servers.
David Clark
@Khalil:
The basic license is GPLv2, so yes, the application is open source.
[www.ksplice.com]
They claim that they will keep it free for the latest version of Ubuntu, whatever that version might be.
GPL covers the software. The remaining terms outline the service agreement. Basically, they say:
1. "Anything that ksplice downloads for you could be subject to different terms"
2. "We retain our own trademarks"
3. "We will provide the service at our pleasure - not yours"
4. "We won't sell your info to spammers"
5. "Use it at your own risk - we accept no responsibility"
It looks like a fairly standard bit of legalese. I didn't see anything particularly malicious. (although I did only skim it...)
David Clark
Very cool, and a welcome software. I can sure use this on my boxee setup.
motang
Wait a minute.. its not open sourced? like wtf?
And so ends the Linux related articles drought
Ubuntu related tips are always welcome. Thanks.