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Ksplice Uptrack frequently asked questions

What are the updates that Ksplice Uptrack delivers?

Ksplice Uptrack delivers important security and bug fixes that have been identified and corrected by Linux kernel developers, including the mainline Linux developers and your distribution’s developers. These updates fix well-understood problems that could expose your computer to attackers or cause other trouble. Only Ksplice makes it possible to apply these updates without the disruption of rebooting.

Do I still need to use my Linux distribution’s update manager to install updates?

Yes. Ksplice Uptrack provides security and stability fixes to the running Linux kernel, eliminating the need to restart your system to gain the benefits of new versions of Linux. You should still continue installing updates through your Linux distribution’s update manager.

Should I install new kernel packages if my system has Ksplice Uptrack?

It’s your choice. If you install a new kernel package, your system will run the new kernel the next time you boot your machine. If you don’t, Ksplice Uptrack will, during the boot process, automatically install the Ksplice updates you had installed before you shut down your computer, so that you stay up to date.

Can I configure Ksplice Uptrack to install updates automatically?

Yes; enable the autoinstall option in /etc/uptrack/uptrack.conf. (By default, updates will not be installed automatically, and you will be prompted when new updates are available if the GUI manager is installed.)

How long will Ksplice Uptrack for Ubuntu be freely supported?

Ksplice Uptrack for Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic is now available and will be freely supported for as long as Ubuntu Karmic is the newest version of Ubuntu.

Will Ksplice Uptrack work in my company’s virtualized infrastructure?

Yes! Ksplice works perfectly in VMware, Xen, Virtuozzo or any other virtualized environment. It works on both virtual machine hosts and guests, keeping your entire infrastructure secure.

  • For VirtualBox guests, you must currently make sure that “Enable VT-x/AMD-V” is turned on in your VM settings, to avoid triggering a VirtualBox bug. (Note that another bug in VirtualBox before 2.2.4 may cause this option to appear enabled when it is not. You may need to check your host BIOS settings.)
  • No special configuration is necessary for other virtualization software.
Does Ksplice work on a system that has closed source drivers loaded?

Yes, Ksplice works fine on systems with closed source drivers loaded. Ksplice cannot provide you with rebootless updates for your closed source drivers, but Ksplice can keep the rest of your kernel completely up to date.

How do I configure Ksplice Uptrack to use my company’s proxy server?

To configure Ksplice Uptrack to use a proxy server, edit /etc/uptrack/uptrack.conf and set the https_proxy option (in the [Network] section) to a value of the form [protocol://]host[:port].

Do I need to run a special or custom kernel to use Ksplice Uptrack?

Not at all. Ksplice Uptrack works with the unmodified stock kernels provided by your Linux distribution. Even the initial installation process is completely rebootless, so Ksplice Uptrack fits into your infrastructure with zero disruption.

Which Ubuntu kernel flavors does Ksplice Uptrack support?

We are now supporting all three main Ubuntu kernel flavors: generic, server, and virtual, on 32-bit and 64-bit PC-compatible (x86) systems.

Does Ksplice Uptrack support Kubuntu, Ubuntu Netbook Remix, and other Ubuntu variants or remixes?

Yes. All of these variants are built on the same core, including the same Linux kernel packages. Note that the automatic installer does not work well in KDE and some other desktop environments, so you may need to follow the server installation instructions. Once installed, the graphical Ksplice Uptrack manager will work in all desktop environments.

Can you show me a program to demonstrate some of the bugs fixed by Ksplice Uptrack updates?

Sure. For many of our updates that wouldn’t be very nice of us, though—the bugs they fix cause the system to lock up or lose data if they’re triggered. So here’s a demonstration for a relatively tame bug affecting Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty, “Performance regression in filesystem buffer code”. Run the following commands after installing Uptrack:

wget -O demo.c http://www.ksplice.com/uptrack/2009-06-demo.c
gcc demo.c -o demo
sudo uptrack-remove --all -y
./demo
sudo uptrack-upgrade -y
./demo

The program will tell you how fast your system performs certain file operations. The bug slows these operations down by approximately 30–50%. When you update with Ksplice Uptrack, your system works at full speed again. Note that this bug was fixed by Canonical in Ubuntu jaunty’s 2.6.28-15 kernel, so the update “Performance regression in filesystem buffer code” will only be available for older kernels.

What kinds of information do you collect from my computer?

To ensure that you get the latest updates that are right for your system, the Ksplice Uptrack software contacts our server system with limited information about your computer’s kernel, including the version number of the Linux kernel that you are running. Ksplice Uptrack also reports to us any errors encountered in the operating system kernel, to alert us in case one of our updates causes problems.

Does Ksplice Uptrack use cryptography?

Yes. All network traffic is encrypted, and all updates are cryptographically signed.

How can I remove updates from my system?

You can remove Ksplice Uptrack updates from your system using the command-line program uptrack-remove. For example, you can remove all Ksplice Uptrack updates from your system by typing the following at a command prompt and answering “y” when asked for confirmation:

sudo uptrack-remove --all
How do I tell what updates are installed? Does Ksplice Uptrack change the output of uname -a?

You can see what updates are installed by either double-clicking on the Uptrack Manager GUI and looking or by running:

sudo uptrack-show

Ksplice Uptrack does not currently change the output of uname -a.

I have a question or bug report for the developers. How should I contact them?

Please send email to devel@ksplice.com.

I’m interested in Ksplice Uptrack and want to learn everything about it. Where can I read more?

Great! There’s more information in our brochure (320 KB PDF), and for engineers we have a technical overview document. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

I want the benefits of Ksplice Uptrack for my company’s infrastructure. Can you support the distribution we use?

The Ksplice technology works with all Linux 2.6 kernels, with a track record going back to 2005. Fill out our early adopter form or contact us for more information on Ksplice Uptrack for your company.

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