Linden Lab

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From time to time, incidents occur that our operations team needs to quickly fix in order to keep all of Second Life working well 24x7 for users around the world. How does the Linden Lab ops team collaborate to quickly tackle these incidents? Our VP of Operations and Platform Engineering, Landon McDowell (Landon Linden), has written a great description of an early experience he had with our approach as well as some thoughts on why it works so well. This is a bit outside the usual “Tools & Tech” topics for this blog, but we thought Second Life users familiar with how operations teams work would appreciate the inside look at our team’s approach: Two weeks into my tenure in the Operations group at Linden Lab I was confronted with my first major incident there. It was early afternoon, and I was well into a post-ramen food coma when alarms started popping off in IRC. All of our major charts were taking a header - logins, concurrency, etc. The call went out in #ops for hands, but I had already jumped in. This wasn’t my first rodeo. I was primed to hop onto a conference call or pile into a room to marshall a response. But that never happened. Instead, responders starting piping up in IRC with, “Hands.” Soon I was completely overwhelmed by a stream of text flying across my screen as engineers were reporting back and discussing findings. The problem was quickly narrowed down to a particular load balancer. I was barely into the box before an engineer chimed in, “It's running out of ports.” From there the resolution was straight-forward: some quick TCP tuning and adding another backend to the pool to quickly stabilize things before proceeding to long-term fixes. I, though, just sat there staring at the screen wondering what the hell had just happened, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. I thought I was a seasoned pro, but I had never ever seen an incident response go that smoothly or quickly. Panic started to set in. I was out of my league. In the day that followed, I was able to review the incident by reading the chat log, referred to as the scrollback. My confidence slowly began to rebuild. I stepped through the incident response line by line, server by server, action by action. After we completed the postmortem, I felt that with more practice and experience I could do this. I also realized, to the initiated, chat-centric incident response is far and away the best, most efficient method of handling outages. The speed of text communication is much faster. The average adult can read about twice as fast as they can listen. This effect is amplified with chat comms being multiplexed, meaning multiple speakers can talk intelligibly at the same time. With practice, a participant can even quickly understand multiple conversations interleaved in the same channel. The power of this cannot be overstated. In a room or on a conference call, there can only be one speaker at a time. During an outage when tensions are high this kind of order can be difficult to maintain. People naturally want to blurt out what they are seeing. There are methods of dealing with this, such as leader-designating speakers or “conch shell” type protocols. In practice though, what often prevails is what one of my vendors calls the “Mountain View Protocol,” where the loudest speaker is the one who’s heard. In text, responders are able to hop out of a conversation, focus on some investigation or action, hop back in, and quickly catch up due to the presence of scroll back. In verbal comms, responders check-out to do some work and lose track of the conversation resulting in a lot of repeating. Responders never all show up simultaneously. Often they have to be pulled in mid-incident. The power of the chat log really comes through here as latecomers get an automatic up-to-the-second sitrep. “Reading scrollback” is our standard entrance letting everyone know someone new has engaged and needs a minute to catch up. Even in cases when a quick briefing to a newcomer is necessary, one person can break off into a separate channel or in private message without having to disengage from the main conversation. Other kinds of text sidebars are of course useful in incident responses. For example, emotions run high during outages and occasionally you have to ask someone to cool their jets. This is done quickly and effectively in private chat message without embarrassing them in front of the rest of the team. At Linden Lab, we use a designated Incident Commander to orchestrate incident responses. Chat systems give an easy way to flag whoever is running the show by chat handle and/or in the channel topic. Anyone jumping in knows immediately who is in charge without having to distract the response team by asking. Running an incident response in a chat channel is also an incredibly effective way of passively disseminating information to a wide audience. A large number of people can quietly lurk in a chat channel unlike in a physical space. More formal status updates to various parties, like support, are of course sometimes necessary but enabling those parties to follow along in real time gives them context that would not otherwise be conveyed in a terse status report. As a final bonus, we are able to respond to a problem at peak efficiency regardless of where anyone is at that moment. Issues don’t wait for office hours to crop up. Being a distributed team, this is really our only option, but it rocks that being distributed is an advantage in incident response. The benefits of chat-based incident responses don’t end with the incident though. Having a detailed log of events is invaluable in conducting postmortems. People have a terrible memories, especially during high stress events. The log gives a history of events with precise times that could never be achieved by relying on responders' recollections. Likewise, the chat log for an incident is potent teaching tool. New hires can use them to learn about the particulars and eccentricities of systems in a way that is rarely captured in documentation or direct instruction. But in general, the log gives a remarkably clear picture of what went right and what went wrong in an incident response, letting the team better iterate and improve on their process over time. Chat-based incident response isn’t easy. It requires group discipline and commitment as it runs counter to our instincts about communication. It can be nerve-racking for newcomers to the practice. Not everyone can hack it. Extremely smart people can and do wash out from not being able to keep up. But when it works it is a wondrous thing to behold, a ballet in a war zone, beautiful, terrifying, and glorious.

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "The path home!" by ajinxie58. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

When was the last time you went on a journey or experienced something that changed the way you saw things? As with past editions, this week's installment of the Second Life Destination Guide Highlights may show you something you've never seen before. Relive Homer’s Odyssey through sculpture or stop ponder the thoughts and philosophies of a famed medicine man. Take a stroll through a quaint Japanese store, or explore the mysteries of a fae island. For you action lovers out there, visit a dark city where mythical creatures vie for dominance under a mysterious dome. Wherever your path takes you, share the experience on the Official Second Life Flickr Page. And for you creators out there, join the fun and share something amazing The Mad Flight Giovanna Cerise presents a Lost Town "Il folle volo" (The mad flight), a work loosely based on the figure of Odysseus, the inspiration of Homer, Dante and Joyce. Become Ulysses, discover the history, meet Polyphemus, the Sirens, Circe, and even be transported by the vortex in a madly historical flight. Visit in Second Life Black Elk The installation draws on the life and writings of Black Elk, a medicine man of the Oglala Lakota, born in 1863 and author of The Sacred Pipe and Black Elk Speaks. Come see this thought-provoking piece, beautifully executed and well worth visiting. Visit in Second Life Miyabi Welcome to Miyabi, founded in 2007. Miyabi is a wonderful store to find both casual and formal attire and accessories in traditional Japanese patterns. Please try to touch the lovely and beautiful Japan. Visit in Second Life The City of Spiritus Sancti Welcome to the dome-enclosed Spritus Sancti, a UCE-metered post apocalyptic dark combat/roleplay sim. Deviants and marauders roam the streets. Periodically the Dome attacks, creating inexplicable and often deadly phenomenon. The locals neither like nor trust outsiders, so beware, for nothing is as it seems! Visit in Second Life Twisted Hunt Welcome to the beginning of a new Twisted Era, welcome to the 12th bi-annual Twisted Hunt. Rewind the clock to see their true colors, scarlet veins to verdigris skies. This is your one and only chance to use all past Twisted colors and use past Twisted themes as your palette. Have fun, make history, and enjoy the hunt! Visit in Second Life Isle of Myrth The veil between faerie grows thin on the Isle of Myrth. Through the cracks in the veil, bits of faerieland have escaped. Visit these floating islands and castles nestled among a fairy forest packed with hidden places. Visit this enchanted isle and see some of the best fantasy creators on the grid in an immersive fantasy market and monthly street vendor fair. Or peruse the hangout spots and games to while away time with friends. Visit in Second Life

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Not gonna get us!" by Sniganna Dannitza. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

“A Clockwork Spiral” by Sonya Rothmanay If you love steampunk be sure to stop by A Clockwork Spiral - a shopping event that benefits the National Kidney Foundation and happens to be set on a dark Victorian setting complete with gears, planes, and all things steampunk. Designers have set out themed items marked with either 50% or 100% so you know how much of your purchase will be donated to the organization. Take in the sights and sounds and delve into an atmosphere of a world filled with steam-powered machinery and mechanical majesty. A few have already shared their clockwork adventures on our Official Flickr page - why not share yours? The event only lasts until October 1st, so plan to visit before it’s gone! “Steampowered Broomsticks” by Gia Nikai Juliesse

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Vintage Dolls" by ~*Pretty*~ . Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

We're saddened to share the news that former Linden Lab executive Joe Miller recently passed away. Joe was our VP of Platform and Technology Development from 2006 to 2010, and long-time Second Life Residents may fondly remember encountering his avatar, Joe Linden, as a friendly robot inworld. Joe Miller (via LinkedIn) and his Second Life avatar, Joe Linden (via Gianna Borgnine’s Flickr) Joe's work in his time at Linden Lab helped to dramatically improve Second Life and contributed to making the virtual world what it is today. Among his many contributions, Joe played a major role in the introduction of 3D voice to Second Life in 2007 - an incredibly powerful advancement that revolutionized how we can communicate inworld. Those of us who had the good fortune to work with Joe during his time at Linden Lab remember his wonderful combination of fierce intelligence, tremendous warmth, and great caring for his fellow Lindens, for Second Life, and for its Residents. We will miss him, and our thoughts and condolences are with Joe's family and friends in this time of great loss.

Second Life is home to all sorts of wild and fun entertainment. Role-playing, zombie survival, night clubs, and more are all waiting just the other side of the login screen. The Second Life Destination Guide is always happy to show you some of the best places to spend your virtual time, and this time, it’s all about dancing your worries away at some of Second Life’s music clubs. The look and mood of a club can be as distinct as an artist’s sound - and there are plenty of places to get your musical kicks inworld. There’s an intimate blues experience, loud tunes in the great wide open, an island retro amphitheater, and a gothic underground cathedral. To top it off, in this installment of the Destination Guide Highlights, we have clubs built in a futuristic glass pyramid, a chic chrome island, and a good ol’ fashion main street nightclub. Go on and get dancing, then show off those moves on the Official Second Life Flickr Page. If none of these places whet your obscure musical tastes, and you know some you think we should check out, be sure to share it for consideration in the Destination Guide. Let’s dance! Toby's Juke Joint Blues Club Toby’s Juke Joint, one of the oldest clubs in SL, offers a wide range of musical styles for all blues lovers. Modeled after an authentic bayou juke joint, the warm, friendly environment is a great place to dance, chat and meet friends old and new. The great mix of knowledgeable DJ's and live shows keep the blues alive 24-hours a day. Visit in Second Life Alabama Jack's Alabama Jack's is a place for all to meet old friends and make new ones. They've got dancing, DJ's, live performers and scenic views of Key Largo. Their lobster is the best on the grid, and their large assortment of beers leave little to be desired. Everyone is welcome in this friendly atmosphere, open 24/7. Visit in Second Life Club 108 Main Street This plush city venue redefines entertainment within the SecondLife club scene. Status and prestige await those that cross the velvet rope at Club 108 Main Street. A glamorous escape from traditional nightlife, Club 108 features large platforms for dancing, trendy décor and world class DJ's bringing pulse-pounding sounds. Come see the most dynamic nightlife destination around. Visit in Second Life Club End of Days Enter the world of the dark angels, if you dare! Hidden in a dark corner of cyberspace is a secret club where vampires and other nocturnal creatures party the nights away. Join live DJ's as they play various music from old-school goth to the latest cyber goth genres. Welcome to Club End of Days. Visit in Second Life GOL the 9th Famed across the grid as the top club for house music, the GOL series of clubs launches its most stylish venue so far. GOL the 9th is the place to go for cool clubbing and hot sounds. GOL is brought to you by the best DJ’s from across the world, so dress to impress and get ready to experience the most realistic club anywhere Visit in Second Life Dance Island Find live DJ performances and non-stop action at Dance Island. Visit in Second Life Club Retro Come hang out with the cool people at Club Retro, where live deejays play classic rock, hard rock, metal, punk and much more. Visit in Second Life

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "steamcraft" by . Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Paradiso" by [_Hin'A_]. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "What is that?" by Sparrow Michigan. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Hi Savannah, While we may not know specifics for groups that may or may not be active at this time, we do know that there is currently an event you might be interested in, where you should be able to find out more information about support groups and find others who might have some ideas. The Stand Up 2 Cancer event is happening right now. More information is here. While it is primarily a fundraising event, there may be some helpful people and information there for you. Best of luck finding your support group!

Stand Up 2 Cancer is a non-profit organization established to raise funds for cancer research and to help fund groundbreaking new treatment development. Inara Pey has written a very informative blog post about the organization and the event. While the entertainment industry plans to help raise awareness and funds by hosting a prime time event, Second Life musicians, venues, and artists are planning an inworld festival of music and fundraising in support of Stand Up 2 Cancer. SL Music Race for a Cure (an official Stand Up 2 Cancer fundraising team) kicks off today, and a full list of venues, performers and information is available at The Shore. Enjoy some live music and dancing, and contribute to a great cause.

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Allons-y!" by Sash Arabello. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "All the Little Things" by Carthalis Rossini. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

“Second Life is the perfect place for amputees to overcome emotional trauma by sharing stories and realizing they are not alone!” says Sandra L. Winkler, assistant professor at NOVA University in Florida, teaching occupational therapy. Sandra and her Virtual Health Adventures project are the subject of the latest episode of . She’s studying the use of Second Life both as a tool to help amputees and as a way for occupational therapy students (and anyone, really) to experience a body image with a prosthetic and empathize more closely with amputees.While the study is still in an early state, Sandra believes results show that virtual worlds offer a valuable platform to help facilitate a peer-network and offer emotional support to friends and families who are dealing with physical and emotional transitions. This study is just one example of how Second Life and virtual worlds can create a mutually positive exchange between people who may otherwise be unable to meet. Watch the video , or below:igl4X8vI0js Want to see more personal Second Life stories? Find all the previous episodes at Draxtor’s Website or below. The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 1: Kriss Lehmann The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 2: Jo Yardley The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 3: Eshi Otawara The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 4: Fantasy Faire / RFL The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 5: Engrama The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 7: Rod Humble The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 8: MadPea Games The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 9: Elie Spot The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 10: Robin Sojourner The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode11: Dwarfins The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 12: Ole Etzel The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 13: Creations for Parkinson's The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 14: Rose Borchovski The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 15: Scottius Polke The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 16: Feed a Smile The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 17: Zachh Barkley The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 18: Paradise Lost The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 19: Virtual Chemistry at Texas A&M The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 20: Flockers The Drax Files: World Makers - Episode 21: Editorial Clarity

What are your plans now that summer is winding down? Taking in the pumpkin spiced smell of everything as Fall beckons? Why not spend some time enjoying all the seasons that Second Life has to offer? Without further ado, come see some of the exciting new locations in the Second Life Destination Guide! Start by purifying yourself at a soothing cathedral, before diving into a dark and gloomy haunted carnival. Peruse a sunny auto show or make a splash at an enormous waterslide. If you meet anyone along the way, or just want to relax after all the sightseeing, drop in at an exclusively romantic ballroom. Whatever you do and create, be sure to share it with the rest of the grid, on the Destination Guide or the Official Second Life Flickr Page Lorena Monastery Lorena Monastery is a a monastery and church for those who seek a moment of peace and silence in a crazy life. Though built as a Catholic monastery, people from any religion seeking contemplation are welcome here. Light a candle at the Mary shrine. Visit in Second Life Halloween Drop It When you hear the banshee's cry, a person, high-bone, will die. A murder, quite often, is what fills the coffin. Then under the turf the bones will lie. Visit in Second Life Hot Bay City Nights Now in its third year, Hot Bay City Nights has hot roads and cool cars. Come see established vintage automobile designers in the Bay City Fairgrounds from August 23-30 as they present the best in vintage and retro vehicles for all avatars. Additional events provide plenty for all to do, including the crowning of 2014’s Miss Bay City and a number of charity car washes. The event will raise funds for Child’s Play, a charity that provides toys and games for children in hospitals around the world. Visit in Second Life Marathon Caye Lookout Point & Waterslide Welcome to the highest point at Marathon Caye. From here you can take in the breathtaking vistas or plunge down the 90-meter-tall custom-made water slide. Experience something truly unique and fun at Marathon Caye! Visit in Second Life Oceana Romantic Ballroom Come relax and dance your cares away in Oceana Romantic Ballroom. Oceana is a perfect getaway for lovers, with its formal ballroom and romantic spots. They've even got a mall to help you find that perfect gift. Visit in Second Life

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "More Car Wash Fun" by Stiv Braven. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, ""Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" by Leonah Beverly. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Don't Blink" by Darcy Larcy. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Last month, we announced a change to our policy on skill games in Second Life. The new Skill Gaming Policy establishes that skill games offering Linden Dollar payouts will be allowed in Second Life, but each game, its creator, its operator, and the region on which it is operated must be approved by Linden Lab. You can read more about the details of the policy in the FAQs. From the many applicants, we have since approved a number of Operators, Creators, and Skill Games, and the first Skill Gaming Regions will soon be appearing inworld (and in the Destination Guide). You can find the current list of approved participants, games, and regions on the wiki. We will continue to accept applications for Operators and Creators and will update the wiki as the list of approved participants and games grows. If you would like to apply, you can do so here. Remember: if you are not an approved* Creator or Operator, you must cease the creation, distribution, and operation of skill games (as defined in the Skill Gaming Policy) by September 1, 2014. So if you haven’t already removed any unapproved skill games from your Marketplace shop, for example, or haven’t yet ceased operating them inworld, now is the time to do so. From that date forward, operating and/or creating skill games with L$ payouts, among other criteria as specified in the Skill Gaming Policy, without Linden Lab approval (and/or outside of Skill Gaming Regions) will be subject to enforcement measures. If you live in a jurisdiction where skill gaming is permitted and you plan on playing these games in Skill Gaming Regions in Second Life, you should not need to do anything differently. However, adding payment information on file now is a good way to help ensure you’re able to play as soon as Skill Gaming Regions are live. *As noted in the FAQ, creators and operators whose applications are under review at the deadline may continue to operate skill games while their applications are reviewed, provided that they have submitted all required documentation and continue to promptly respond to any inquiries from Linden Lab.

For those who were unable to attend the live performance of DanCoyote Antonelli’s Avant Garden in San Francisco last week, there’s a chance to catch the live inworld performance, but it’s limited! Please join DC Spensley (DanCoyote) and the ZEROG SkyDancer at one of only two performances of the show in Second Life. If you’re interested in attending, contact Dancoyote Antonelli inworld to request an invitation.

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "[.069]" by Vix Yoshikawa. Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!

Check out the Second Life Pic of the Day, "Happy Birthday Loony" by . Don't forget to check out Second Life on Tumblr, Facebook and Google Plus!