KEY POINTS:
Popular VoIP (voice over IP) application Skype is back in business after a shaky few days.
Last week users found themselves unable to log on to the P2P (peer-to-peer) based network.
A statement from Skype says the network "became unstable and suffered a critical disruption" after massive numbers of its worldwide users restarted their machines at about the same time.
The vast number of computers rebooting within a short time frame was due to a routine set of Windows Update patches, which require a restart once installed.
"This caused a flood of log-in requests, which, combined with the lack of peer-to-peer network resources, prompted a chain reaction that had a critical impact," says Skype's Hearbeat blog.
The Skype network is normally able to 'self-heal' but the unique circumstances uncovered a previously unseen system bug.
Most users of the Skype client were unable to log in for two days.
"Skype has now identified and already introduced a number of improvements to its software to ensure that our users will not be similarly affected in the unlikely possibility of this combination of events recurring," said the blog.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
