blueirissoftware.com website down (2023.07.07)

[wittaj]

In one installation, we use a hardware NVR, name brand. During a thunderstorm, the NVR failed. Fortunately, I managed to figure out that the 5 volt regulator had failed and patch in an external 5 volt power supply. The camera network was down for 2 days before I could get it and fix it. If we had to order a new NVR, that would probably have added another day. What if your Blue Iris computer failed, do you have a hot spare? Perhaps this wake up call should address all potential points of failure.

Like someone said, Murphy is out there..... waiting.

It is why many of us have SD cards in the cams, and many run a bare bones NVR simply recording.

 

[fenderman]

I said this, verbatim:

And I also read the blog post on his website first before even coming to IPCT today. I was on the BI site grabbing information for a new deploy I'm proposing.


Maybe it didn't happen to you but there was still service degradation for potentially high-risk security systems for something entirely out of the system admin's control.


Of course, or else I wouldn't have used phrases like "I love BI" and "The BI developer has done a fantastic job of creating the application".


You're right, it is a competitively priced software, but the mentality of "the price is so low that it's exempt from criticism" so many hold about this software is absurd and unsafe, and is what the entirety of my post was about. The developer deserves to hear honest feedback, and potential customers certainly deserve to hear honest information about the product. Maybe someone who's looking to keep an eye on their house and the $27k motorcycle in the garage will look past the complaints, but someone who was considering it for deployment at a multi-million dollar facility will think twice about it. Both are perfectly reasonable when the conversation surrounding its pros/cons is honest.

Wait you are using blue iris in a "high risk" scenario? Stop making me laugh. Not happy with the response or changes, go use something else..lots of options out there.

 

[cyberwolf_uk]

Bit late to this party.. but my guess, which could be totally wrong is the following based on what I witnessed.

I run two systems in my location, the first one is the test box (this gets all the updates and the development) the second is my main system which is pretty locked down and doesn't get BI updates until I'm happy the test box ran for weeks without issues.

Now box one, on the day in question (Sat 8th I think) I ran a update check, within a second I got the evolution screen, I entered my extension key nothing, entered my original key back to normal then entered may extension key all good to where I was before

Now box two, didn't get anything and carried on working through all this fun.

From this and what I've read is it a case that everyone who had the issue ran an update check or restarted their system (which ran a check in the background maybe if not visible) it couldn't find the BI servers and came back with the evaluation screen.

Everyone who didn't get the issue, either didn't run a check or their systems couldn't reach the internet / BI server...

Just my thoughts and may be totally wrong.

 

[cyberwolf_uk]

And also if it my system was down for a number of days like some, Whilst it may be a inconvenience I wouldn't have bitched or said the developer needs to do this and that. Its a $50 program I purchased not 24/7 uptime + support!!
I have and had a backup in place 24hr recorded video to another system!
We all make mistakes maybe he did, I don't know the facts so can't say.. but I have made many and I'm a better person for it!

 

[ShopeCo]

Hi, newbie here who got hit with this. Just wanted to share an observation that when I did add my license and then my latest maintenance key, I was back up and running. I noticed in BI it now looks like the period for the maintenance agreement was reset for a whole year. It was to expire mid January 2024 and now shows it expiring 7/8/2024. If it's like this for everyone that had to do this... then they've already made some sort of remuneration for the issue possibly?

 

[Priority]

If it's like this for everyone that had to do this... then they've already made some sort of remuneration for the issue possibly?

Not for everyone. I have 3 BI licenses with current extended maintenance. Two systems are showing "extended" expiration dates and one is showing the maintenance expiring on its original date.

 

[TonyR]

If your perpetually-licensed security server can't talk to BI's server, you can have issues down the road if you continue to use the software long-term.....

FWIW, out of my 5 BI installs that did not flicker one bit during this issue, I have one v5 that hasn't been on the Internet for over 4 years that's till purring along....

 

[fenderman]

Risk is relative I suppose, some people would consider the safety of their family as high importance, while some manager of a massive bank may think otherwise.

I only use BI for personal security but recently considered it for corporate/industrial use, but there's virtually unlimited other options as well. BI was a strong contender but this situation has me concerned. Disaster recovery needs to be at the forefront of the minds of companies who provide services that are supposed to record hypothetical "disasters", regardless of the cost of their product. I'll happily hedge my bets on BI for personal use... Hell, I'll even extend my support plan by another year. But when im installing in industry, going with a security company that only recently shifted their focus to DR is a conscious choice you have to make and a big pill to swallow.

I think HGRDOG14 on the BI subreddit sums up my thoughts on the matter.
"While I understand... Failure-handling and backup are core capabilities which should have been taken into account. I'm not going to sit here and rub their noses in it, but I'm not sympathetic."

You should not be using BI for corporate use other than small business. You should be using an enterprise solution with failover and proper logging.
You should also not be using BI to secure your home, you should have an alarm system in place. What if your server failed? You dont install in the industry - That I know for a fact - dont make things up.

 

[TheWaterbug]

Now that the server(s) are back online, is there a recovery guide for installations that are showing Eval?

I checked the BI website and fb pages, and neither says anything more than, "It's fixed," by one of my installations is still in Eval mode.

I'd rather not flood Ken with email requests if there's some way I can fix this myself.

Also, I have 3 different emails from noreply@mycommerce.com, each with a subscription renewal and license key, presumably for the 3 sites that I manage. Is there any way for me to figure out which key is for which installation, without bothering Ken?

I don't want to put the wrong codes into the wrong systems and things up.

Ken, if you're reading this after the storm subsides, it might be good to include the System Name in the renewal email.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Now that the server(s) are back online, is there a recovery guide for installations that are showing Eval?

Enter the last support key you received

 

[looney2ns]

Now that the server(s) are back online, is there a recovery guide for installations that are showing Eval?

I checked the BI website and fb pages, and neither says anything more than, "It's fixed," by one of my installations is still in Eval mode.

I'd rather not flood Ken with email requests if there's some way I can fix this myself.

Also, I have 3 different emails from noreply@mycommerce.com, each with a subscription renewal and license key, presumably for the 3 sites that I manage. Is there any way for me to figure out which key is for which installation, without bothering Ken?

I don't want to put the wrong codes into the wrong systems and things up.

Ken, if you're reading this after the storm subsides, it might be good to include the System Name in the renewal email.

Ken does not read this forum, at all.
This is poor planning on the users part, if you don't know what key goes to which system.

 

[TheWaterbug]

Ken does not read this forum, at all.
This is poor planning on the users part, if you don't know what key goes to which system.

Yup. I just figured it out and made a list.

On the plus side, one of my 3 sites was out of support since March, and ordering the update today extends me through 7/12/24, so I got 4 months for free. I don't know if that's an intentional bonus from Ken, or whether that's just easier for him than looking up the actual anniversary, but it's a nice bonus.

 

[fenderman]

Yup. I just figured it out and made a list.

On the plus side, one of my 3 sites was out of support since March, and ordering the update today extends me through 7/12/24, so I got 4 months for free. I don't know if that's an intentional bonus from Ken, or whether that's just easier for him than looking up the actual anniversary, but it's a nice bonus.

This was always the case, unlike others who apply the support back to the date your previous support license expired.

 

[IAmATeaf]

As far as I understand the issue only affected people who purchased the product or extended support in the last year, I base this upon the official statement made.

So saying don’t check for updates might be a herring rouge as I’m sure BI performs a check in the background according to my logs.

 

[michele5353]

hello everyone, from what I understand the problem seems to have been restored, but I noticed that my blueiris goes into the evaluation version once a day and I have to enter the license again each time. I also noticed that it can't check for updates, so it's almost like it can't connect to the BlueIris servers

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Are you entering the last support key you received ?

 

[allgrind]

Hey, I also have the problem that my version has expired. That's not true, of course. Unfortunately, I don't have thelast support key at hand. But I do have my actual BlueIris code. What can i do?

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Hey, I also have the problem that my version has expired. That's not true, of course. Unfortunately, I don't have thelast support key at hand. But I do have my actual BlueIris code. What can i do?

Consider searching your inbox for 'blue iris' in the hopes of locating the email containing the last support key you purchased.

Contact blue iris support direct

 

[Coldair]

if he federal government can' keep their websites secure, what makes you think any site is truly secure

 

[TheWaterbug]

Consider searching your inbox for 'blue iris' in the hopes of locating the email containing the last support key you purchased.

Contact blue iris support direct

Or search for noreply@mycommerce.com