The linode fiasco: Surprise deletion

[NetBreeze_net]

We are former Linode.com resellers, and have been working via their API for a couple of years, had dozens of installations with them. Before we started our partnersip, we asked in a ticket 2810338, if we may resell them, and they answered positively. Our account was supposed to hold virtual servers for our various customers.

Today morning we got a ticket 4385923 from their tech support engineer jmusbach (John M), with an ilicit content report. However, the ticket did not contain an actual abuse complaint, or any link to the content in question. They closed the ticket shortly afterwards. We asked for details - the text of the complaint, a link to the content - anything, so we could notify our customer and take steps to remove the content from our site. We got the following answer:

--------------------------------------------------
Hello,

I'm sorry about that! That ticket was opened in error.

Please let us know if there's anything else we can do for you. We'll be glad to help!

Regards,

John M
Linode Support
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We calmed down, and soon forgot about this case. But then, in a couple of hours, our customers noticed that their servers do not work anymore, and our accoount is not available. We promptly created another account, and asked them, what happened. It turns out, they removed our whole account, on ToS violation. Their ToS says following:

You agree that any of the below activities are considered prohibited usage and will result in immediate account suspension or cancellation without a refund and the possibility that Linode.com will impose fees; and/or pursue civil remedies without providing advance notice.
Misuse of System Resources: Intentional misuse of system resources, including but not limited to employing programs that consume excessive network capacity, CPU cycles, or disk IO.

So, that means, they may delete your account and your servers without warning or explaination on any issue. That was the case with us. Worse, not only did they remove our account without notification, they removed our account having said that it's alright, and we have nothing to worry about.

After we wrote them a ticket from our new account, they banned our company's whole network, so we couldn't write them an e-mail or even register a new account.

We voice-called their tech support. It turns out, that:

1) They reserve the right to remove any user data without any notification;
2) In fact, they are required to by the cmpany's policy;
3) They do not have any backup as a mistake insurace;
4) They banned our network automatically (or so they claim), and can not undo it;
5) They have nothing they can help us with.

Then they hung up.

So, if you use or even resell Linode services, be prepared for the fact that one day your data, and the data of your customers will disappear without a trace and without any means to restore it. And if you get too nosy with your questions, whey will quickly shut you up by blocking your whole network, so that they could work in peace.

[net]

Oh, that is bad. I hope you do have a remote backup.

Seems like they mistakenly delete it and point you to TOS instead. Clever.

[starline]

Oh, that is bad. I hope you do have a remote backup.

Seems like they mistakenly delete it and point you to TOS instead. Clever.

Very true. It seems they are only trying to cover up their mistake with TOS.

[anderst]

Very true. It seems they are only trying to cover up their mistake with TOS.

Are we talking about the same TOS? While it states that for account suspension "[p]rior notification to the Customer is not assured", it also says that "Linode.com will use reasonable care in notifying the Customer and in resolving the problem in a method resulting in the least amount of service interference". What the OP described here is clearly against the TOS as no care has been used to notify the customer; in fact, quite the contrary, in the only notification the customer received it was clearly stated that the notification was sent in err, which led the customer believe that everything is alright.

[AcheronMedia-VK]

Their support is the biggest paradox I've ever seen in this industry. The sub-minute replies to tickets that everyone is praising is just a bunch of canned responses with nobody really looking into the problem unless you keep pestering them about it. If you take a look, for example, at the two security incidents they've had in the past few years, they all started with a client having to struggle through a wave of canned responses until someone at Linode figured out something was really worth their attention... (and those incidents per se were handled badly - Linode said nothing until the cat was out of the bag by the intruders themselves bragging).

So bottom line, this "fiasco" with account deletion would not surprise me at all. I used to recommend them years ago. Not any more, since we left them.

[NetBreeze_net]

They deleted our second account as well, and I can't really understand, why. Is that because we opened a ticket from it?

[tk-hassan]

i am really surprised that with such unprofessional attitude how they are sill in the business?

[Nnyan]

This certainly is not the Linode that I used, but it has been a few years and things can change. Hopefully we'll hear from Linode to hear their side to this (as there are always two sides).

[WireNine]

Ouch! Hopefully you kept backups! How many servers did you have with them?

[jesin]

This very much surprises me, how do companies like WPEngine and Websysthesis use them at this state.

I don't think they have a rep here, start a topic at their forum assuming they haven't banned your IP there. Looks like you already did that - https://forum.linode.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11678

And out of curiosity what were your customers using those VPS for? Were they managed or unmanaged?

[JoseDieguez]

Any update on this? is very risky that they delete the plans like that...

[jesin]

Any update on this? is very risky that they delete the plans like that...

Did you check the Linode forum thread (created by OP) in my post? It seems OP did something bad but Linode isn't revealing much details.

Does a customer making their side public imply it's ok for us to make our side public? I assure you, it won't be good for them.

-Chris

[Licensecart-Mike]

Wow how un-professional are they with that...

[JoseDieguez]

Did you check the Linode forum thread (created by OP) in my post? It seems OP did something bad but Linode isn't revealing much details.

That's exactly what i am reading right now.

I have seen only good feedback for linode, and i had them as an option, i would really like to see the other face of the story.

[Nnyan]

Wow how un-professional are they with that...

I always find that making these types of snap judgements without hearing BOTH sides of the story tend to be premature on these forums.

[Nnyan]

Did you check the Linode forum thread (created by OP) in my post? It seems OP did something bad but Linode isn't revealing much details.

I am sure they are gathering the appropriate information to back up their side of the story.

[Andei]

I am sure they are gathering the appropriate information to back up their side of the story.

Blocking their new account, and banning their network, aka killing any means of communication with the client should not be done no matter which side is to blame.

Unless the client is spamming their help desk I believe there's no call for such drastic measures.

Even if they did indeed delete it by mistake, or if the client was critically violating their TOS and had to be suspended/terminated right away, keep the chat channel open and explain things, apologize if it was your fault, at least be decent.

But that's just my opinion.

[vpsville]

its difficult to say whats going on without hearing both sides of the story, but it is odd you haven't heard from them about what the issue was.

Maybe a short email to Linode asking for an explanation of where specifically the TOS was violated would result in a more productive reply? They definitely owe you that.

[AcheronMedia-VK]

Good luck waiting for Linode to say anything.

[ioerror]

Blocking their new account, and banning their network, aka killing any means of communication with the client should not be done no matter which side is to blame.

Unless the client is spamming their help desk I believe there's no call for such drastic measures.

Even if they did indeed delete it by mistake, or if the client was critically violating their TOS and had to be suspended/terminated right away, keep the chat channel open and explain things, apologize if it was your fault, at least be decent.

But that's just my opinion.

Linode has been in the game for a long time, I'm sure they had a valid reason.