HP Server Killer Firmware Update On the Loose 100
OffTheLip (636691) writes "According to a Customer Advisory released by HP and reported on by the Channel Register website, a recently released firmware update for the ubiquitous HP Proliant server line could disable the network capability of affected systems. Broadcom NICs in G2-G7 servers are identified as potentially vulnerable. The release date for the firmware was April 18 so expect the number of systems affected to go up. HP has not released the number of systems vulnerable to the update."
If it ain't broke... (Score:5, Insightful)
...don't flash it.
Do admins routinely flash firmware updates in the absence of some identified need? I could see flashing an update if I was suffering from a known problem, or if the vendor identified a security flaw in a previous release. I could see flashing it if necessary to install new hardware.
I just don't see why a server admin would flash a firmware update as if it were Patch Tuesday. In the absence of a security vulnerability or production issue there is no reason to treat a firmware change as an expedited change and not perform full testing before deploying it. That isn't to say that doing some testing of security patches/etc isn't wise - but I can see why it would get rushed.
Re:This would be why.. (Score:5, Insightful)
You don't flash firmware unless it is for an important issue. Or at least not until it has been out quite some time so that other people have done your testing for you.
Your advice isn't really a general solution if, in order for it to work for anyone, some people must not follow it.
Re:ITIL (Score:4, Insightful)
Unless the executives don't give you 'non-critical boxes' for every piece of infrastructure to test updates.
"Why do you need an additional SAN at $100k? We'll deal with that if it happens. It happened? It's all your fault!"