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02-04-2014, 04:40 PM #1Web Hosting Master
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HP to begin blocking access to firmware updates
Heads up to all who have HP servers not currently covered by warranty or support contract. Received from HP today:
"...starting in February 2014, Hewlett-Packard Company will change the way firmware updates and Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) on HP ProLiant server products are accessed. Select server firmware and SPP on these products will only be accessed through the HP Support Center to customers with an active support agreement, HP CarePack, or warranty linked to their HP Support Center User ID and for the specific products being updated."
So if your HP server needs a piece of firmware flashed but it's slipped out of warranty, you're out of luck.
FYI.
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02-04-2014, 04:47 PM #2Corporate Member
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H-WHO? Just kidding. But closing off access to updates for ILO etc for old hardware doesn't sound like a good idea at all (assuming HP's implementation of ILO is affected by this). These big companies love to fail to innovate and instead restrict/charge for access to basic updates, shake that money tree!
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02-04-2014, 07:56 PM #3Web Hosting Master
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12...ort_clampdown/ (HP clampdown on 'unauthorised' server fixing to start in January)
They are not the first vendor that does that, but still wonder if it is actually allowed what they are doing in all countries in which they operate.
E.g. I recall that car manufacturers are prevented by law here from requiring that you service your car at one of their official dealers, and are obligated to supply information and parts to independent ones.
Wonder if that does not also apply to other goods.Maxnet
Offering automated dedicated server provisioning software
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02-05-2014, 04:20 AM #4Web Hosting Guru
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Pay premium for server (vs supermicro for example) and dont have firmware updates....
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02-05-2014, 05:22 AM #5Web Hosting Master
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HP is (was) a premium server provided. But they've just opened the door for Supermicro to come and eat up even more of the service provider rack server market.
$100 says HP will reverse their decision within 2 years.Matthew Russell | Namecheap
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02-05-2014, 05:55 AM #6Web Hosting Master
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All it means is that it'll be about as hard to get HP updates as say, a Cisco firmware update without a contract, i.e. a Google search away.
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02-05-2014, 06:05 AM #7I route, therefore I am
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>HP
>2014
Hahaha, no.
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02-05-2014, 06:46 AM #8The VPS Specialist
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02-05-2014, 07:50 AM #9Web Hosting Guru
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02-05-2014, 11:25 AM #10Randy
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If anything, this is purposely designed to push away the smaller and focus solely on larger customers. Wonder if Dell is next?
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02-05-2014, 10:10 PM #11Web Hosting Master
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I'm also curious how far this will go. I have a number of out-of-warranty HP servers, as well as a few that still are. I did log in and make sure to register my warranties as a result of this announcement to make sure I have access on my newer models.
It does seem as though the firmwares will start leaking by grey markets (Google searches), which is obviously not preferred to HP direct. I don't like it, but it is their decision to make. Cisco made it this far without providing updates, I guess it didn't hurt them bad enough...
--ChrisThe Object Zone - Your Windows Server Specialists for more than twenty years - http://www.object-zone.net/
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02-05-2014, 11:20 PM #12Web Hosting Master
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Yeah, and that really concerns me because you never know WHAT you're getting with gray market firmware. Malware infecting at the BIOS level is trending up, and that's something you never get rid of. Reinstalling the OS doesn't touch the BIOS, and the BIOS malware protects itself against being flashed over.
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02-05-2014, 11:59 PM #13Aspiring Evangelist
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02-06-2014, 12:21 PM #14Randy
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02-06-2014, 02:12 PM #15Web Hosting Master
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HP says this is to protect customers from low-quality repair shops, but this is just a money-grab. HP servers are already premium-priced. Now they are blocking us from firmware updates other vendors still give out for free. Those of us who want to self-support can no longer do it, unless we pay big $$ to HP for extended warranties which we don't want or need.
Our SAN vendor gives free firmware updates for the life of the product.
Cisco gives "free for life" firmware updates on our 2960G top-of-rack switches.
Brand loyalty ends when "the brand" slams the door on its loyal customers. This gives us serious doubts how long we'll remain an all-HP company. For the first time in a decade, we're considering non-HP servers.
It's fine that free HARDWARE replacement is limited to the warranty term. But FIRMWARE updates should be offered for the life of the product.
Period.Last edited by Sekweta; 02-06-2014 at 02:16 PM.
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02-06-2014, 02:30 PM #16Web Hosting Guru
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As others mentioned they may be focusing on enterprise customers which will actual pay for updates etc..
Respectfully,
Mr. Terrence
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02-06-2014, 02:41 PM #17Web Hosting Master
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That's a dangerous move when bleeding finances.
Hardware has hard costs per-item, so warranty periods exist for a reason.
Firmware has hard costs for development, but the incremental costs of distributing to paid-support customers, versus all HP server owners, is negligible.
The "bad will" this will earn them, makes this a tragically stupid move for HP, at a time when they need every marketing advantage they can get.
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02-06-2014, 03:41 PM #18Newbie
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If we had HP products, and we were effected I suppose my reaction would depend on why, the firmware update was being released. If it was for a security fix, or to fix a known issue, and we were blocked I'd probably be raising hell. If it was to add features, and we didn't have a service plan, i wouldn't mind so much.
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02-06-2014, 07:27 PM #19Web Hosting Master
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02-07-2014, 12:54 PM #20Junior Guru
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I would be mighty pissed if I wasn't able to download the (years late) firmware updates for HP MicroServer Remote Access Cards. They are useless without the recent update (keep crashing). I grabbed a copy before they brought this into effect. Why the hell should I purchase a support contract for something that was broken from day 1?
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02-11-2014, 08:03 AM #21WHT Addict
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I like HP Servers any day, if needed HP would block access, this will effect price of all those servers in used market.
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02-11-2014, 08:42 AM #22Web Hosting Master
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02-11-2014, 10:00 PM #23Web Hosting Master
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They could though -- if the user was happy enough with their experience with a used machine, they may choose to begin buying new models or even recommend them to larger customers who are willing to pay new price for warranty, etc.
It's certainly more a "scraping the bottom" policy as those things are much less likely to result in big income versus say a top paid executive saying, "Weta Digital uses them, so they should work good for us..."
*sigh*
--ChrisThe Object Zone - Your Windows Server Specialists for more than twenty years - http://www.object-zone.net/
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02-13-2014, 08:23 AM #24Web Hosting Master
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I guess that upon hearing the uproars from HP users, HP has "adjusted" their policy regarding the upcoming "no contract, no firmware update!":
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02...ontract_rules/
namely,
Originally Posted by HP FAQ
HP sees "firmware updates" as part of warranty provision so that "out of warranty" equals "no updates" squarely bears in their minds.
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02-13-2014, 08:35 AM #25Web Hosting Evangelist
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Is that not in effect giving access to nearly all the firmware if you jump through hoops. It's pretty rare to have a new firmware update that does not include a security fix or twelve. Sure there is the corner case but for must this just makes getting the update a PITA and time consuming.
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