[Info-vax] OT: HP restricts firmware upgrades to only those on warranty.

[Paul Sture]

On 2014-02-08, JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot at vaxination.ca> wrote:
>> http://h30507.www3.hp.com/t5/Technical-Support-Services-Blog/Customers-for-life/ba-p/154423#.UvaOcPam-tU
> ##
> This week, HP announced that effective February 19, 2014, we will
> provide firmware updates through the HP Support Center only to customers
> with a valid warranty, Care Pack Service or support agreement.
> ##

This news has been around for a while and includes a clamp down on third
party maintainers.

<http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2013/12/23/hewlett_packard_support_clampdown/>

---- start quote ----
In a statement for The Register on Tuesday, HP said the change is a commitment
to support entitled customers, whether directly or through authorised
partners and follows industry practices of "protecting HP’s firmware and
software updates".

"Our competitors have entitlement controls on their downloads and our strategy
to protect the firmware aligns us with the industry," HP said.
---- end quote ----

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/23/hp_stops_firmware_updates_for_off_reservation_evas/>

<http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2014/02/04/hp_server_firmware_support_clamp_down/>

>
> In fairness, would it be fair to state that servers rarely get firmware
> upgrades after the first year when they have already been replaced by
> new models ?

This isn't just servers but storage as well.  Anyone wanting to upgrade
servers and keep their existing storage arrays will be affected.

--
Paul Sture