On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 12:36 PM, T. Valent <tmp...@4ss.de> wrote: > Folks, yes, I appreciate your attempt to help a lot. And I really am on > your side if we're talking about "normal" machines. > > However, obviously nobody believes me when I say "For us there is no > reason to update to newer versions of OpenBSD yet. On the contrary, > maintenance is a lot easier for us if we try to keep all systems on the > same versions for as long as possible." I admit I could have been more > precise, but in the end that just doesn't have to do anything with the > question, it just explains what reasons I have to not update. So don't > let me waffle about why this is so. Just trust me, it is so. > > When it comes to "normal" servers, where I still have access via SSH or > console, I'm on your side like I said. The machines I'm talking about > are not within reach, neither physically, nor is there anything like SHH > or any other console to update the kernel and libraries. And they are in > larger numbers. Changing the kernel on all these machines gives us no > benefit at all on the technical side (because it's already perfect the > way it is with 4.3), while it would be a vast amount of work to contact > all customers, send them new versions on some HD and make them install > that. And off course I'd like to keep as many machines I roll out at the > same version, because diversification complicated future maintenance. > >> Don't be afraid of change. > > :-) I'm not. > > And you, don't be afraid of believing people who say they have their > reasons for doing things differently. > > However, I perfectly understand why updating is usually a good idea > whenever possible. > > In the end it seems like I have to give up the idea of keeping all > installations on the same level, it seems like I have create a complete > new platform (new motherboard type and new OpenBSD version) for all new > customers, just because I cannot find any compatible motherboard anymore. > > Thanks anyway! > > T.
Instead of wanting to run older OSs (for whatever reason on newer hardware) why not make sure that you only buy hardware that is a part of a long term stable system image project from XYZ vendor? Now whilst I think running older code is a bad idea in general, it thats what you need to do for whatever reason then stable hardware platforms are what you're looking for. All the systems I deploy are based on the AMD business class system image project and I recently replaced a whole system (bar HDD) with a completely brand new mobo/cpu etc. and NOTHING changed from the OS's perspective. Everything was EXACTLY as it was before, bar a 30%-ish performance increase. -- "Opportunity is most often missed by people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Alva Edison Inventor of 1093 patents, including: The light bulb, phonogram and motion pictures.