[Total OT] Trying to improve some numbers ...

[Eric Schultz]

lars wrote:
> A long uptime means that the machine hasn't been rebooted for a long
> time. If that time's longer than the time to the last patch that
> required a kernel recompilation and a reboot, it means the server is not
> patched. 
> Where's the point in advertising an unpatched machine?

Good afternoon...

Perhaps it means the OS doesn't need to be patched that frequently or 
has a patch mechanism that avoids reboots?  That's certainly worth 
advertising (if only were true).

The top machine has been running for almost 6 years on FreeBSD 3.3 which 
means the admin probably believes that "if it ain't broke, don't fix 
it."  I would also want to advertise the longevity of an OS.

(You might not like that last one if you're a hardware vendor :)

Also, a lot of work-arounds for security patches amount to "lock the 
front door."  So perhaps some systems don't need to be patched because 
they're administered so as not to require immediate patching/upgrading.

I had trouble finding any relative numbers on the website.  Individual 
machines had an Availability % figure; but I couldn't find anything by 
OS.  Also, I didn't see any pivots that broke-down OSes by usage or 
other crosstabs that would have been cool.

-- 
Headed for the second star to the right and straight on 'til morning...

   Eric Schultz
   (aka Storkman)

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