What frequency should we expect for firmware updates in Endpoint Manager? It would be great if it could be less than 6 months from update request to updated firmware. For years now it has been like pulling teeth to get the Grandstream firmware updated in Endpoint Manager, and I am uncertain how to proceed.
When I first ran into issues with old firmware I was told that the FreePBX team does not proactively look for updates, but rather relies on customer requests, so I opened a case requesting for the firmware to be updated. In 2016, my request was fulfilled in under a month. In 2017, after 8 months and a bunch of hounding, the firmware was finally updated. In 2018, I submitted a request in July, which is now 7 months ago. A few days ago, someone else posted a comment on the case asking if there was progress, and it appeared that this was finally going to be updated. The case that I opened for my request as well as cases from two others with similar requests were consolidated into a single new case. Unfortunately, earlier today that case went from having an assignee to being unassigned, and I am now wondering if it will be another 8 months for this new case to get any attention.
At the very least I would love to have some of the friction removed for installing custom firmware. I opened a case in 2016 suggesting adding a Custom Firmware Upload Feature to the Endpoint Manager GUI, but this also has bounced between having an assignee and being unassigned; currently falling into the unassigned category.
I’m not sure what the answer is here, but the current situation is pretty frustrating. Perhaps support for each manufacturer’s firmware could become a separate paid module to help cover the administrative costs of incorporating firmware updates? Maybe the firmware could be updated on a fixed annual (or semi-annual) schedule, where each manufacturer gets updated during a particular month or months of the year?
Yes, I have done this in the past; as you say, not terribly difficult, but certainly annoying. And, I wouldn’t care as much if the included firmware were receiving reasonably frequent updates, as I would probably only use this functionality for testing new firmware, but not for Production firmware. We are currently at about 16 months and counting since the last firmware update in FreePBX, however, so this will soon be the only way that I am managing firmware.
They are working on updating firmware. It’s a big task as in the past we would test alot on the firmware for 3rd party phones which would take 2 months or more for all the models and brands. We have decided to stop testing and release since EPM doesn’t just update your phones firmware unless you put a firmware into a slot anymore. So we are going to try and release more often. I would hope to start seeing the main brands being updated in the next couple weeks.
@tim007 as I commented in the ticket you merely posted “sigh” into. Our QA and Engineering staff went through all Grandstream firmwares this week and bricked a GXP-1628 in the process. That means one of the firmwares from Grandstream had detrimental effects on a GXP-1628 device.
So when my staff asked me “Do we release this firmware bundle?” my only option was to say no to protect your assets whilst Sangoma ends up destroying it’s own simply to protect end users. The point of the firmware section in Endpoint Manager is to have a list of verified and quality assurance tested firmwares. We do not just throw firmwares in there without fully checking them out. I hope you’ll appreciate that as much as the team and I do.
Luckily, as others have said, Endpoint Manager allows you, as the Administrator, to upload custom firmware so you aren’t locked to a specific set.
As for grandstream and endpoint maanger all firmware releases are halted at this time.