5940 firmware US or not

[pnobels]

Hi,

i'm preparing a firmware upgrade for a bunch of 

HPE FF 5940 48SFP+ 6QSFP28 Switch

The firmware download page gives me the option to use the 2610-US version.  A non-US version is in early availability.

The release notes imply that i can upgrade from 2510P02 to 2610-US.  But i can't find any explanation what the US stands for, except 'software built in the united states'.  The size of a US and non-US version firmware is also different.

So my options are to install the 2610-US or 2609 (non US then).   Is it safe the use the US version coming from 2510P02?  What is the difference between US and non-US versions...?

[HP-Browniee]

Hello

One is made in China the other is made in the US. I think the US has some trust issues, so they make their own version.

I don't think the differences are that big, but you can always compare the release notes , if you want to know it exacly.

Kind regards

[Apachez-]

Given the Snowden-docs you should be careful of anything compiled on US soil.

But yeah its mainly a publicity stunt where govs in US are forbidden and/or discouraged from using chinese gear however most hardware (and software) is manufactured and/or compiled in China today (either totally or in part as in propertiary drivers and whatelse).

So by getting the sourcecode and formally compile the very same code but in a computer within US borders the govs have their asses covered since they are (on paper) using software compiled in USA and not in China.

The downside is that the compile doesnt seems to be reproducable as more and more for example linux distributions are gearing towards (part of assurance - if I get the sourcecode from you and compile it using the same compiler and libraries (versions) I should get the exact same output otherwise the sourcecode you provided differs from the one used to compile the binaries you provide). That is in a perfect world the US and the non US version, unless changed features (like available cipher suites and whatelse), of a particular firmware version should give the same sha256 (or whatever hashalgo you prefer) output.

So in short do you prefer the Chinese or the USA backdoors? ;-)