Oracle Restricts Access To Sun Firmware Downloads

[Mike]

Oracle Restricts Access To Sun Firmware Downloads

Sun users: You can expect trouble in downloading firmware updates for your Sun server if you purchased it before March 16, 2010.

Boer Lee wrote "In a somewhat surprising move (and without any notification to customers), Oracle shut down public access to firmware downloads. I learned this the hard way when I contacted Oracle customer service almost two weeks ago. Yes, it took 13 days for me to get access to the firmware download for systems under the standard warranty (i.e. less than a year old)."

According to Oracle, systems sold before that date come with the 'old' Sun warranty, while the ones after have the 'Oracle Global Warranty'. The two don't mix and the old systems require 'opening a formal service case' to get the firmware that they're entitled to.

Oracle has sent this email to various customers by way of explanation:
Hello,

As of April 5th customers now need either hardware warranty or a 'system' level contract to download firmware, drivers, etc from either SunSolve or the Download Center.

Sincerely,
Sun Web Team
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Note that March 16th was the date Oracle changed its hardware support policy.