Factory, Beta or Alpha?

There are three categories of software releases available - Factory, Beta and Alpha.

These categories reflect the amount of testing done - releases normally start life as an alpha, then after initial alpha testing are converted to a beta. As a beta they are subjected to further testing, both by ourselves and by customers in the field. If, after beta testing, a release is stable, we will promote it to a factory release. If during testing we find a problem, we may choose to withdraw that release, or promote a later release.

Factory releases have been tested extensively, both by us and by test users, and have been stable for some time as a beta release. We recommend upgrading all FireBricks to the latest factory release when convenient. FB2500, FB2700 and FB2900 models will automatically upgrade to the latest factory release, unless you change the default "sw-update" setting in the config.

Beta releases have been through alpha testing to eliminate obvious bugs, and are generally stable. They are available to all users, should you wish to try a new feature or bug-fix before it is available as a factory release, and are willing to take the risk. FireBrick dealer technical support may also ask you to try a new beta to fix a problem. However, when running a beta, we suggest you keep an eye on our software downloads page, in case the beta you are using is withdrawn, or a subsequent beta release with relevant bug fixes is made available. When a beta release has had sufficient testing, it is normally promoted to factory release, or withdrawn if any serious problems are found.

Alpha releases are only for use by designated alpha testers, who are members of staff or customers closely involved in developing and debugging new features. Alpha releases may have had little or no testing, so there is a significant risk of bugs. If you would like to get involved in alpha testing, please contact your dealer.

Upgrade Instructions

To install new software you need to load two files:

• a FireBrick Software file (with extension .F)
• a User Interface file (with extension .WEN)

Log in to your FireBrick administration pages, select Setup and then Upload/Restore, and select the FireBrick Software file you downloaded. This will take up to a minute to load, after which you are prompted to load the user interface. Select the User Interface file requested. This will take up to a minute, and then your FireBrick will be ready to use again.