🚀 go-pugleaf

In <273@cjg2.win-uk.net>, alan@cjg2.win-uk.net (Alan Talbot) writes:
>We look after several networks, mostly novell. My boss's approach to
>applying patches and fixes is "If it works, dont fix it", and he
>doesn't believe in applying any unless they are to cure specific
>problems with a particular network.

That *used* to be Novell's position also. About a year or year and a half
ago, they changed to "you should always have the latest patches and updates
installed".

>His argument is that the patches
>can introduce further problems and you risk screwing up a working
>network by altering it.

He's got a point, and I don't totally disagree with it, but do you want to
wait until you have a problem before fixing it? I don't.

>I'm not entirely convinced by this argument and I would be
>interested to hear what others think.

If you call Novell support, their first question will be "do you have the
latest patches and updates installed?", if you don't, that will be what
they tell you to do.

Personally, I'd rather have the fix installed for a known problem *before*
it bites me.


======================================================================

    The packet goes out the card, into the copper, out the router,
    onto the fiber, across the world, thru the copper............
    NOTHING BUT NET.

David Gersic                                           dgersic@niu.edu
Systems Programmer                        Northern Illinois University