Our firmware consists of multiple components. The first part of each piece of firmware is of course the bootloader that is specific to the processor and its internal function. Aside from the bootloader, the firmware consists of the core OS or kernel, and all necessary APIs and DLLs. Enumeration and memory checkers make up the next pieces. We use FreeBSD as the target OS for all of our embedded processors. FreeBSD runs our RAID and ZFS accelerators as well as all of the filtering NIC functions, similar to pfSense and opnSense, including SNORT IPS and SQUID/SQUIDGUARD. In essence, the firmware enables our mass storage accelerators and the DPU-like smart NIC functions, with advanced and secure DMA and RDMA functions enabled for both. It is also the foundation for our Resilient Secure Boot/RSB™ processor firmware and all cryptographic, authentication and firmware update utilities. All of these components make up our firmware.

As we have pledged before, we will make all firmware updates available free of charge for the life of the product. A firmware update is defined as a modification of the firmware that retains its original scope of functions and features but does not expand on either. In general, firmware updates can be compared to bugfixes. If you need an additional set of features or functions you will need a firmware upgrade if the application software cannot deliver the required additional function and feature set. A firmware upgrade will expand on the features and functions of the firmware. Firmware upgrades are not free of charge, not even with a maintenance contract.

All firmware updates and upgrades are signed by us and therefore can be fully authenticated by the firmware update and upgrade tools of our processors. If you receive an unsigned firmware update or upgrade, it cannot be authenticated by the processor and its tools, and it cannot be installed.

This page will contain a link set to our own internal repository for our firmware, and to all external entities we use to mirror that repository.

All of our processors as protected by our Assured Firmware Integrity/AFI™, Resilient Secure Boot/RSB™ and Protected Shadow ROM/PSR™ technologies. The firmware is an integral part of these hardware-supported built-in features. Together, they enable the design of a High Availability system that does not need to be shut down and restarted for an update or upgrade to the firmware, the OS kernel or any of the kernel-mode drivers.