Manage firmware and configuration changes

Firmware and configuration are different

Firmware is the software installed on the miner that controls how it works. Configuration is the set of values and choices you give that software, such as pool addresses, worker names and the power profile. So updating firmware and changing a pool address are different operations, even if you do both in the same management interface.

Whether firmware is compatible depends on the exact hardware and the supported update path. Similar model names or a similar-looking case are not enough evidence. Use approved sources and documentation. A file name alone does not prove the file is genuine or right for the machine. If the publisher provides a way to check that the file is complete and unchanged, use it.

A change needs a comparison

A baseline records the state before a change: identity, firmware version, configuration and how the miner was performing. Acceptance criteria describe the result the change must achieve to count as a success. A rollback plan describes the approved way to undo the change if it fails. Together, these let other people understand and review the change.

If you change several settings at once, it is hard to tell which one caused the result. If output improves, you may not know which change mattered. Keep the change small, record the times and compare results taken under similar conditions. This makes it easier to separate the effect you wanted from normal ups and downs. A pilot is a small test group that gets a change first, so you can check the result before changing more equipment.

Prepare before changing anything

Record the installed firmware version, the approved configuration and the fault evidence. Confirm four things: the maintenance is authorized, how long the miner will be down, how you will recover it if the change fails, and who decides to stop. Protect passwords and other credentials in backups and tickets. If there is no compatible way to recover the miner, do not treat the change as a routine experiment.

Validate a small, representative change

Use the authorized maintenance process. Do not change firmware, pool configuration and power mode at the same time unless a documented procedure requires it. When the miner is back up, check its settings and confirm it is doing useful work. Before a wider rollout, test a small pilot group that matches the equipment you plan to change, and compare it with an unchanged group. A successful boot alone is not enough evidence.

Worked example: a pilot that cannot represent the fleet

A configuration change passes its test on two air-cooled units of one variant. The proposed rollout also includes another variant and hydro (liquid-cooled) equipment.

The pilot only tells you about the configuration it tested. Record which groups it did not cover, and get the right testing done before you expand. This is not an argument against change. It stops you from claiming evidence you do not have. For each approved group, record the version, profile, acceptance results and who owns the rollback.