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Intel-Avoton

Intel hardware is, generally speaking, extremely reliable. Every processor and chipset has some degree of bugs, but these bug rarely get critical flaws that jeopardize a product. Evidence is mounting, however, that Intel'due south C2000 server platform — that's the Avoton and Rangeley low-power server variants, all of which are based on Atom — have a serious flaw that's bricking hardware.

Cisco has released an advisory warning informing its customers of the following: "In some units, we accept seen the clock signal component dethrone over time. Although the Cisco products with this component are currently performing normally, we expect product failures to increase over the years, get-go after the unit has been in operation for approximately 18 months. Once the component has failed, the arrangement will stop functioning, volition not kicking, and is non recoverable. This component is besides used by other companies."

CiscoProducts

So how does this link dorsum to Intel, given that Cisco declined to name a vendor? Sharp-eyed boffins at The Register spotted an errata find Intel issued in Jan, 2017. Intel'south AVR54 reads:

Problem: The SoC LPC_CLKOUT0 and/or LPC_CLKOUT1 signals (Low Pin Count motorbus clock outputs) may stop functioning.

Implication: If the LPC clock(southward) stop operation the organisation will no longer be able to boot.

Workaround: A platform level change has been identified and may exist implemented equally a workaround for this erratum"

The problem appears to affect all current steppings of the C2000 production family. While a platform fix has been identified, many manufacturers are choosing to recall products altogether rather than apply it. Cisco has announced that information technology will proactively replace hardware that was withal under warranty or any other blazon of valid service contract as of November 2016. Hardware will be replaced whether it has already failed or not. Cisco isn't formally using the discussion "call up," but that's what this is.

Did Intel use NDAs to squash reporting?

ServeTheHome did some digging into the situation and plant multiple vendors willing to acknowledge being afflicted by the issue: Cisco, Netgate, QCT, and Supermicro all acknowledged the flaw — but non the cause.

ServeTheHome states that it has spoken to 8 separate vendors, none of whom were willing to acknowledge which supplier was responsible. Multiple vendors cited NDAs with their suppliers that prevented them from identifying the source. Not many companies have the clout to force multi-billion dollar corporations to kowtow to its desire for secrecy. Not many suppliers are in a position to dictate to their customers how they will and won't address a problem or speak to its cause. And of course, there's the fact that Intel only updated its own documentation to place exactly the problem in the C2000 family that eight split vendors (so far) have best-selling in their own products.

If you have Avoton or Rangeley hardware deployed for whatever reason, including as a component in embedded systems or networking hardware, we recommend contacting the vendor to make up one's mind whether replacement hardware is required or available.