[atlas] ripe-atlas Digest, Vol 137, Issue 8

On 09/01/2023 11:32, ripe-atlas-request at ripe.net wrote:
> The hardware probes are fully managed by RIPE NCC, and their only purpose is to execute measurements. I agree here, whether to update is up to RIPE NCC.
> On software probes, RIPE NCC is not in control of the unit. The software probe may run other services and updating is up to its local sysadmin. Consider operating system updates, which are updated by RIPE NCC on the hardware probes, but cannot be updated on software probes.
> 
> To automatically update, the solution here is a simple CRON job which executes yum -q update atlasswprobe periodically (say once per day or so), which was the solution that was part of the RPM up to 5080. Would it help if we add this to the instructions?

One question perhaps is if a probe running very obsoleted probe code, is 
useful or perhaps at some time probes older than version 1234 should not 
be used for pool measurements?

For instance, release 2345 enables measurements on 240/12 while older 
releases, including release 2344, 240/12 is broken.
Then, having probes with software 2344 or lower will give bias on 
measurements for 240/12.

And for that reason I wonder if it makes sense to have a policy to 
"phase out" probes that are running obsoleted code, however well intended?

Geert Jan