What is firmware and why update it?

Every electronic device that you see have two sides to it. The first is hardware that you can see and touch, and the second is software, which comprises the essential programs for your hardware. A software interface sits between the hardware and is essential for you to communicate with your device. Firmware is a type of software that is embedded into all electronic or hardware devices. Firmware controls how your device behaves and provides you with all your fancy, cool features and security.

We at Mace IT Services ensure that any device installed by us has the latest firmware so that our clients enjoy the best features and security they can. We highly recommend you to update the firmware on your hardware regularly or request a qualified engineer to do this for you.

There may be multiple layers of software on any electronic device: examples include firmware, Android OS and then mobile apps. Unlike software, we don’t use firmware to perform specific activities on devices. Instead, we use it for the main functions. Normally we know and understand how to update software and apps, but what about firmware? Firmware updates are occasionally needed to make sure your device operates the way it should, as bugs are fixed and programs are altered for consumer benefits. Every hardware manufacturer releases several firmware updates during the lifecycle of each product.

It's incredibly important that the firmware on each device is updated annually: not just for better performance but for increased security. Hackers are known to exploit the vulnerability of devices with outdated firmware.

Further reading on this topic is linked below.

https://www.reviversoft.com/blog/2012/12/updating-firmware-and-why-its-important/  

Company leaders must understand the value of updated and revised products. We highly recommend booking at either your existing IT company or with us, so a qualified engineer can come out and check and update your hardware devices. This is an onsite job, and we need a minimum of one hour in which we can update four devices. After this first hour, we will add 15 minutes for each device. 

Below is a list of potential devices you may own that need Firmware updates:

•  Modem and Router for internet connection
• Wireless Access Points, also for the internet
• All computers and servers
• All printing and scanning devices
• Cameras and security monitoring systems
• VOIP PBX systems and VOIP Phones
• Any other devices that are connected to the Internet directly