H3C Technologies H3C SecPath F1000-E - Manual (Page 318)

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Hotfix Configuration
This chapter includes these sections:
• Hotfix Overview
• Hotfix Configuration Task List
• Displaying and Maintaining Hotfix
• Hotfix Configuration Examples
Hotfix Overview
Hotfix is a fast, cost-effective method to repair software defects of a device. Compared with another
method, software version upgrade, hotfix can upgrade the software without interrupting the running
services of the device. In other words, it can repair the software defects of the current version without
rebooting the device.
Basic Concepts in Hotfix
Patch and patch file
A patch, also called patch unit, is a package to fix software defects. Generally, patches are released as
patch files. A patch file may contain one or more patches for different defects. After loaded from the
storage medium to the memory patch area, each patch is assigned a unique number, which starts from
1, for identification, management and operation. For example, if a patch file has three patch units, they
will be numbered as 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
Incremental patch
Patches in a patch file are all incremental patches. An incremental patch means that the patch is
dependent on the previous patch units. For example, if a patch file has three patch units, patch 3 can be
running only after patch 1 and 2 take effect. You cannot run patch 3 separately.
Common patch and temporary patch
Patches fall into two types, common patches and temporary patches.
• Common patches are those formally released through the version release flow.
• Temporary patches are those not formally released through the version release flow, but temporarily
provided to solve the emergent problems.
The common patches always include the functions of the previous temporary patches, so as to replace
them. The patch type affects the patch loading process only: the system will delete all the temporary
patches before it loads the common patch.