[Beowulf] cursed (and perhaps blessed) Intel microcode

[Mark Hahn]

Hi all,
You may have seen that Intel has an updated "guidance" doc 
on CPU microcode:

https://newsroom.intel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/03/microcode-update-guidance.pdf

Recall that in January, they released microcode for a number of models, 
then later told people not to use it.  we updated a big new cluster 
to the new 0xb000025 - and it's not causing problems,
but would like to get the new "production" version xb00002A 
mentioned in this document.  we have Broadwell EX chips 
(406f1 - aka 06-4f-01 or in linux terms, family 6, model 79, stepping 1)

There *is* an updated microcode data file:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/873/Processors
which seems to correspond to the document above.
But alas, it contains buggy 06-4f-01 microcode 0xb00002A.

Has anyone managed to get a clear idea of where things stand?
Attempting to engage Intel just got me a "I'll ask my boss whether
I can tell you about that" kind of response.

thanks,
Mark Hahn | SHARCnet Sysadmin | hahn at sharcnet.ca | http://www.sharcnet.ca
           | McMaster RHPCS    | hahn at mcmaster.ca | 905 525 9140 x24687
           | Compute/Calcul Canada                | http://www.computecanada.ca