Re: freebsd-update and arm64.aarch64 (rpi4)

tech-lists <tech-lists_at_zyxst.net> wrote on
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:45:15 +0000 :
> Hi,
> 
> Now that aarch64 is tier1, is freebsd-update expected
> to work (following 13-RELENG)? I've not seen anything
> yet confirming this.


Looks documented to me. But one has to find and follow
the definitions/reference-material.

There are places that reference having "binary security
and errata updates to FreeBSD" or such wording that do
not mention the tool(s) used for such. But . . .

https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/cutting-edge/ has a
"24.2 FreeBSD Update" section that reports:

QUOTE
Applying security patches in a timely manner and upgrading to a newer
release of an operating system are important aspects of ongoing system
administration. FreeBSD includes a utility called freebsd-update which
can be used to perform both these tasks.

This utility supports binary security and errata updates to FreeBSD,
without the need to manually compile and install the patch or a new
kernel. Binary updates are available for all architectures and releases
currently supported by the security team. The list of supported releases
and their estimated end-of-life dates are listed at
https://www.FreeBSD.org/security/ .

This utility also supports operating system upgrades to minor point
releases as well as upgrades to another release branch.
END QUOTE

(Admittedly, https://www.freebsd.org/releases/13.0R/installation/
makes no mention of arm64/aarch64 but mentions only i386 and
amd64. But there is material elsewhere that indicates arm64/aarch64
has such as of 13.0-RELEASE+,  given its Tier 1 status for
13.0-RELEASE+, see later below.)

So with that as context, there is . . .

https://docs.freebsd.org/en/articles/committers-guide/#archs
section 21.3. Tier 1: Fully-=Supported Archtectures that says,
in part:

QUOTE
The FreeBSD Project provides the following guarantees to consumers of
Tier 1 platforms:
. . .
	• Binary updates and source patches for Security Advisories and
Errata Notices will be provided for supported releases.
. . .
	• Binary updates and source patches for cross-platform Security
Advisories will typically be provided at the time of the announcement.
. . .
	• Official binary packages for third party software will be
provided by the ports team. For embedded architectures, these packages
may be cross-built from a different architecture.
. . .
	• Tier 1 platforms should be self-hosting either via the in-tree
toolchain or an external toolchain. If an external toolchain is required,
official binary packages for an external toolchain will be provided.
. . .
END QUOTE

(There are limitations for embedded/SmallBoard/Computer
issues like U-Boot or the like that are involved but are not
part of FreeBSD itself.)

https://www.freebsd.org/platforms/ lists "64-bit ARMv8 aarch64"
under "13.x Support Tier" as "Tier 1". So, under section 21.3.
Tier 1's material, the binary updates are supposed to be
available (and are in the usual way going forward).

There was also the material in Ed Maste's announcement:
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-announce/2021-April/002030.html

One thing that I've not seen explicit material for, that was
referenced in Ed's announcement, is:

QUOTE
We will also be suggesting one or more low-cost reference
platforms for FreeBSD/arm64.
END QUOTE

I've no clue where to find such suggestions.


===
Mark Millard
marklmi at yahoo.com