topic Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink in Firewall and Security Management

To Blink vs To Not-Blink

D_Riddleberger — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:23:27 GMT

Everything I'm reading today says Blink packages are the best thing since sliced bread. Here's my dilemma. Beside the fact that blink packages take up to 2-3 times more disk space to download.

What if you go with the current R81.20 blink install package that contains the JHF-98 and that JHF is determined to be problematic at a later date (in sk183181) and there is a need to down-grade to a lower JHF?

Then, does the entire Blink R81.20 package with JHF-98 need to be completely un-installed and a clean install of R81.20 HF-92 performed? This seems like a lot of extra time, effort and downtime to revert for a lower JHF....

I am also not seeing a base R81.20 Non-Blink Clean Install and Upgrade package within cpuse anymore. Does this mean that once I have installed a base Blink package that I can never go back to a Non-Blink install? Barring without doing a usb install of course.

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:25:09 GMT

First off, very good title, made me laugh : - )

Anywho...let me tell you my personal opinion, for what its worth, and this is strictly based on my extensive lab testing and customer's experiences. So, yes, you are correct in all you had said and that is purely why I always recommend to every customer to do blink package WITHOUT jumbo and then install jumbo later, so jumbo alone can be easily uninstalled if need be.

Hope that makes sense.

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

D_Riddleberger — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:48:54 GMT

'the_rock'

Thanks for the feedback.

Can you point me in the right direction for downloading a blink package that does NOT contain the embedded JHF? Everything that I'm finding includes a JHF.

https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk120193

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:55:41 GMT

All those listed are without JHF.

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:08:11 GMT

Hey Dan, let us know if file for R81.20 works for you.

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

D_Riddleberger — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:53:40 GMT

Yes sir, will do. I'm doing some lab testing myself and will advise if any more questions come up.

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:07:42 GMT

Sounds good!

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 01:05:15 GMT

Hey Dan,

Hope you were able to figure this out?

Best,

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

D_Riddleberger — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:01:06 GMT

Hi Andy,

I think so. Like everything else, there can be a good time and a not so good time for certain things. Having available disk space for downloading and installing the blink packages seems like the biggest hurdle, especially if the system disk was under provisioned from the initial installation.

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:19:48 GMT

Thats true, just be careful what you delete, because if knock on wood the wrong files are gone, I feel like ONLY snapshot would help, not even backup might work in such scenario.

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:48:11 GMT

By the way, forgot to tell you, had a client do this this past weekend and they were able to use one of those images from the screenshot that we discussed, since they wanted to run it like that for few days before applying latest hotfix for R81.20

Andy

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

D_Riddleberger — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:25:10 GMT

Andy,

That is interesting, I would never run any base code without a JHF installed. I always thought running base code without any patches was taboo???

Re: To Blink vs To Not-Blink

the_rock — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:27:20 GMT

Well, it is, but they just want to give it couple days to make sure all is good before installing jumbo, thats all.

Andy