
Microsoft to make Windows Server Meltdown/Spectre patches optional, recommended - AaronFriel
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4072698/windows-server-guidance-to-protect-against-the-speculative-execution
======
AaronFriel
I'm posting this because there has been a great deal of - hm, what's the
opposite of FUD? - shall we say fearlessness, ambivalence, and trust (FAT) in
operating system vendors about the performance impact of Meltdown and Spectre.

This fearlessness, ambivalence, and trust is unearned. The performance costs
are significant enough that Microsoft is recommending these patches for many,
but not all server use cases. The performance impact on high network and disk
IO devices in particular will be significant.

I've been very disappointed in the response from operating system vendors
which has been misleading. These patches are _absolutely necessary_ for most
(if not all) servers, but vendors are downplaying the performance impact which
will affect compute budgets going forward for many years.

~~~
JdeBP
I have already opined that the situation with Windows NT is underreported.

* [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16086785](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16086785)

