Beyond the Bench: Scaling Software Distribution for Hardware Companies

We recently hosted an exciting webinar exploring how enterprises can scale their software delivery for connected hardware products. From automated workflows to deployment strategies, we explored the practical challenges and solutions that hardware companies face when managing firmware updates at scale.

Meet the Experts

Our expert panel brought together leaders from both the platform and implementation side of software distribution to share their experiences and insights:

• Bill Brock - CEO @ Peridio
• Daniel Spofford - CTO @ Peridio
• Eric Loes - Head of Software @ Telly

Key Webinar Themes

Build vs. Buy

The webinar addressed a critical decision point for hardware companies: building firmware management in-house versus adopting a specialized platform.

Eric emphasized: "It's hard to sell to finance or your CEO why you need to invest engineering and resourcing into a reliable system to deploy."

Key considerations include:

• In-house solutions require 5-10 dedicated team members
• Basic AWS IoT implementation is quick but lacks production-ready features
• Hidden costs of maintaining infrastructure, security, and tooling
• Engineering resources better spent on product features than infrastructure

Updates Should Be Celebrated, Not Dreaded

One of the most compelling themes was treating firmware updates as a feature, not a burden. As Eric noted, "We want people to be excited about new features." Telly aims to make updates an engaging experience, similar to Tesla's approach, by:

• Automating release notes delivery
• Displaying what's new directly on the TV
• Using updates to guide users to new features
• Making the process smooth and reliable

The Hidden Complexity of Firmware Management

"Firmware update infrastructure is more or less a separate product line that needs maintaining," Eric emphasized. While it's tempting for companies to build in-house solutions, the complexity often gets underestimated:

• Requires dedicated engineering resources
• Needs robust failure handling
• Must support customer feedback processes
• Demands comprehensive monitoring and dashboards

Best Practices for Scaling Update Operations

1. Cohort Strategy
   • Use engineering cohorts for nightly builds
   • Progress through dog food testing to production
   • Control rollout percentages and timing
     
     
2. Process Management
   • Lock down side-loading to ensure everyone uses standard update path
   • Break large firmware into manageable chunks
   • Plan updates around user behavior (optimal timing: 5 minutes after TV shutdown)
     
     
3. Monitoring
   • Set clear KPIs (ie. 95% device update completion within 7 days)
   • Track both successful updates and failures
   • Monitor customer support channels and community feedback

As Eric concluded, "You're only as successful as getting your software out to your hardware." This underscores the critical nature of having a robust, reliable firmware update system for any hardware company scaling their operations.

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar here to learn more about automating workflows and scaling software delivery. Whether you're starting fresh or managing existing fleets, you'll discover practical insights for optimizing your firmware update strategy.