Question: What is factory binding? What are the advantages and disadvantages of factory binding?
Answer: Factory Binding: The vendor supplying the product prebinds the devices during the manufacturing process and ships them together in the same package. Therefore, when the user receives the product he can just begin using it without any other action required. Factory binding usually does not exist on its own. Another binding method is typically provided with the product to enable the factory bind process and also as a backup for the end user. It is also possible to have outgoing test software that preloads the necessary values into nonvolatile memory.
Advantages
■ Easiest method with highest chance of successful user
experience. True plug-and-play. It just works out of the box
■ Least risk of technical support calls, therefore smallest
support cost
■ No impact to power consumption in battery powered systems
Disadvantages
■ Risk of cross-binding on the manufacturing line
■ May require additional manufacturing steps, which adds
a small amount of time and cost
■ Not suitable for systems where additional devices can be
sold independent of the bridge
