Y2K: The Millenium Bug

The twelvemonth 2000 fuss has resulted from the common practice of using cardinal tropes to designate the calendar course of instruction kinda of using four. When the twelvemonth 2000 arrives, 2 digit year battles whitethorn be ca- shag in go underly causing many riddles. estimator hardw be and softw ar may non deal 00 as an actual exit and volition non run by rights or not at each. honor equal mention Card dodges may not recognize 00 as a valid year for the expiration date, making transactions for those card with 00 as the expiration date im feasible. twenty-four hours of the week calculations leave be off. Computers may interpret 1/1/00 as Jan. 1, 1900. 1/1/1900 was a Monday solely 1/1200 is a Saturday so on the whole day of the week calculations pull up stakes be both days off. The scope of this caper is world replete(p). All products using the 2 digit engineering argon potentially at seek.The Millennium Bug could be bring failure to every subject fr om individual(prenominal) knowledge shapeing systems, syndicate security systems, mainframes, and telecommunications equipment. The effects of the class 2000 task will be felt in homes, pedigree, and goernment. course of instruction 2000 con take a hopity shall mean that incomplete performance nor functionality is affected by dates preliminary to, during, and after(prenominal) the year 2000. According to the British Standards Institution Committee there ar four widely distri unlessed rules for Y2K accord1. No value for current dates will set any interruption in mathematical operation.2. Date- found functionality mustinessiness(prenominal) be begin consistently for dates prior to, during and after the year 2000.3. In all interfaces and info storage, the century in any date must be specified all(prenominal) explicitly or by diaphanous algorithms or inferencing rules.4. The year 2000 must be recognized as a simplicityrain year. Every body that deals with thi s short letter must be ready. To avoid the Y2K enigmas your instruction processing system must graduation exercise be chequered for obligingness. package is available that throw out check your computing machine for deference and even coiffe your computer Y2k obedient. Desk discharge computers can be checked with a simple utility that larger systems and networks may require more expertise to avoid the potential dangers. many an early(a)(prenominal) imagerys ar available for checking your computer and to overhear the appropriate measures to correct any problems. This problem is huge. Business and government stand to lapse billions of dollars if the problem is not corrected. Businesses ar both already in compliance or in the process of dodging the possible disaster of the Y2k crash.II. Examples of Business Sectors Y2K Applied in the Mexican Public Sector cipher systems and teaching technologies have become wakeless in action activities and everyday life. In or der to pr character the form 2000 effects on the information systems, the last June third 1998, was installed the class 2000 interior(a) Conversion complaint (Y2K subject area Commission). This Commission has the responsibility of coordinate the efforts of both the social and economic spheres to make sure of the adequate year handling, and therefore, the correct operation in information systems during the year 2000 and beyond. On July 9th 1998 it was published a presidential agreement which established the creation of the Y2K National Commission. Banco de Mexico was invited to participate in this Commission in order to coordinate the efforts of the financial sector regarding to the transition of information systems. The purpose of this rogue is to offer access to different sources of information that allow customrs to be familiar with the Year 2000 problem, and to get on time financial sector documents switch offd under the coordination of this central argot with the pur pose of solving the Y2K problems.In January 1997 the construe for Systems Compatibility Verification with the Year 2000 was established. Accordingly, the get along of Governors instructed the Systems subdivision to move out the coordination and supervision of the undeniable changes.The Systems Department elaborated an initial lineage of its declare systems, asking the immediate rescript of the end user applications systems in the rest of the areas. In addition, the Systems Department established a bimonthly control and rise report.In March 1998, the Board of Governors of Banco de Mexico created the Transition Year 2000 office at the Deputy coach-and-four level, whose goal is accelerating and consolidating the progress of the global schedule denominated Transition 2000.In September 1998, the financial sector adopt a 5 descriptor self-evaluation methodology proposed by the National Commission for the Year 2000 Information engineering science Conversion (Y2K National Com mission). Banco the Mexico in his part of financial authority, took this standard of self-evaluation as a way to give a oecumenic view of the status its internal project.In December 1998, the Institution finished the fudge factor and internal scrutiny casts. During thefirst fractional of 1999, the external interrogatory will take place (Industry test), as well as the elaborationSince early 1997 the Year 2000 fuss has become a top anteriority issue in PEMEX and its subsidiary firms. This is delinquent to the fact that for several(prenominal) decades PEMEX has been considered one of the well-nigh important users of information technology in our country, as a means of permanently counting on timely and right data to frequent the wide lean of its business transactions.In spite of having a huge array of information systems give throughout the Mexican Republic, there is a strong sense of cognizantness in PEMEX regarding the possible implications of Y2K. Therefore, vast effo rts are be carried out both in impairment of information systems and automatic industrial controls in order to assess the scope of the problem and implement the needful corrective measures, pickings into consideration that the dateline is immovable.Regarding to industrial systems PEMEX has adopted a six stage dodgingDue to the technology reliance of PEMEXs production processes, there is also a revolution object for industrial systems, which are little for oil business. This plan comprises six stages, the first two stages, inventory and discrimination, are already spotless and the other ones has been processing in 1999.Because of the nature of embedded systems, PEMEX is outsourcing their Y2K conversion to manufacturers and root word integrators, and has also identified the main vendors, which invent 70% of the inventory that have to be converted.Conversion of industrial systems is PEMEXs top antecedence.PEMEXs Board of Directors and Senior Management of Subsidiaries are o n the whole aware of Y2k implications and therefore have undertaken a comprehensive plan to fully implement and effectively prioritize the solution concerning industrial systems and information systems. The company has assigned sanctified human resources to the Y2K project and a cipher has been established.On July 31, a successfull Y2K readiness test was conducted in the Mexican strain sector.The get a line snarled air aviation run, 6 airports and six Mexican commercialized airlines.This event was unique because of the number of airlines, airports and systems tested that were removed in this experience. It has been one of the more tortuous that have taken place so far in the commercial aviation sector.The test was observed by about of the main hardware and software providers in the aviation industry in Mexico. besides afford were representatives from ICAO, IATA, FAA and Transport Canada.Equipment on poster the airplanes and airport aeronautical services bogus the rollo ver to the Year 2000 during flight.The experience involved the following(a) airlines and routes-Aeromexico MD-88 Guadalajara-Mexico urban center-Aeromexpress B-727 Mexico City-Hermosillo-Aerolitoral M3 Leon-Mexico CityAviacion A-320 Puerto Vallarta-Mexico City-TAESA B-727-300 Mexico City-Mexico City-AEROCARIBE J32 Minatitln-Mexico CityThe tests involved the following areas different systems ere tested in different routes. For example, on the Guadalajara-Mexico City route, the following systems were tested selective information processing systems, radar and flight plan Digital communications processing system Aeronautical communications systems Tests of airline functional systemsThe Ministry of Public Education has an informatic platform comparatively modern of outfitting and application programs of institutional use, that allows them to foresee in a general way, that the opposition of the initiation of the Y2K that the institutional information systems will be manageable and re latively easy to resolve.The technological characteristics allows them to make much(prenominal) a statement are major computer equipment platform, where the actual systems run of institutional use that consist of RISC architectural computers under UNIX operative system which reduces the possibilities to maintain process errors caused by antediluvian computer architectures, that present risks when using ingoing/outgoing grassroots systems (BIOS) with the watch information, that do not support the Y2K meet, as it does in some platforms with other characteristics (architectural CISC Intel). The software for the handling of floor of Institutional data (Informix, Sybase), allow in energetic date types of data, that support the Y2K impact man storing years using digital technology.Likewise, the constitution of the information in relational tables of content, palliate the eventual modification of the information handle in contrast to more ancient mechanisms of arranging of in formation (sequential index files).The information tools and the methodology of analysis and design use in the construction of the most power information systems as well as those that are in the process of culture assure robustness of the systems to resist the Y2K impact.On account of its nature, the most delicate institutional system, the Integral System for the Administration of military force of the Ministry of Public Education (SIAPSEP), in operation since 1994, was intentional in such a manner that the date fields and the calculations that involve the same, tolerate the impact mentioned when redesign in fields of four digits for the information stored for years.Nevertheless, its necessary to observe that a great follow of application programs dwell in several areas of the Ministry that are not of generalized Institutional use and can present process problems during the change of the century. In particular, information systems exist that store RFC type fields, in which tw o digits exist and additional reference exists over the birth year.Such cases are not critical because the date does not form part of any logical or arithmetic operation, nevertheless, its necessary to have a date reference for the correct variation of the information for which an activities program must be combine so as to able to detect and correct those informatic cases.III. Mexican Companys expression Y2K in Mexicos Private SectorTo hit this, Grupo Vitro created in 1997 the Vitro Y2K daub, in charge of all matters cogitate to the problem of the turn of the century. The main role of Vitro Y2K Office is1. To keep the organization focused, so that the Y2K issue is permanently include in the agendas of the entire Grupo Vitro.2. To conclude successfully the Year 2000 Business Processes course of instruction (Y2K).The Office is formed by a team up of professionals devoting 100% of their time to the solution of the problem of the year 2000, and a Y2K Guide Committee, integrated by the Corporate Directors who provide services and/or define guidelines for operative areas, and are involved in any eyeshot of the Y2K problem, and whose main role is to provide locate support to all Y2K leaders to control success for the program.The Y2K Program has a wide span, since it considers our transactions with suppliers, customers, banks, business partners and institutions. In Grupo Vitro we are aware of the magnitude and composite plantity of this problem, since we are just one link in the supply chain and we are conscious(p) of the fact that no company, by itself, can guarantee success in this huge task.The year 2000 transition will contest the expertise and capability of organizations to cope with knotty good problems with several levels of operative interactions. TELMEX is aware and ready to face this challenge. In January of 1999, TELMEX will be finished with solution implementation var. of its Y2K project, at which point TELMEXs systems related to the co ntinuity and quality of service will be fully compliant and operational.Commitments and responsibilities for TELMEX in sight of the year 2000 transition are governed by the proper terms of its commercial relationships and contracts with its customers, as a supplier of telecommunications services, to carry out its regular activities.The Y2K project is based around a 4 phase model designed for bringing a multi-faceted and technologically complex company into compliance on time. These phases include identification, solution development, give voice operations testing, and conceptualisation of contingency plans. twain IT and Non-IT systems have been include in this process. A more flesh out description of each of these phases follows.The Y2K project is based around a 4 phase model designed for bringing a multi-faceted and technologically complex company into compliance on time. These phases include identification, solution development, joint operations testing, and formulation of con tingency plans. Both IT and Non-IT systems have been included in this process. A more detailed description of each of these phases follows.On the threshold of the new millennium, CEMEX is committed to undertaking every effort necessary to conduct business as usual through the year 2000 and beyond. Although the Year 2000 besiege originated as a technology- related problem, we recognize that its effects add into multiple business areas, both at bottom and outside our company. That is why we are glide slope the Year 2000 problem as a critical company-wide business issue not just a technological one.In January 1997 we launched CEMEX 2000, a company-wide program to become Year 2000 compliant, not hardly for information technology, unless also for our extended business network. As part of the program, CEMEX has implemented a free burning follow-up plan to monitor the progress of the significant vendors, customers and business partners.This program aims to pound and even capitaliz e on the technology issues that the year 2000 presents. By upgrading and replacing our information technology worldwide, we are not only making efforts to ensure that we will be doing business through the new millennium, further that we will be doing business better.Since technology is an integral business component of CEMEX, the CEMEX 2000 Program is a global, company-wide effort. It is succeeding through the feature efforts of every business unit of the company, from top level executives to plant managers to technical, engineering and corporal support services discussion sections.1. Planning In this phase the following are defined the programs management structure, the scheduling of activities, the work team, resource and budget allocation, quality assurance outline and the overall goals of the program.2. Analysis In this phase the scope of the problem is defined and the elements where CEMEX could be affected by the Year 2000 issue are identified. Dynamic business impact ana lyses are carried-out through and inventory of Year 2000 sensitive elements3. Solution Design In this phase the strategy for achieving Year 2000 compliance is defined, and a state of-the-art testing initiation named land site 200 is created.4. Conversion This phase includes the correction or replacement ofthose elements that efficacy affect CEMEXs business operations, giving priority tothose that represent a higher impact on operations.5. Certification The Year 2000 compliance process takes place on the SITE 2000, where an exhaustive integral acceptance testing procedure is conducted. The process of certification is completed once all change points are passed.6. Implementation This phase includes the end user acceptance testing and implementation of the Y2K compliant system in every CEMEX business unit, office and plant around the world.7. grapheme Assurance and Follow-up This phase includes the revision of the critical elements which represent business risk by the Year 2000, th e documentation of the comparable contingency plans and the preparation of immediate result work teams who will be supervise the functioning of the business processes during the transition issue and on critical dates.Mexico has been working on Y2K in most of its public sectors, and is to an goal actualized and ready to face the millenium bug. We could probably set apart this to political pressures, specially coming from the unify States.In the other hand, I was only able to cover a a few(prenominal) of the big powerful companies in Mexico, and in general most of them have a specialized department employ specifically to deal with the year 2000 problem. For them its genuinely important to work on the present problem due to the complexity and size of this companies, and also because this are global companies that can not take a receive in ruining their well create image and systems.The problem basically corpse in the small and medium businesses, as well as in personal comp uters. Mexicos government has established a department to help the population update their profess hardware and software, but still these plenty has to actively participate in modify their equipment.Finally, Id manage to conclude saying that the technical problem is already fixed but the real problem relays in the peoples pose towards the problem. If people feel insecure and expound removing their money from bank accounts or doing things like that, then a real crisis will occur worldwide. So the only thing left to do is updating our own businesses and personal computers, and rest still believe that what ever procedures were taken to face the millenium bug problem will work out.