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Defusing the Millenium Bomb
BNH interviewed Ray Lewis,
information security manager and Year 2000 coordinator for the New Haven Savings Bank.
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Business New Haven
3/9/1998
By: Clement L. Russo
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What is the Year 2000 problem and what are the potential dangers it poses to businesses?
Electronic systems are bound by the rules of their programs, many of which are limited to calculating a two-digit year. And the problems that may be created by these incorrect date calculations past the year 2000 have the potential to disrupt a business' operations. An example of this would be a payroll system that ceases to function on the first day of the year 2000, or hard-encoded programs - like automatic building controls or security systems - that need to recognize the correct day of the week or the right date sequence in order to operate properly.
What types of organizations have the most
to worry about?
The government's Year 2000 problems are probably the largest in scope, because of the sheer volume and diversity of the systems affected and the amount of resources that will be needed to correct them. Financial institutions are also at great risk, because they act as the glue that binds all businesses together. This means that even if your systems are fully Year 2000-compliant, if you're accepting electronic information from outside sources, that interconnectivity may eventually cause you problems.
In brief, what are the software issues involved in
fixing the problem?
For older computer systems, it's a matter of replacing some of the hard-wired instruction codes programmed into them. That work could be substantial, because in many cases the people who coded those programs are long gone. With PCs, however, it's a different story. Many new ones are considered to be Year 2000-compatible if they can bring up the correct calendar for that year or can calculate four-digit dates. And even if they don't roll over into the Year 2000, you can always go into them and actually set the date. So it's sometimes cheaper to simply replace a PC than to go about retrofitting an embedded part in it.
Do most companies have the resources to fix the problem on their own or is outside technical help required?
Some of the work, such as replacing obsolete PCs and redesigning desktop productivity systems - like word processing and spreadsheet programs - can be easily accomplished. But retrofitting mainframe computers may be outside the reach of most companies, unless they have a large information department.
What advice would you give to businesses that are just beginning to tackle this issue?
Select a team to examine all aspects of your business and identify the impacted areas. Then implement this four-step process: Determine what steps are needed to correct the problems. Prioritize those tasks. Test the modifications. And, finally, make the changes that you think are necessary. If you don't have the time or resources to complete all the changes required, you're going to have to work on your most critical systems first. In short, decide what's most important, and then just get on with it.
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