Rutgers is ready for Y2K
Archived article from Dec 10, 1999
By Harvey Trabb
Rutgers and its computer systems are as ready as they can be for the arrival of the year 2000, said Leslie A. Fehrenbach, associate vice president for administration and public safety. As chair of the university-wide Year 2000 Task Force, she has been coordinating Rutgers' compliance efforts to prevent or minimize the possible computer-related date-recognition problems known generically as "Y2K issues."
"With the help of the many members of the Rutgers community who are serving as departmental Y2K coordinators, we have ensured that major operational units around the university have addressed their Y2K issues," Fehrenbach said.
She explained that the staff of Rutgers University Computing Services (RUCS) has been working on all three campuses to ensure a smooth transition into the new year. All central RUCS systems and related networking services have been examined for Y2K compliance, and RUCS is confident that these systems will function normally. RUCS is planning to continue normal operation of most of its systems during the transition from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. However, there will be scheduled downtime for certain systems in Administrative Computing Services.
Facilities has inventoried its building systems and verified that there should be little, if any, local disruption to services such as heat, electricity and water. Elevators, security, and fire alarm and suppression systems have been checked as well. Rutgers' primary vendors, including essential utility providers, have reported they expect no disruption to the service they provide to the university, Fehrenbach said.
As a final precaution, an emergency Y2K operations center will be open at Rutgers on New Year's Eve to handle any situation that might arise as a result of the turning of the clock.
Y2K Checklist
At the office
Have you backed up all data on your PCs?
Do you have a copy of your departmental phone chain at home?
Do you know the individual in your area designated for checking operations early in the new year?
Have you powered down unnecessary equipment?
If you are a researcher and will be running experiments on campus during the evening of Dec. 31, have you reported this to the Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety office?
Have you discussed special building or operating requirements with your facilities area manager or regional engineer?
Have you built a sufficient inventory of critical supplies and other necessary goods?
At home
Do you have a copy of the Rutgers "weather conditions" letter of Oct. 29, which provides ways to check via radio, telephone and Web browser to see if Rutgers offices are closed?
Have you considered the advice of the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/y2k.html) to help ensure your home is Y2K ready?
"While many of these precautions may seem extreme," Fehrenbach said, "Hurricane Floyd taught us some valuable lessons in planning and preparedness. In the next week or two, a list of contacts will be distributed for Y2K-related emergencies in such areas as facilities and life safety that may arise as a result of the arrival of the new year."
If you have any questions regarding contingency planning or Y2K compliance issues, please refer to the Rutgers Y2K Web site at year2000.rutgers.edu or call Douglas Horr, senior executive assistant in the office of the vice president for administration, at ext. 2-7174.
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