ALS Year 2000 Status Report

Y2K for NOTIS - Web Statement
revised: 08/16/98, 08/26/98

This statement is in response to inquiries regarding Y2K readiness for software components of the NOTIS system (and related software) supplied by Ameritech Library Services. Please refer to the manufacturers statements for information on hardware or software components not supplied by Ameritech Library Services.

More information can be found by following the links below. In addition, customers are invited to search WebVantive and consult the archives of NOTIS-L on this topic.

• LMS Release 6.4 - LMS Release 6.4 : Year 2000 Readiness -- (revised from NOTISes, June 1997)
• NOTIS - L message from Linda Zaleski 3.11.98

Summary of NOTIS modules

This list shows the minimal level at which the module is ready. When no release is given this means the module contains no date sensitive code.

• AOVL/BOVL - There is no date processing in this program.

• GTO (6.4) - The GTO software is ready for Year 2000 if you have applied the fix available on our FTP server. This fix is for the mainframe processing of GTO, and is required for Unix and PC GTO. Note that this fix only affects the GTO software -- it cannot fix any problems with the underlying operating system and hardware. Older systems have known hardware problems with the year 2000, including issues with the real-time clock and the BIOS itself that may or may not affect GTO operations (depending on the exact nature of the problem). We recommend considering additional hardware and operating system tests -- contact your hardware manufacturer for specific details. Also note that the PCOX board is increasingly difficult to acquire, and Ameritech cannot guarantee availability.

• InfoShare(1.2) - Infoshare is ready for Year 2000, with the exception of statistical reports. These should be fixed by the end of 1998. There is no date processing in the InfoShare query component.

• LBC30 - This program is ready for Year 2000. LBC30 uses LB920 which will support dates to 2027.

• MDAS LOADERS - the MDAS loaders are being updated as information from the suppliers becomes available.. PsychINFO, BIOSYS have been recently updated. ERIC is currently being tested. We plan to update ISI loader by the beginning of 1999 according to ISI?s schedule. For other databases contact the database supplier for plans regarding Y2K readiness.

• NOTIS LMS (6.4) - The base NOTIS software is ready for Year 2000 with Release 6.4. Software bugs which are found will be immediately corrected and will be available on an ongoing basis and on the FTP server under a separate directory. Our policy is that fixes will be backwards compatible to Release 6.4

• Circulation - NOTIS circulation is the most date sensitive module of the LMS. This module was completely rewritten (not revised) with Release 6.2. The redesign and recoding accommodated Year 2000.

• VITLS - in cooperation with the serials vendors, this program has been updated to accommodate changes in date processing. NOTIS will process the ?00? as 2000 requiring no change in the input format from the vendors.

• PACLink (6.4) - This component is ready for Year 2000.

• Quickreports - Quickreports is ready for Year 2000. Quickreports was originally engineered to work past the Year 2000.

• RLIN TapeOut - There is no date processing in this program.

• TAG - this software is ready for Year 2000. There is no date processing in the TAG.

• WebPAC - WebPAC is ready for Year 2000. WebPAC, being a recent product, was originally engineered to accomodate the Year 2000.

• Year 2000 test scripts (6.4) - the scripts we used to test Year 2000 NOTIS revisions (those that fell outside the scope of the circulation rewrite) are found at www.als.ameritech.com/support/nsc/tech/index.htm. Modules affected are item record, cataloging, acquisitions and serials.

Year 2000 bug fixes - NOTIS-L statement of 3/11/98 -

To:  NOTIS-L@LISTSERV.UIC.EDU
cc:
Subject:  Year 2000

This message is meant to clarify Ameritech's position with respect to Year
2000 support for NOTIS LMS.

We are aware that many customers have implemented Release 6.4.x based
on our assurance that it was Year 2000 compliant and that you have
made commitments to various levels of administration.  We have also
issued many "official" statements that Release 6.4 is Year 2000 ready
and feel strongly about honoring that commitment.

Year 2000 changes that were inadvertently omitted in Release 6.4 will
be available via FTP and can be applied to Release 6.4 or 6.4.1.  To
assist you in implementing the fixes we will ALSO be isolating them in
a separate directory at our FTP site (\pub\LMSY2K).  The fixes are
release independent and can be applied to any release of LMS, starting
with Release 6.4.0.  Sites who would prefer to have the fixes sent via
tape may do so by contacting Tess Estrada at (847)866-2171 or
estrada@als.ameritech.com.  Of course, in the normal course of events
the program changes will be included in the general Release 6.5.0
which is due in June 1998.

In order to ascertain how each program will affect your operation, we
are describing the changes following this message.  The programs are
all related to CICS journal records.

Should modifications to Year 2000 code be required in the future, they
will be compatible with releases back to 6.4.0 and will be made
available to all sites via FTP or on tape, as described above.

We sincerely apologize that these programs were overlooked in our Y2K
project.  It is our hope that the course of action described above
will be satisfactory to all.  Please feel free to contact me directly
if you have further questions or suggestions.

Linda Scott Zaleski
NOTIS Product Manager

• LB010BAL - Expanded RQREQDAT date field in the request record and AWREQDAT date field in the 'AW' request record to include the century.

• LB011BAL - Expanded REQDAT date field in the NOTIS 3 Request Record and RQREQDAT date field in the NOTIS 4 Request Record to include the century. No logic changes were necessary.

• LB015BAL - Expanded SLREQDAT date field in the Selection Request Record to include the century. No logic changes were necessary.

• LB016BAL - Expanded RQREQDAT date field in Request Record to include the century. No logic changes necessary.

• LB020BAL - Expanded ACREQDAT date field in the Action Request Record to include the century. Changed one MVC instruction to a ZAP that used this date.

• LB303BAL - Same changes as LB020BAL.

• LB040BAL - Expanded JRDATE date field in Catalog Card Request Record to include the century. Changed one MVC instruction to a ZAP that used this date.

• LB042BAL - Expanded ACREQDAT date field in the Action Request Record to include the century. Changed one MVC instruction to a ZAP that used this date.

• LB060BAL - Expanded ACREQDAT date field in the Action Request Record to include the century. No logic changes necessary.

• LB065BAL - Expanded POREQDAT date field in the Purchase Order Request Record to include the century. No logic changes necessary.

• LB070BAL - Same changes as LB065BAL.

• LB960BAL - Added logic to calculate the century for the JCLRDATE date field in the CICS Journal File Record.

• LB965BAL - Added the century to the JTTIME date/time field in the CICS Journal File Tape Record. Added logic to drop the sign bits of the above field to make room for the century. Also, expanded the START and STOP date fields to include the century.

• LB968BAL - Expanded the JTTIME date field in the CICS Journal File Tape Record to include the century. No logic changes were necessary.

• LB010330 (MVS)/ LB010320.PROC (VSE) - changed SORT FIELDS parm length from 24 to 25 to account for expanded date field.

• LB010630 (MVS)/LB010620.PROC (VSE) - Changed SORT FIELDS parm positions and lengths to account for expanded date field.

• LB060020 (MVS)/LB060020.PROC (VSE) - Same changes as LB010630 above.

• LB060040 (MVS)/LB060040.PROC (VSE) - Same changes as LB010630 above.

• LB968020 (MVS)/LB968010.PROC (VSE) - Changed INCLUDE COND sort statement to account for change to date/time field from a packed-signed to a packed-no sign field.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions about NOTIS and associated products.

Sincerely,

Linda Scott Zaleski
NOTIS Product Manager

Last revision: 02/22/99 © Columbia University Libraries