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The following is an update received by email on October 21, 1999: October 21, 1999 Subject: Report on RLG's Year 2000 Readiness Dear RLG Customer: This is a final update to our original reply to your previous inquiry as to the year 2000 compliance status of The Research Libraries Group, Inc. (RLG). In summary, except as stated below all RLG production systems are fully year 2000 compliant. By "year 2000 compliant," we mean that we expect RLG's applications, files and services to operate without disruption caused by the change from 1999 to year 2000 dates. RLG has nearly finished its year 2000 compliance programming and testing. The status of our services and supporting software/hardware follows. 1. RLG Services: Systems: The RLIN library and archival search and processing system, RLIN interlibrary loan system, Eureka search system, Zephyr Z39.50 server system, and Z39.50 gateway to remote databases are all year 2000 compliant, except for an incorrect leap year calculation that could affect SCIPIO input validation. That will be corrected before year end. The Marcadia batch cataloging system jointly developed with Ameritech Library Services' Retro Link group has been said to be year 2000 compliant, but staff at MarcLink, our new vendor-partner for this software, are reconfirming its status. The systems used to generate batch products (catalog cards and reports) from the RLG union catalog are year 2000 compliant. The systems used to convert, add, and export data in RLG's databases are compliant. (For more about bibliographic formats, including exported records, see the Library of Congress site http://www.lc.web.loc.gov/marc/yr2000.html.) Software products: All versions of the RLIN processing program (RLIN Terminal Software for Windows) are year 2000 compliant. Version 2.2 of the Ariel document transmission software for the internet is compliant; upgrades to this version from earlier versions can be accomplished at the RLG Web site (http://www.rlg.org/ariel). Ariel software depends on the operating system date, which uses BIOS. Users are asked to check with their particular BIOS producer for upgrades as needed. The forthcoming ILL Manager software is compliant. Databases: A current list of RLG databases appears on pages 4 and 5 of the RLG Price Lists for Information Resources and Related Library Services in effect for September 1999 through August 2000. All of RLG's Library Resources - including the RLG union catalog (RLIN bibliographic and authority files), Blackwell's Table of Contents file, English Short Title Catalogue, Hand Press Book Database, and SCIPIO: Art and Rare Book Sales Catalogs - as well as processing files not appearing on those pages, such as the ILL files, are nearly year 2000 compliant. A few minor problems with file definition date processing rules were identified in a review of work completed last winter; these will be corrected in October. In addition, we are still investigating one potential problem. Authority record ID's are generated from LCCNs assigned by the Library of Congress. These are now formatted with two-digit years. LC plans to change to a four-digit year format, but not until January 2001. Thus, we must ensure that the ID generation algorithm works properly in 2000, and then change it again in 2001. All of RLG's Citation Resources (CitaDel Files) are year 2000 compliant. (Both Library Resources and Citation Resources, based on the USMARC format, already used four-digit year dates.) RLG's Archival Resources integrates access to the Archival and Mixed Collections file from the RLG union catalog with full-text finding aids (collection guides). Dates entered within these finding aids, by the various organizations who have created and contributed them, are not used in nor affect any RLG processing systems. As implemented by RLG, this database is year 2000 compliant. 2. Supporting Infrastructure: RLG's services are supported by integrated components supplied by Stanford University, IBM, SUN, and other vendors. Our review of statements provided indicates that all suppliers feel they will be essentially year 2000 compliant. Operating systems: RLG uses the IBM OS/390 operating system on an IBM 9672 server/processor ("mainframe"). IBM has certified that all OS/390 products are year 2000 compliant. RLG uses the Sun Solaris 2.5.1 operating system on all other RLG servers and has applied Sun-supplied year 2000 compliance modifications to all of them. Stanford software: Additional information about Stanford's own compliance status is available from the Stanford Data Center's Year 2000 Coordinator, Mr. William Bauriedel (billb@stanford.edu). Many RLG online systems are based on the SPIRES database management system, which is year 2000 compliant. So is the Stanford Timesharing Suite (Orvyl, Wylbur and Wings, Milten, and Amelia) used by RLG. RLG also uses the Stanford version of a tape library management system and a Stanford version of IBM's job entry subsystem; both RLG implementations are year 2000 compliant. Server software: RLG is in the process of upgrading the several copies of Netscape Commerce Server that support our Web-based interfaces to a version certified to be year 2000 compliant. Networking and communications: RLG's PC-based communication front-end processors and core router have been tested and/or are certified to be year 2000 compliant by the vendor. RLG's dedicated network depends on routers provided by UUNET (formerly called CompuServe). UUNET has replaced each of these devices with new ones that are year 2000 compliant. We are in the process of upgrading two RLG-owned routers sited at the British Library. Billing: RLG's invoicing and customer record systems are year 2000 compliant. 3. For More Information: Mr. John Eilts, Ariel product manager, can answer further questions about the Ariel software. Call 650-691-2266 or e-mail to john.eilts@notes.rlg.org. Dr. David R. Richards, director of development and Chief Technical Officer, can answer questions about other systems, databases, hardware, and supporting software. Call 650-691-2244 or e-mail to david.richards@notes.rlg.org. If I can assist you further, please contact me. Sincerely, Jack Grantham Director, Customer and Operations Support -------------------------------------------------------------------- | JXG@NOTES.RLG.ORG _/_/_/_/ _/_/ _/_/_/_/ | Jack Grantham, Director _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | Customer and Operations Support _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ | The Research Libraries Group _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ | 1200 Villa Street _/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ | Mountain View, CA 94041-1100 | US 650-691-2218 Fax: 964-0943 | http://www.rlg.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- To: ALLSVCSY2K, ARIELY2K __________________________________________________________________ The following is the original Y2K compliance statement from RLG: February 25, 1999 Year 2000 Compliance Update This in in reply to your email request of January 19, 1999 for the Year 2000 Compliance status of The Research Libraries Group, Inc. (RLG). The following is our standard response and a current update From RLG incorporating the status for all of our products and services. 1. RLG does not have separate liability insurance to cover Year 2000 problems. 2. We expect to make RLG's online systems' computer programs and databases year 2000 compliant by the end of March, 1999. The Stanford University SPIRES database management system on which our online systems are based is already year 2000 compliant. The additional changes we are making in RLG software for correct handling of post-1999 dates are as follows -- unless otherwise noted, these changes are scheduled for completion by the end of March, 1999: a. All but one component of the RLIN library/archival technical processing system -- including access to the RLIN database (including the Avery Index/CitaDel databases) and CitaDel article-citations data -- are presently year 2000 compliant. That component, interlibrary loan processing, will be changed by the end of March, 1999 regarding statistics for the length of transactions (e.g., the number of days to fulfill a loan). b. The RLIN terminal software, regardless of version, being terminal software, accepts and displays any data entered, so is presently year 2000 compliant. c. RLIN catalog cards and reports: We are updating the date-handling in the job control language routines used to generate batch products, and expect this work will be completed by the end of May, 1999. d. Data conversion and loading software: By the beginning of July 1999 we intend to have reviewed and made any changes needed for Year 2000 compliance in the RLG software used in batch-loading records into our databases. e. RLG has no plans to modify bibliographic formats for exported records. f. Billing systems are in the final stages of year 2000 compliance testing and modification. RLG expects to complete this work by the end of February, 1999. 3. EUREKA and ZEPHYR systems are currently year 2000 compliant. 4. Our services are supported by integrated components supplied by IBM, Stanford University, and other vendors. The status here is as follows: a. Operating Systems: We use the IBM OS/390 operating system on an IBM mainframe computer; IBM has certified that all OS/390 products are Year 2000 compliant. We use the SUN Solaris 2.6 operating system on all RLG servers, and it has been certified to be year 2000 compliant by SUN. b. Stanford systems used by RLG: We use the Stanford Timesharing Software suite of systems (ORVYL, WYLBUR and WINGS, MILTEN, AMELIA), as well as a Stanford-maintained version of a Tape Library Management System (TLMS). We also run a version of IBM's JES (Job Entry Subsystem) under the Stanford systems having Stanford modifications. The Stanford Data Center Director has named a Year 2000 Coordinator, Bill Bauriedel, who can be contacted at US 650-723-9797 or via e-mail at BillB@stanford.edu for further information. c. RLG's PC-based communication front-ends: Have been tested and/or are certified to be year 2000 compliant by the vendor. (The actual operation of the device for sending and receiving data is not affected by its century date handling ability, ongoing information flow is not dependent on or affected by this change). d. RLG's dedicated network depends on routers provided by WorldCom. We are working now with WorldCom, which is upgrading each of these devices with new devices that are year 2000 compliant. This project, for all dedicated Frame Relay and dedicated Private Asynchronous connections, will be complete by the end of March, 1999. 5. We expect to make RLG's Internet-based document transmission software, Ariel, year 2000 compliant by the end of January 1999. (Ariel software uses dates for three general purposes: to display dates for queues, show when documents arrive, etc.; to compute retention times for messages sent and received; and to filter by date certain log views for retrieval of stored messages. None of the compliance changes to be implemented are critical to Ariel's basic operation). Ariel versions earlier than 2.1 are no longer supported, but may still work. Ariel version 2.1 is the current version and Ariel version 2.2 will be the upgraded version, for which an announcement including instructions on how to obtain it will be sent out by RLG by the end of January, 1999. Ariel software depends on the operating system date, which uses BIOS. The compliance of the BIOS varies from one manufacturer and model to another. Please check with your particular BIOS producer to for upgrades to your BIOS that may fix the year 2000 problem. For questions regarding Ariel, you may contact Mr. John Eilts, Ariel Product Manager, at US 650-691-2266 or john_eilts@notes.rlg.org. 6. RLG has not prepared a white paper that includes further discussion of our year 2000 compliance efforts. The technical contact at RLG to discuss these efforts in more detail is Dr. David Richards, Director of Development and Chief Technical Officer, at US 650-691-2244 or br.drr@rlg.org. If I can assist you further, please contact me. Sincerely, Jack Grantham Director, Customer and Operations Support -------------------------------------------------------------------- | BA.JXG@RLG.ORG _/_/_/_/ _/_/ _/_/_/_/ | Jack Grantham, Director _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ | Customer and Operations Support _/_/_/_/ _/ _/ | The Research Libraries Group _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/ | 1200 Villa Street _/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ | Mountain View, CA 94041-1100 | US 650-691-2218 Fax: 964-0943 | http://www.rlg.org --------------------------------------------------------------------