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As part of the University's ongoing Y2K testing, AIS and AcIS Computer Operations and Columbia Facilities will turn off Con Ed power to the Computer Center on Sunday, December 5, at 6:00 a.m. to test the new backup electrical generator system. This will result in the temporary loss of some computing services.
Most systems are expected to be back online within seconds of the test and all systems should be fully functional by 12:00 noon.
Central services that may be affected include E-mail, the Columbia Web site, CLIO, CUNIX, CUVMC, administrative systems such as SIS and FFE, the Central Server, and connections to the Health Sciences campus and Lamont.
The purpose of the test is to understand how the generator affects the systems -- whether any systems will fail and whether all battery backups will work properly.
Because the Computer Center will lose power before the generator kicks in, computer systems that are not on battery backup will go down. Ten seconds later, when the generator takes over, AIS technicians will begin the process of bringing up all of the systems.
It is possible that older system hardware may not come up when power is restored. If this happens, AIS technicians will work with vendors to fix the equipment as quickly as possible. Although AIS expects full service to be reinstated by noon on Sunday, it is possible that some equipment may take longer to restore.
For more information contact the Computing Help Line at 854-1919 or go to the System Status page at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/announce for updated information.
Most Frequent Y2K Questions Answered
The following memo was sent to the Columbia community on Nov. 24 by Provost Jonathan Cole, Executive Vice President for Administration Emily Lloyd and Executive Vice President for Finance John Masten.
Columbia University Readiness and Plans for January 2000
You are no doubt aware of predictions that some computer systems may not make correct date calculations, or possibly even recognize dates, beyond Dec. 31, 1999, causing disruptions in various services and systems unless corrective action is taken. As the attached "Frequently Asked Y2K Questions" document indicates, Columbia's Y2K readiness is well advanced for systems and processes at all campuses and facilities. We believe that all of Columbia's important administrative systems, including Student, Human Resources, and Financial applications have been fixed and tested and meet our requirements for being Y2K ready. We also have finished Y2K testing of on-campus telephone and data networks, building, fire safety, and security systems, and we have added extensive electrical backup capability. Finally, the University's emergency response program, developed to help us respond to fires, floods, and loss of heat, water or electricity, will enable us to respond quickly to any service disruptions that may arise.
As a result, we expect the University to operate normally on Monday, Jan. 3 after the New Year's weekend. Included in this document are phone numbers and websites that will be available for students and their families, faculty, and staff over the New Year's weekend and during the first week of January 2000, to provide information and guidance in the event of any Y2K-based disruptions at Columbia or in New York City. Health Sciences will be issuing an additional memorandum pertaining to Y2K preparations specific to that campus.
Columbia's Year 2000 Readiness Program will continue to provide updates of our plans for the Year 2000. Look for this information in Columbia's Y2K home page. You can find the University Y2K home page on the Columbia home page at http://www.columbia.edu/, by clicking Computing EMail Y2K, and then clicking Year 2000 at Columbia University. Alternatively, go directly to http://www.ais.columbia.edu/ais/y2k/index.html.
To anticipate your concerns about Y2K, we are enclosing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Y2K readiness at Columbia. If you have any other questions or concerns about Columbia University's Y2K readiness, you can also contact Columbia's Year 2000 Project Director, David Newman, Room 530 Interchurch Center, Mail Code 7716, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115, via e-mail at dnewman@columbia.edu, or by phone at 212-870-3141.
Frequently Asked Y2K Questions
1. Is Columbia considering delaying the start of classes in January 2000?
We expect that Columbia's Y2K preparations will enable the University's systems and processes to function normally. Therefore, we are planning to maintain the current academic calendar.
2. Will faculty and staff be asked to report to work prior to Jan. 3 or to work extended hours during the New Year holiday?
Some departments on the Morningside campus, such as Facilities Management, Administrative Information Services (AIS), Academic Information Systems (AcIS), Student Services, Dean of Student Affairs for Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering, and others will have staff members on campus during the New Year holiday to address any service disruptions that may arise. Similar arrangements are being made at the Health Sciences campus. Other departments, as part of their Y2K contingency plans, have also assigned selected staff to assess the functioning of important departmental systems over the weekend and take any needed corrective action prior to the beginning of the new work week. Otherwise, faculty and staff should report to work on their regular schedules.
3. What should students, faculty, and staff do now to prepare for Y2K?
Although the University believes that serious Y2K disruptions on campus will be avoided, all students, faculty, and staff should ensure that they have given some thought and preparation to Y2K risks. Columbia's Y2K web site includes a section entitled "What You Can Do" that provides useful tools, checklists, and resources specifically tailored for faculty, staff, students, researchers, and IT professionals.
4. Will Y2K issues affect University ID cards (including the ability to gain access to buildings, track food purchases, etc.)?
Columbia's ID Card systems have been verified as Y2K compliant. Systems that rely on the ID card (such as access to buildings and other restricted areas, library material checkout processes, food or other purchases, etc.) have also been tested and verified as Y2K compliant.
5. How will students, faculty, and staff who are away during the break learn about important Y2K developments at Columbia and/or any changes in plans for the start of the semester?
We have developed primary and backup communications channels so that students, faculty, staff, and their families, no matter where they are, can obtain the latest information about any Y2K-related disruptions that might have an impact on the start of classes at Columbia. The following is a list of phone numbers and websites to check for information:
6. What can Columbia do to help me if my bank cannot process my request to transfer money to pay my tuition and expenses?
Students/parents should contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (212) 854-4206 as soon as they become aware of a problem that might delay the payment of their fees. This office will discuss options that will be available and help you decide on the best course of action.
7. Who should I contact if I'm having difficulty getting back due to Y2K transportation problems?
Students should call the Dean's office for their school and explain the exact nature of the problem and any expectation of when the problem will be resolved. Be sure to leave a phone number where you can be reached.
8. I have additional questions or concerns about Y2K. Where can I find out more information?
The Columbia Year 2000 web site provides a great deal of useful information about Y2K that's specifically designed to inform our community about what Columbia is doing to prepare for Y2K and what they can do to help minimize disruptions in their daily lives. The site contains:
- a general explanation of the Y2K problem and how we expect it will affect information systems, and embedded chips in equipment and facilities
- information about what Columbia has done to prepare for Y2K
- information about what faculty, staff, students, and researchers can do to help reduce the risk that Y2K issues will adversely affect use of computers, ongoing research, day-to-day work or home life , including tools to help ensure that PCs and software will function normally next year
- links to other important Y2K web sites.
The Columbia Year 2000 web site: http://www.ais.columbia.edu/ais/y2k/index.html
The information contained herein or transmitted herewith is a "Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure" as defined in the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-271, 112 Stat. 2386) enacted on Oct. 19, 1998.
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