...Just In Case: Operations Staff to Spend New Year's Eve at Work to Squash the Y2K Bug
As the time nears midnight on December 31, many of us will be with friends or family at festive parties preparing to greet the new year with toasts and cheers. Meanwhile, here at HSPH, a dedicated group of operations and physical plant staff will be awaiting the stroke of midnight with bated breath, anxious to see if their extensive preparations for the Y2K bug will have prevented any problems.
"We've
been preparing for Y2K for about 18 months," said Dan Beaudoin, manager
of Operations, Energy, and Utilities and Y2K coordinator for the school.
Beaudoin feels confident that all that needs to be done to make the school's
physical plant ready has been done. Yet, because there is an element of
the unknown, a large staff will be at the school on New Year's Eve, ready
for all possible events.
The Y2K bug refers to potential problems encountered by anything dependent upon a computer chip that has a date-recording function. If the date is recorded by two digits--"99" for 1999--then malfunctions may occur as these electronic calendars roll over to "00" for 2000.
Computer chips with date stamps are everywhere. Most of us think of them as being in our computers, but they also exist in our cars, our microwave ovens, and our automatic lawn sprinklers. The challenge for Beaudoin has been that these chips are also fundamental components of many of the school's operations systems--from elevators to plumbing to energy.
"Over the last 18 months," said Beaudoin, "We've checked all of the school's mechanical systems. Our energy management systems have been upgraded and tested, the elevators and emergency generators have been tested. From a physical plant perspective, the school is ready."
In addition, Beaudoin has worked extensively with each of the school's departments to compile a list of critical departmental needs--primarily lab equipment that simply must remain operational for long-standing research projects to continue. "Each department should have submitted contingency plans for their critical equipment," said Beaudoin. "So, if, for example, a freezer in a lab shuts down, the department has given us a plan to follow to save whatever is in the freezer."
The school's computing group, Information Technology, has also been working throughout the school to insure that the school's computer systems are ready for the new year.
The school will close from 6:00 p.m. on December 31 until 7:00 a.m. on January 1. No students, staff, faculty, or researchers will be allowed in the building.
The school will hardly be empty, however. Beaudoin and a comprehensive staff of 25 operations professionals will be on hand throughout the night, checking critical equipment and taking care of any possible problems that arise.
As the clock of his 18-month project ticks inexorably towards climax at midnight, December 31, one might think that Beaudoin could be a bit disappointed if the Y2K cataclysm turns out to be a non-event. "Not true," he said. "I will be extremely happy if nothing happens."
"Nothing happening" will be a testament to the labors of Beaudoin
and scores of others throughout the school to prepare for this unique
event. And, if something does happen, you can count on an Around the
School article in the new year explaining how the school's operations
and physical plant staff have saved the day and made it a happy new year
for us all.
| Y2K Office and Laboratory
Tips
Most HSPH offices will be closed from December 24 until January 3. The Operations and Information Technology Offices recommend that everyone in the school community perform these suggested tasks prior to leaving on the holiday break:
For further information, contact the Operations Office at 432-1153. Updates on any Y2K problems experienced at the school can be obtained by phoning 432-NEWS. |
