This week's topic is the changes in Daylight Savings Time and how they affect the WOU network and the programs you use.
What changes were made to Daylight Savings Time?
Previously in the USA, clocks were set ahead one hour on the first Sunday in April, and back one hour on the last Sunday of October. The US Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandated a change beginning in 2007; clocks will be set ahead on the second Sunday in March, and back on the first Sunday in November. This year, those dates are March 11 and November 4.
Why does this affect the WOU network?
All computers, whether servers or workstations, contain an internal clock. These clocks must be changed for Daylight Savings Time just like any other clocks; this is handled automatically by the computer's operating system. Since the dates have changed, the operating systems of all computers must be updated so that they will change their internal clocks on the correct day instead of the old day. Any programs (such as scheduling and calendar systems) that schedule events in advance will also need to be updated.
How is that done?
Windows machines set for automatic updates should already be taken care of. We will also make sure Macintosh computers on the campus network are updated. Our servers require manual updating, and we have just completed this. The Communications Express calendaring system also had to be patched; this was done as of Thursday night.
How will this affect me?
There will be little to no affect on your use of the WOU network, unless you have scheduled events in the Communications Express calendar with dates between the new "spring ahead" date and the old one. (That is, between Sunday, March 11 and Sunday, April 1.) Since the software patch has been applied, events falling in those three weeks will be off by one hour; you will need to go in and manually fix their times. This also applies to recurring events, if they have one or more occurrences during those three weeks. That should be the only real inconvenience arising from the Daylight Savings Time change.
Note that the changes in Daylight Savings Time may affect some models of Palm handheld devices; if you have such a device and want to make sure it will be OK, please call the UCS Service Request Desk at extension 88925.