Microsoft KB Archive/244703

= XGEN: Advancing and Rolling Back the System Time Clock for Year 2000 Testing =

Article ID: 244703

Article Last Modified on 10/28/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q244703



YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE
The following year 2000 (Y2K) test considerations should be viewed as high-level testing recommendations that organizations can use to scope and implement their Y2K efforts. Each solution being assessed is unique, and deserves tailored testing to completely assess its end-to-end Y2K readiness. Consequently, any solution or product tests that do not go beyond these minimum recommendations may be insufficient to determine readiness. Please ensure you assess the entire solution.

-

When you are performing Y2K tests in an Exchange Server messaging environment, you may want to advance the system time clock to the appropriate time testing period.

IMPORTANT: Only advance and roll back system time in a test environment, not in a production environment. Performing such an operation in a production environment may cause the loss of all pending mail in the system, replication problems, and may require that the Microsoft Exchange services be restarted.

A few important things should be considered when you are modifying the system time for the purpose of testing:
 * All Y2K test scenarios must be valid and realistic. Invalid test scenarios produce invalid and meaningless results.
 * Rolling the system time back after it has been advanced does not constitute a valid test scenario because it is not realistic. Unpredictable results are to be expected if the time is rolled back while messages are pending in the system.
 * Consider setting up a test environment that simulates part of your Exchange Server topology. When this is set up, change the system time on all servers to December 31, 1999. Then start sending messages, and let the date roll over to January 1, 2000.

Example
All pending messages in the Exchange Server e-mail system will be rendered undeliverable if the system clock is advanced beyond the default messaging time outs. The diagnostic code for the non-delivery report (NDR) will indicate that the maximum time has expired on the messages. The result, in this case, is normal and to be expected because all maximum timer values on these messages have already elapsed.

To test the system behavior in a specific time period, you may advance the system time to or just before the time period you want to test. Start your testing by observing the proper transition to the specific date. After you have concluded the tests, you may then roll back system time to the current time and restart services.

Microsoft understands the critical nature of the Y2K issue for organizations. Information technology professionals who are responsible for the Y2K health of Microsoft products used in their environments need to understand how Microsoft has tested its products. The numbered list below represents the framework used by Microsoft to test the Y2K date handling capabilities of Microsoft products.
 * 1) The product stores and calculates dates consistent with a four-digit format throughout its operational range. If the product allows the user to enter a two-digit short cut for the year, the product recognizes the year consistent with a four-digit format.
 * 2) The product correctly executes leap year calculations. The product does not use special values for dates within its operational range for data.
 * 3) The product functions into the 21st century, through the end of year 2035.

Microsoft continues to test for Y2K issues as new versions of products or service packs are produced.

NOTE: All references to "dates" refer to using either four digits or two digits for the YEAR portion of the date. This testing criteria does not constitute a warranty or certification expressed or implied, of any kind.

ALL COMMUNICATIONS OR CONVEYANCES OF INFORMATION TO YOU CONCERNING MICROSOFT AND THE YEAR 2000, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY OTHER PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE INFORMATION REGARDING YEAR 2000 TESTING, ASSESSMENTS, READINESS, TIME TABLES, OBJECTIVES, OR OTHER (COLLECTIVELY THE "MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT"), ARE PROVIDED AS A "YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE" (AS DEFINED BY THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT). EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS HEREOF, AND THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING THE PLANNING FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE YEAR 2000. EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND IS UPDATED REGULARLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. CONSEQUENTLY, MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. MOREOVER, MICROSOFT DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IN TERMS OF ITS CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MICROSOFT OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY DECREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER REGARDING ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS INTENDED TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MICROSOFT'S YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE STATEMENT, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CATEGORIES OF COMPLIANCE INTO WHICH MICROSOFT HAS CLASSIFIED ITS PRODUCTS IN ITS YEAR 2000 PRODUCT GUIDE, AND THE MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 TEST CRITERIA.

ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENTS MADE TO YOU IN THE COURSE OF PROVIDING YEAR 2000 RELATED UPDATES, YEAR 2000 DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, OR REMEDIATION SERVICES (IF ANY) ARE SUBJECT TO THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT (112 STAT. 2386). IN CASE OF A DISPUTE, THIS ACT MAY REDUCE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS REGARDING THE USE OF ANY SUCH STATEMENTS, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY YOUR CONTRACT OR TARIFF.

Additional query words: y2k test

Keywords: kbinfo KB244703

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.