|
|
|
|
|
IU MISSION-CRITICAL SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR THE YEAR 2000
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- After more than a two-year effort, University Information Technology Services can report to the Indiana University community that its key, mission-critical computer systems are ready for the year 2000.
In early March, after more than 24 months of rewriting and testing code, UITS' Year 2000 Project team completed a move of all mission-critical applications in IU's central information systems into live production. These included such important systems as those associated with the bursar, registration, student academic records, and financial aid, and they join the university's financial and human resources systems as Y2K-ready. Subsequent follow-up testing proved successful.
"This was the largest and last of many steps to move re-coded programs into use," said Dennis Cromwell, director of university information systems and IU Year 2000 Project coordinator. "We have been working toward this date since 1996, when our year 2000 efforts started. This marks quite a milestone in our year 2000 project."
Implementing the re-coded programs was a success, added Linda Sieboldt, institutional data manager for the Year 2000 team.
"We have experienced very few problems throughout this project," Sieboldt said. "We resolved about 20 problems this month related to the large implementation. Most of these we fixed on the same day. We think these small problems are indicative of those we may experience in January 2000."
The computer applications moved on March 7 totaled 569 programs. Sieboldt credited UITS staff and other university administrative departments for a successful implementation.
"This last move required an enormous amount of coordination across many UITS divisions, university departments and campuses," she said. "A lot of the credit for the success of the project goes to the departments who have dedicated many hours to year 2000 testing and to all of the UITS staff who have worked on this project for the past 24 months."
UITS will continue testing for readiness over the next few months. "We know that many hours of testing and validation are still ahead, but we are now confident that IU's central information systems will be ready for the year 2000 challenge," Cromwell said. "The ability to achieve this year 2000 readiness is directly related to the dedication of the UITS staff and the teamwork exhibited by many areas of the university."
For more information about the IU Year 2000 Project and its challenges, go to the UITS Web site at http://www.indiana.edu/~year2000/ or contact Cromwell at dcromwel@indiana.edu or 812-855-7326.
(Karen Adams, University Information Technology Services, 812-856-5596, kadams@indiana.edu)