Y2K Tiger Teams Spring Into Action

 
Although most agree the Year 2000 (Y2K) Problem is not going to be the end of civilization as we know it, UC Davis is preparing for Y2K as it would for any other potential emergency, as defined in the Campus Emergency Policy (UCD Policy & Procedure Manual, Section 290-05) and the campus emergency management program (http://planit.ucdavis.edu/ howto/index.html).

Starting on Wednesday, December 15, all individuals affiliated with UC Davis will be able to call (530) 752-1727, 24 hours a day, for assistance with campus-related Year 2000 issues. This number will remain active through January 14 (or as needed) and will provide a centralized Year 2000 communication hub for the UC Davis community.

Depending on the nature of the problems or concerns, operators will direct the calls to one of three "Tiger Teams": the Life & Safety Team, the Facilities Team, or the Computing Team. All three Tiger Teams will be staffed with professional personnel, as well as volunteers, who will be on call to handle problems as they arise during the rollover period (December 15-January 14).

When placing a call for Y2K-related service, be prepared to state the nature of the emergency or problem, the location where it is occurring, your name, and call-back number.

Life & Safety Tiger Team
The Life & Safety Team is responsible for all campus Y2K emergencies that pose a threat to life or public safety. The team will operate out of the 911-dispatch center in Davis and will be responsible for:

• Coordinating the efforts of the local police and fire departments.
• Staffing the Y2K campus phone number (752-1727) and routing callers to the appropriate agency (Police, Fire, Facilities, or Information Technology).

Staffing will be increased at 7 p.m. on December 31 through 7 a.m. on January 1 to handle any increase in call volume.

Facilities Tiger Team
The Facilities Team will handle any Y2K-related emergencies dealing with campus infrastructure. All Y2K checks on mechanical and electrical systems and upgrades for Y2K are complete, and Facilities fully expects all mission-critical systems to function properly on January 1, 2000. Pacific Gas and Electric, which provides power to the campus, has verified its readiness for the Year 2000 and reports confidence in its ability to provide uninterrupted gas and electrical service to campus. Because campus utilities are dependent on suppliers, backup systems are in place. The Facilities Team, for instance, has made preparations for the rollover period by staffing additional standby personnel and supervisors.

Computing Tiger Team
Thanks to extensive remediation efforts and compliance testing, the computer systems deemed critical to fulfilling the mission of our campus (often referred to as "mission-critical systems") are not expected to encounter any Year 2000-related issues. Nonetheless, the Year 2000 Problem does pose a potential risk to all computing systems, including academic and administrative systems.

To address any unforeseen Y2K problems with our mission-critical systems, a team of computing professionals, consultants, and volunteers has been formed. This Computing Tiger Team, which will be deployed out of the Year 2000 Program Office, is to focus available resources on computing problems which might greatly impact the campus. The Computing Tiger Team is NOT a desktop computer repair or Year 2000 remediation service. If you need these services or would like more information about recharge rates, please contact the Desktop Systems group at (530) 757-8907.

Scope of Tiger Teams' Involvement
The involvement of the three Tiger Teams in the resolution of Year 2000 problems will be limited to:

• Systems which are considered critical to campus operations or pose a risk to life or life supporting processes;
• Feeder systems critical to campus operations or life-supporting processes;
• Failures that constitute a significant campus financial loss or potential financial loss;
• Failures that constitute a significant or potential loss in research data that cannot be recovered.

See additional Y2K coverage.