Patches to deal with changes to U.S. Daylight Savings Time?

[SantaMufasa]

Begining 2007, U.S. Daylight Savings Time begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November, adding four weeks to daylight saving time.

Can anyone direct me to links (or other definitive information) that confirms what patches (or other preventative/remedial) actions we must take to avoid problems, at the database level, resulting from this adjustment?

Thanks,

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[SQLBill]

SantaMufasa,

I can't find any DATABASE patches for the DST issue. However, there are patches for the OS.

My answer would be that the database gets it's date/time value(s) from the OS, so the OS would need to be patched, but not the database.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[SQLBill]

Another thought....if I was concerned about the DST thing, I would have the server set to GMT time. Then my queries could be written to take that into account.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[SantaMufasa]

Thanks, Bill, for your responses.

We run several MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, EnterpriseDB, and DB2 installations. In some of those database-vendor environments, the database software provides date-related functionality beyond that which depends simply upon accessing operating-system date registers.

As a result of these DST changes (called for in the Energy Act of 2005), if the DBA does not apply to the database-software installation itself appropriate related vendor patches, the database may report incorrect time zone data between 03/11/2007 – 04/01/2007 and between 10/28/2007 – 11/04/2007 (and on different dates in subsequent years).

I infer from your reply that SQL Server does not call for any patches that affect database functionality (beyond SQL Server's access to the operating system's date register(s)).

Do you have any definitive references/links from Microsoft that confirm that SQL Server requires no special patching to accommodate proper DST handling? (My checking has come up empty.) Our auditors require a definitively referenceable source that confirms that we have no special patching that needs to occur on SQL Server installations.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[SQLBill]

It's a catch-22 for you. If it's not needed, will they report that it's not needed? I did a search of Microsoft's website and the only DST patches/comments that I found were for the OS along with Outlook. I doubt Microsoft is going to put out a list of all their products and say which do and which don't need a patch. Normally, vendors only state which product DOES need a patch.

Best bet for auditting....email Microsoft and ask them. That way you will have their response in an email for your auditors.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[Catadmin]

Funny you should ask. I just read the following article regarding the very subject this morning. @=)

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/database...ct-your-databases-db2-oracle-and-others-13443

I haven't heard anything about SQL Server being affected yet and neither has the article author, but that doesn't mean it won't. It is primarily a Java issue, I believe.



Catadmin - MCDBA, MCSA
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