A Y2K Story By W K Yu

Crowds were there on the streets everywhere in the world. Thanks to the CityTV, a TV facility available on the campus network, the CSC staff had been able to join the fun and share the joy with people, not only in Hong Kong, but also in Beijing, New York, Gisborne (billed as the first city in the first developed country to enter the third millennium) etc., in celebrating the arrival of the long-awaited Year 2000 on the University campus. We watched the CNN and saw how the New Zealanders and Australians do the countdown excitedly. When it was the turn of Hong Kong, we did it in the CSC Y2K Command Centre together with thousands of Hong Kong people we saw on the TV. The Year 2000 arrived, the CityTV was still operating, and we had safely sailed through the first gate (campus network) without hitting the Y2K problem.

A team of some 30 CSC staff soon performed the health check of the most mission critical systems and services. As expected, they were in order. We only toasted the New Year around 1:30a.m. The reporters from Eastweek, a Chinese weekly magazine, had been there with us since 11p.m. on the New Year Eve to witness the University's successful rollover to the Year 2000.

The CSC’s Command Centre continued to operate until the day end on 3 January 2000. All professional and technical support staff were on duty during the holiday. Every service was checked and NONE of the CSC services and facilities was interrupted. We all smiled with relief. Sweat had been shed for the past 2 years, and it paid. The CSC staff had demonstrated our dedication to ensure our users would survive the Y2K problem. Unlike the business world or elsewhere, our colleagues did not get compensation pay or leave for all the extra work they did for the Y2K issue. Concerted effort was seen and they are to be proud of.

Indeed the University sailed through the new millennium smoothly. Not a single incident of a possible Y2K bug had been reported from the different departments. All the hard work and preparations paid, and everyone in the University should be praised.

Sequel: Besides the turn of Year 2000, the next high risk date, i.e. 29th February 2000 was also successfully rolled over with all the computer equipment maintained and services provided as normal.