Exchange 5.5 and Daylight Savings Time 2007 3

[ITfromZX81]

Hi all,

Is there any kind of workaround for Exchange 5.5 and Daylight Savings Time 2007 that is going to come along in the near future?

I know there is a hotfix available for people with extended support, but what if you don't have this? Can you pay a one time fee to Microsoft for the hotfix or will they not do this? Is there any way around this issue(other than upgrading to Exchange 2003)? What are the ramifications of not fixing this issue?

Thanks,

 

[Dyadmin]

Has microsoft come to their senses?!

You decide and let me know, this is for
Exchange 2003, 2000, and 5.5!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930879

 

[dan]

There is a free patch for Exchange 2000 and 2003.
Also a free patch for Windows 2003, but for Windows 2000, you need to use the manual tool TZEdit (also available for free from M$). The only unsupported system is Exchange 5.5 For that they apparently have a $4000 patch available, but the word I got yesterday was that was only available to those who already had an extended support contract for Exchange 5.5.
Dan

 

[aluke000]

I checked out this link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930879

Currently there are tools available for updating the server OS's, and then for Exch 2003, 2000. So is this considered the manual proceedure to complete patching for DST 2007?

 

[rws70]

Dan,
I feel your pain. I am running Exch 5.5 on Win2K and I have a blackberry server involved so I do need the CDO fix as well.

Here is the fruit of some of my research:

**************************************
1. One person talked about setting the Exchange server to GMT time:

"Exchange: For supported versions, apply the patches and ensure that you patch the servers as well. I suggest applying the client level fix as it ensures that all calendars are correctly updated.

For Exchange 5.5/2000 - You can apply the server patches as noted above for your platform. Once that is done, your servers will be up to date, but the CDO on the Exchange Server will be off. You can buy ($4,000 support contract?) the patch from MS, or you can get creative.

The creative way to do things is to:

Change All Exchange Servers to GMT Timezone (this removes all +/- calculations from the servers and the CDO on the Exchange server. You then patch the Outlook clients. What then happens is that all time (CDO) processing is done on the client side and the Server stores all data in GMT time. This makes the change of time mute on the server level. Be sure to do the same with the OWA servers. If you are using Good Link, be sure to patch that as well and leave it on the proper time."

(The only thing here is he does not say how to change the setting ... is it just an OS setting or some setting within Exchange 5.5 itself?)

found the above here

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/12009443/m/187007592831/p/2

***********************************

Also could this article help us at all? Maybe some power admins can suggest something based on this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/239009/en-us

(Interesting it was updated in Jan 07 and it's for Exchage 5.5 time zone issues)

************************************

On my Win2K boxes I intend to update soon. Why can't I just do this instead of an OS update ... see LAST ITEM ... no one talks about this setting at all?

Set your computer to adjust for daylight saving time automatically in Windows Server 2000

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Date and Time.
3. On the Time Zone tab, use one of the following procedures:

• To set the computer to change the system clock for daylight saving time, click to select the Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes check box, and then click OK.

• To set the computer NOT to change the system clock for daylight saving time, click to clear the Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes check box, and then click OK.

(Is this too simple or an OS fix in the short term? Why aren't people mentioning this?)

******************************************

Best RWS
(please send me any good news ... rws70ATyahoo.com ... thanks!)

 

[aluke000]

Hey thanks for the useful idea on GMT. Assuming that we use this GMT idea, if you are not using OWA, will CDO being off matter? What would it impact? We have a number of public calendars. However AFAIK scheduling is not handled in them directly, but in the shared user data, which would be adjusted for DST at the client. Is my thinking correct here?

As far as your last question. I belive the free MS timezone update adjusts DST settings to fit the new dates at the OS level for you, it's just that you need to do it at every server/workstation individually. That is what I did with my NT4 and W2K servers. W2K3 has it's own update for it.

Another thought at the OS level is just leaving DST turned off and using a third party time server to keep your servers adjusted to the correct time (assuming their time servers are corrected too!)

Please feel free to correct my thinking or if I am not clear on my thinking out loud.

 

[Zelandakh]

CDO won't be off as you are outside the US where the 3 week descrepancy won't affect you. Trouble is that during those 3 weeks, any calendar events you book for AFTER the 3 week period may be an hour out and then after the 3 weeks period, you set the server back to US time and the previous 3 weeks calendar items are an hour out (but who cares about historic items?).

 

[aluke000]

I thought the idea was to set the Exch 5.5 to GMT permanently?
That you wouldn't need to set it back again. In a sense this would be setting a zero refence point and it is up to the clients to maintain any DST references. Or am I barking up the wrong tree here?

 

[dan]

Setting the server to GMT permanently would solve the problem except for appointments that have already been entered into the extended DST period. They will then be an hour off when the workstation changes.
A Microsoft tech I spoke with suggested, "Add the time to the subject so when you look at the appointment you will know when it is supposed to be in case it is off." Sounds like the best plan yet. Or should we just go back to using a Day Timer?
Dan

 

[aluke000]

Wasn't the purpose of the Outlook and Exchange timezone tools to take care of adjusting existing appointments that fall in the 3 week time periods that are off?

I that is the case it sounds like we may have something of the pieces to form a solution. Now are there any other pieces in Exch that need to be adjusted to reset for GMT? So far there are tools for patching the OS timezone and tools for adjusting existing appts in Outlook/Exchange.

Once we establish all the fixes, we need to set an order of application of these various patches, especially any that should not be applied, and then test.

So it sounds like:
1- patch the server OS DST (optional if using GMT I guess)
2- reset server OS to GMT
3- any settings to EXCH55 that need to be applied? (still not fully determined)
4- does the EXCH timezone tool still need to be applied here?
5- patch client OS
6- adjust existing appts using Outlook/Exchange timezone tool

 

[mdmumbai]

We are testing the following option for patching Exchange 5.5 environment
Apply Client side OS DST patch on March 9 evening enterprise wide
Run Exchange calendar tool version 1/Outlook time zone update tool on March 9 evening
Move the US Exchange Server clocks manually by 1 hour on March 11 2:00am to 3:00am
Use Outlook time zone update tool for Public folder calendars
Goodlink latest version 4.9.3 (DST compliant) is not supported under Exchange 5.5
Outcome
Based on our limited test environment results, we observed the following
US users Outlook appointments look OK
Rest of the world having mailboxes on US servers will see their appointments from their local outlook clients correctly
US Users OWA appointments will be 1 hour behind.
Goodlink users will see the appointments 1 hour behind on their PDA devices
We need to manually move the clocks 1 hour behind on all US Exchange servers on April 1 2007 at 1:59am to let the system automatically move the clock one hour ahead based on 2006 DST rule.
Of course since this is not extensively tested, we cannot confirm if this is the right approach to at least have the Outlook client show the appointments correctly if not all other mail clients
Has anyone tested this method?

We also alternatively tested moving the Exchange Servers clock one hour ahead first and then apply Client DST patch and running Exchange Calendar tool after that.
This approach also seems to be working. However, since this is based on limited amount of testing, we cannot fully confirm if this is correct approach

Manoj

 

[aluke000]

Couple of quick questions mdmumbai.

Why are you moving the clocks manually? The timezone patch does work for NT4. I have tried in on an NT server box by applying it and setting the clock to Mar-11 1:55am and watched it change to 3am five minutes later. That seems to be a good fix.

Are you aware of any way within Exchange to change the time zone of the Exchange server? Seems that all I can find is the base OS timezone. The GMT solution presented suggests setting your Exchange 5.5 Server to GMT. Is that what you are doing?

Alan

 

[iamwiz82]

RE: Dyadmin

Has microsoft come to their senses?!

You decide and let me know, this is for
Exchange 2003, 2000, and 5.5!

Did you notice that the last update to the revision history was to remove 5.5?

 

[vtmishka]

It is still possible that it is the "fix" for Exchange 5.5.

In other words, the reason they removed the info may not be that it will not work for 5.5 but rather because they don't want to provide an answer for 5.5 users. As someone pointed out - a punishment for those who did not upgrade by now.

Of course, what else was removed from the document at that time? Was it only the reference to 5.5 or was there some other bit of relevant information for 5.5 users. Alas, I can't find an old version of the document!

As for me, I'm right in the middle of my upgrade to Exchange 2k3/Win 2k3. It's to the point where up until last week I was hoping to be able to pull off the upgrade before the DST change. Doesn't look possible now so I'm stuck too...

Maybe a benevolent 5.5 user who has paid the $4K for the "fix" will share with us what it entailed...

On another note, I'm really going crazy (and I see that I'm not alone) trying to figure out this whole issue. There's too much information and it's a shifting landscape. One day we have to patch Exchange before patching servers and the next day it seems to be the opposite.

Well, the countdown has begun in earnest...

 

[scorch70]

vtmishka, that is my question too - will the Exchange tool still work with 5.5, and they just dont want to support us 5.5 techs? Or will it break my 5.5 server?

This sucks!

Thanks GWB!!

 

[vtmishka]

It seemed that aluke000 had the makings of a solid procedure (posted on 2/28).

I'm not sure if it's complete but it looks pretty good.

I'm still considering trying to accelerate my Exchange Inter-org migration. I'm not sure if I can pull it off within the next week though. It's more than just Exchange - I'm migrating users from NT 4 to a new Windows 2K3 domain and Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2003 at the same time.

The nightmare continues...

 

[iamwiz82]

scorch70, who is going to be the brave soul to test it? ;-)

 

[rws70]

March 05 - update

1. Over the weekend I set up a test lab with Exch 5.5 and OWA(outlook web access) ... put the servers on GMT time. OWA still shows appt's made on patched clients wrong. So I am not sure there is a fix for 3rd party systems like blackberry and OWA that need the cdo.dll file update in Exch 5.5. (to get that update you need a 125K support plan ... it is not 4K ... I know, my mother company bought the Win2K OS patch for 4K and the Microsoft rep said he could not get me the Exch 5.5 cdo.dll patch).

So my current game plan for the Exch 5.5 environment is:

A. Patch all operating systems: servers and desktops
B. Send out an email to ask users to check their calendars between 3/11 and 4/1. I want them to add the time of the meeting to the subject field (just to be safe) and if the time is showing up wrong in the calendar, correct the time and then send the updated meeting.
C. Send an email to blackberry and OWA users that those platforms will be off during the 3 week period.
D. After the dust settles UPGRADE to Exch 2003 or 07.

2. To patch any single Windows machine you can use TZEDIT.exe on each machine. (please spread the word).
This tool is totally simple to use. You just need to know the new dates and times the DST changes take place.

All versions of Windows can be manually updated using the Time Zone Editor tool (tzedit.exe)

MS provided a tool that allows users to change the time zone settings on a single computer, cleverly referred to as the Time Zone Editor (aka Tzedit.exe). This tool lets you create and edit time zone entries for the date and time settings in Control Panel.

You can find Tzedit.exe available for download from the Microsoft Download Center here:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/8/a/58a208b7-7dc7-4bc7-8357-28e29cdac52f/TZEDIT.exe

Download the file, unzip it, run tzedit.exe to see a listing of time zones and when they change on your computer. Click EDIT if you want to edit the highlighted time zone.

As a closing note, I would like to record here that Microsoft has lost me in the long run as a customer. They have a Windows 2000 operating system patch and they are charging $4,000 for it. I am appalled by that behavior. MS has ton's of money ... they can afford to make that patch available to the public. Someday when the earliest practical opportunity arises, I will abandon all Microsoft products. In the short run they will get more money from me ... in the long run they have lost a customer forever.

Hope that helps
RWS
rws70ATyahoo.com

 

[scorch70]

iamwiz82, it wont be me! Not that brave, and I dont trust my recovery skills enough to try it.

 

[vtmishka]

First off, this is going to be long - sorry in advance...

I just spent about an hour on the phone with a Microsoft tech. He was very patient and willing to help with whatever information he could.

As I mentioned previously, I'm in the middle of my Win 2K3 and Exchange 2K3 migration. Yep, I'm doing them both together. My situation is somewhat unique. Here's my environment (in a nutshell). I have a Windows NT 4 SP6a domain running Exchange Server 5.5 Sp4. This is what my users (all 70 or so of them) are actually using. I also have a Windows Server 2003 domain with an Exchange 2003 server in it. No one is being authenticated by the Win 2K3 domain and no one is using the Exchange 2K3 server (other than testers). I have a 2-way trust between the domains. At this point, I have a few resource servers (file servers, mostly) in the new domain that are being used by my users (remember, all in the NT domain).

My Exchange 2003 server is almost complete. I'm going to migrate my users to the Win 2k3 domain and perform an Inter-org Exchange server migration (at the same time - I haven't worked out all of the logistics yet).

My users all use either Outlook 2002 or Outlook 2003. (Note: if you're calling MS tech support on this issue, this is your ticket in the door. If you tell them Exchange 5.5 or Windows NT you'll be routed to the $4K patch people. Outlook XP and 2003 are supported!).

Ok, that's enough of that - sorry, but it's relevant because the DST plan I'm following is related to my particular infrastructure. Hopefully, someone else can find some use for it too.

The MS tech with whom I spoke advised me to proceed as follows:

****As far as my Exchange 2003 server goes:
1. Update using the time zone update patch - KB 931836
2. Run the ActiveX/OWA patch - KB 911829
3. Run the S-Mime patch - KB 924334
4. Run the CDO patch (always CDO should be last) - KB 926666

Because I currently have no users with any calendar events on my Exchange 2003 server, that's it - done.

****As far as my users (on the NT domain):
1. Update using the time zone update patch - KB 931836
2. Run the Outlook Time Zone Data Update tool - 931667

That's it for users.

****As far as my Exchange 5.5 Server:
1. Patch the OS (using TZEdit as rws70 just mentioned)

Nothing further can be done to this NT 4 server.

****As far as my Domain/Exchange migration:
He advised me to wait until after 4/2/2007 to proceed.

****A few notes:
I asked about the fact that KB930879 mentioned Exch 5.5 until 3/1/2007. He noted the same but he wasn't sure if it would work for Exch 5.5.

I asked about the ramifications for an Exchange 5.5 Server during the Delta-period (the time from 3/11/2007 until the old DST change date). He said that probably after following the procedure outlined above, the only thing we should see would be that meetings scheduled within the Delta-period may possibly be off by an hour.

Also, any appointments that were set using OWA would be affected (since it relies on CDO).

He referenced KB 928214 that he later said was an internal document. It deals with Exchange 5.5 and DST 2007. In it it lists the files in the $4K patch. There were about 50 files listed. Among them are cdo.dll, cdohtml.dll, dispatch.exe.

I asked about setting the Exchange 5.5 server to GMT. He said he had not heard of that tactic.

He was was not uncomfortable talking to me about Exchange 5.5 and NT (obviously he was bound by what MS will support, but he gave me some good suggestions).

Bottom Line:

My plan is to follow the procedure outlined above and then tell users to put the date/time of any meetings that they schedule in the Subject line. Also advising them to double-check their existing meetings.

If you have any questions of me, post them here and I'll try to respond.

My mind was mud about this issue until bouncing ideas off of the MS tech this afternoon.

I hope this information helps someone (sorry for rambling!).

 

[vtmishka]

Quick Update:

Just received a follow-up email from MS tech...

***For my users, there's one more step:

1. Update using the time zone update patch - KB 931836

2. Rebase calendars in Outlook 2003 - you must have the following: KB 931667 and KB 933146