TLDR -> DST Update Spring 2024

[Albus2]

Hi

There are two threads

https://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1829229

https://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1821556

about DST setting as the list ends in October 2023, not having info about 2024 and later.

BFG9K, sizbut, Westi and others did provide hints how to solve the problem and provided updated TimeZoneInfo.xml
In the meantime, there is a version from Avaya available at PLDS with Download ID:IPO00009517.
This new AVAYA file has 1 year too much. In Manager it only goes until 2032, not 2033.

In any case, you do not need to reboot the system. It's enough to replace the file in Manager and merge the update.
However, there is also WebManager. Someone could reactivate the old setting again using WebManager.


Therefore, you should replace the updated TimeZoneInfo.xml in Manager and also put a copy on the SD card using Manager and embedded file management

Windows PC:     C:\Program Files (x86)\Avaya\IP Office Admin Suite\Manager
                C:\Program Files (x86)\Avaya\IP Office Lite\Manager
SD-Card:        \SYSTEM\PRIMARY\WebMgmtEE\TEST\XML\

Then open Manager, connect to IPO and just re-select the current Time Zone, i.e. click on the entry.
This will update the list of dates below. Check if it does have entries until 2032 even if the first one is still 2023




The main problem is the file TimeZoneInfo.xml
The original version of this file was introduced with R6.1 in 2010 and therefore had entries from 2010 - 2019
A later version had entries from 2014 - 2023 while the current one like in 11.1.3.1 has entries from 2014 - 2025
However, only 10 entries fit into this dropdown list, and it starts with the first, i.e. oldest one. So even if the file has entries from 2014 - 2025, it doesn't work after 2023.

Back in 2020. I had SR 1-15994354812 because it did not change time for some systems after DST change in March 2020.
They had IPOFFICE-159379 with T4 but still needed month to promise a solution for 11.0.4.5 which was release Jan 14, 2021 which was too late to update all systems before next DST change.
And obviously the problem was not really fixed, and also the method was not changed to something more intelligent. And of course, there is no documentation about how things work.
The fact, they provide a new file with 11 years proof, they don't know what they do... Let's say, it's just a fix and is fine for the next few years.


Attached file is the one from PLDS. The files provided by BFG9K, sizbut and Westi are also OK. Just verify if your timezone is included with proper information.


UPDATE:
The PSN is updated.

https://support.avaya.com/css/public/documents/101088857

More useful now, but still, you don't need to change to VoicemailPro/Manager and save the configuration.
This is not needed. Just re-select the currently used Time Zone entry. This triggers to read dates from Manager.
Finally, one shall check the drop-down list (Clock Forward/ Back Settings) to verify the list is showing entries for the years 2023 until 2032.

The new TimeZoneInfo.xml file is now available at support.avaya.com under IPO Downloads.

https://support.avaya.com/support/fr/download/1399860590480?productId=P0160&releaseId=11.1.x

It's still the same file as in my link (checked with VirusTotal)

 

[dwone555]

CAREFUL! I downloaded the Avaya PLDS TimeZoneInfo.7z file and it shows it has Malware...

 

[Albus2]

Just to make it clear:

The download at PLDS is a file called TimeZoneInfo.7z, but its content is just the XML in a folder with the same name.
Not clear why they had to 'zip' it into a 7z archive.

The file linked in my post above is just the XML.
And of course it is not malware. You may read it in any editor.

 

[Nortel4Ever]

Nortel had DST figured out from the beginning - advance the clock one hour at 02:00 on the second Sunday of March, and retard the clock by one hour at 02:00 on the first Sunday of November. If DST is not followed in your region set the DST feature to No. It's just so simple and I have never been able to figure out how Avaya could make something so simple like this so bloody difficult.

 

[dwone555]

Not sure that's accurate Nortel4Ever. Especially not Norstar...

In 2007 the beginning of daylight saving time jumped ahead by two full weeks. That was due to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which extended the entire period of daylight saving time by four weeks from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

That's why Avaya has a customizable DST date entry list.

 

[sizbut]

Nortel had DST figured out from the beginning" - Rubbish. That solution worked for just North America.

It doesn't take long to discover the past 20 years is full of countries dropping use of DST, coming back into using DST, changing their dates for DST. Yes, the IP Office could have a better solution (updating the XML each year would help) but the Nortel one-size-fits-all even if it didn't model wouldn't be it.

Stuck in a never ending cycle of file copying.

 

[Albus2]

Updated original post.
New PSN.
New link to updated TimeZoneInfo.xml

@dwone555
You may want to remove your malware warnings.
Not only is it just an xml and not executable, the file is also checked and definitely not malware.
All the scanners at VirusTotal have it checked. All green.

 

[Nortel4Ever]

@sizbut @dwone555 - Nortel did not just make software for North America, they were a world wide company and made software for phone systems in all parts of the world including their specific requirements for DST. If the dates for DST changed, as they did in 2007, then Nortel updated their software appropriately. The North American version of CICS and MICS 7.1 software had options for standard DST, extended DST or no DST. Their BCM product portfolio also had the same DST options. Two weeks ago we did not receive one call from a Norstar/BCM customer complaining about DST not updating but we got hammered, as everyone else on this forum did, with calls from Avaya customers.

Yeah, I agree that Avaya left their entire installed base hanging by not updating DST with each release of Manager. It's absolutely ridiculous that I can install a new IPO with 11.1.2.3 software and the DST dates go back 10 years to 2014.

I've done a bit of work with Samsung phone systems and they allow you to do the following - advance (or retard) the time by X hours or minutes, at X time, on the first, second, third, or fourth, (day of week) of X month. Completely configurable for any region and no mention of a year.