DON’T Turn Back the Clock: Microsoft Provides Resources for Change in Daylight Saving Time in Russia

Last week, we presented our first public webcast on Microsoft’s activities related to the end of daylight saving time in the Russian Federation, a change we noted earlier this year. For our customers and partners worldwide, this means there are some things to be aware of, and in some cases, work to do to prepare for this change.

First, a little history: this summer, the Russian government adopted a new law to cancel daylight saving time (DST) in the country. This means that Russia will not “fall back” to the previous Russian Standard Time zones this fall. People in the country will leave their clocks on “Summer Time” (as it’s known in the region) and no longer have to make the twice-a-year changes to their clocks in the future. Such a change requires various adjustments. While the elimination of DST directly affects those living in Russia, given the size and impact of the Russian market, the ramifications are global. At Microsoft, we’re stepping up work with our customers and partners to address the impact on users’ computers and servers.

Most applications and services reference the underlying Windows operating system for their date and time related rules, with some exceptions. We outline the various software updates to select Microsoft products (including various releases of the Microsoft Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office and other applications) on the Microsoft Daylight Saving Time Help and Support Center. There, we have information and links to updates for various products in mainstream and extended support affected by this change, as well as other various changes to DST offsets and time zones around the world. Additionally, for the change in Russia, we provide specific details and guidance in country at http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst/ru.

So what should you do to make sure that your computers are ready for the change? 

If you use Microsoft Update on your PC at home, chances are you’re already covered. The latest update – the August 2011 Cumulative Time Zone Update for Windows – may already be installed on your PC if you have turned on Automatic Update in Windows. This ensures you’ll get the latest security and other important updates from Microsoft automatically. This latest update includes the changes for Russia as well as other worldwide changes (including Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Fiji, Samoa and Newfoundland). If you’re not sure if the update has been applied, visit the Microsoft Update site for more information. 

If someone manages your network at work, it’s likely the needed updates are schedule to be deployed to your computers and devices, if they haven’t been installed already.

For IT professionals managing PCs, servers and Microsoft software installations, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/time for more details. Also, visit the support websites of any other software companies to see if you need to apply any updates. It’s not just Microsoft software that may require updates. 

We’re offering a series of new webcasts to help customers and organizations preparing for daylight saving time, particularly these new changes in Russia, beginning on Oct. 3rd. This is part of our “step-by-step” program on making the DST transition. Geared toward IT professionals, we’ll walk through a general overview of DST and the impacts and solutions for Windows, Outlook and Exchange. To find a list of these upcoming webcasts, visit http://www.microsoft.com/time.

Posted by M3 Sweatt
Partner, Program Management & Corporate CPE, Microsoft