UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hey guys,

How do i check and see if my server will automatically adjust itself for daylight savings?

Thanks!

You're in the US. PST -> PDT happens two weeks earlier this year. New legislation. Unless you have gotten a patch from your vendor, I would guess the answer is 'no'.

Your box may use the tz database for tracking this nonsense. You can download a new version:

http://www.twinsun.com/tz/tz-link.htm

PS: The system doesn't "change times" like we do with our clocks. It just reports times as PST or PDT. And changes the hour accordingly. Time in UNIX is simply sequential seconds ticking off, starting with the first second Jan 01 1970 as one.

I found it quite a bear to update Solaris for the new DST. A patch install is required, but for most of my older Solaris boxes like 8 and 9 I also had prerequisite patches that needed to be installed. The easiest method I found was to install the Recommended patches and then the DST patch. Also, be careful to ensure that the Recommended doesn't affect you current setup. It just seems like too much work for a date correction.

On a side note, I believe that if you have Java installed on the machine that also requires an update to make it DST complaint.

ugh...haha yea I have to patch solaris 8 and 9 machines

Yes, it is a much bigger deal than usual this year. Where I work we have several hundred solaris boxes to patch and after extensive testing decided doing the 8_Recommended and 9_Recommended patchsets was the way to go. Too much confusion figuring out which exact patches and dependencies were required otherwise.

You do have to upgrade Java or patch older non-compliant versions as well. The OS patch bundle won't do anything about Java being broken for you.

There was another thread on this issue with more details a week or two ago if you want to search for that one and read more.

You mean this one:

https://www.unix.com/unix-for-advanced-and-expert-users/34189-y2k7-problem.html