| Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure & Resource Center |
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| SQL Server 6.5 (French) - Win NT
| Product Summary |
Product: SQL Server
Version: 6.5 |
Category: Compliant*
Operating System: Win NT |
| Language: French |
Release Date: 01 Jun 1996 |
| Operational Range: |
01 Jan 1753 - 31 Dec 9999 |
| Prerequisites: |
Service Pack 5 or higher. |
| Product Dependencies: |
Distributed Transaction Coordinator, MS English Query, ODBC Driver Manager, ODBC Software Development Kit, ODBC Desktop Drivers, Server and Client platforms documented in SQL Server System requirements. |
| Clock Dependencies: |
System Clock |
| Last Updated: |
31 Aug 1999 | |
| Product Details |
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Product Maintenance: While Microsoft continues to recommend that customers install the most current Service Pack/Release for non-Year 2000 reasons, we understand that, for many reasons, this may not be possible. In order to aid our customersÆ Year 2000 efforts, Microsoft intends to maintain SQL Server 6.5 Service Pack 5 as compliant through January 1, 2001. Newer Service Packs are also to be maintained as compliant, and may include additional non-Year 2000 updates. This is intended to minimize the Year 2000 as a reason to upgrade.
This information applies to Standard, Enterprise, and Small Business Server versions, as well as to the SQL Server version provided with the SQL Server Workstation product.
Recommendations to meet compliance:
It is recommended to update SQL Server to Service Pack 5 or higher to meet Year 2000 compliance requirements. The Service Pack 5 download is available at http://support.microsoft.com/support/downloads/
How the product handles dates:
1) Server:
SQL Server has two date/time datatypes: datetime and smalldatetime. The datetime datatype is stored in 8 bytes of two 4-byte integers. The first 4 bytes are for the number of days before or after the base date of January 1, 1900, and the other 4 bytes for the number of milliseconds after midnight. The values for datetime range from January 1, 1753, to December 31, 9999, to an accuracy of one three-hundredths of a second (3.33 milliseconds).
The smalldatetime datatype is less precise than datetime, and is stored in 4 bytes consisting of one small integer for the number of days after January 1, 1900, and one small integer for the number of minutes past midnight. The values for smalldatetime range from January 1, 1900, through June 6, 2079, with accuracy to the minute.
Either datatype allows users to specify only the last 2 digits of the year. However the year is still stored the same as if 4 digits were specified. If only 2 digits are specified, values less than or equal to 50 are interpreted as 20yy, and values greater than 50 are interpreted as 19yy. For example, if users specify "03", the date is stored as 2003. If users specify "82", the date is stored as 1982.
2) SQL Administration Tools:
SQL Server Administration Tools include SQL Enterprise Manager, SQL Trace, ISQL/w, Security Manager, Client Configuration Utility, Service Manager, SQL Server Executive, Web Assistant and the SQL Maintenance Wizard. Several of listed tools allow display and/or input of date information:
Date display:
Uses either SQL Server Engine formatting or Windows NT Control Panel Settings formatting.
Date input:
Dates are achieved using either Edit fields or Date controls. Transport means for date information to the Server include Stored Procedures, SQLOLE, DB-Library, SQL Server ODBC driver and Net-Libraries. Plausibility validation of entered dates happens mostly on SQL Engine Level for datetime data types. SQL Server Executive, the Task and Alert scheduling engine of SQL Server, represents an exception: Date information for scheduled tasks is stored in integer datatypes. Plausibility of entered dates in this case is evaluated within the user interface Date controls and by using SQL Servers ISDATE() function within stored procedures prior to storage in the database.
Two-digit shortcut handling:
The SQL Server Engine allows dates to be input using 2-digit years in datetime data types. Regardless of whether the date is input as a 2-digit or 4-digit year, it is stored the same as noted above. When using a 2-digit year, values less than 50 are assumed to be 20XX and values greater than or equal to 50 are parsed 19XX. For example, a 2-digit year of "25" is stored as "2025", while a 2-digit year of "50" is stored as "1950".
What are the issues if SQL 6.5 does not have SP 5 installed? Testing of SQL 6.5 Service Packs 2-4 have identified the following issues. These issues are resolved in Service Pack 5.
- The EXPIREDATE clause for DUMP DATABASE does not properly handle dates greater or equal to 2000. EXPIREDATE is used to say when its ok to reuse backup media. Encountering this issue does not impact general operation of SQL Server. The impact is limited to accidental overwrites of backup media and not providing the extra safety check that EXPIREDATE provides. Fixed in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher.
- The RETAINDAYS clause for DUMP DATABASE does not work properly when the system time has moved beyond 12/31/99. Impact is that an existing dump cannot be overwritten, workaround is to manually delete the pre-existing dump image before attempting the DUMP. Fixed in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher.
- SQL Executive does not recognize year 2000 as a leap year. Fixed in SQL Server 6.5, Service Pack 2 and higher.
- Task Manager user interface spin box does not recognize year 2000 as a leap year. The workaround for this is to schedule the task directly via executing the stored procedure, not the user interface. Fix is expected in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher. Web Assistant does not allow scheduling a task in year 2000 and beyond. Workaround is to use the underlying stored procedure SP_MAKEWEBTASK, not the user interface. Fixed in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher.
- SP_ADDTASK, SP_PURGEHISTORY and SP_UPDATEALERT stored procedures allow several invalid dates as input parameters. This has no consequences as long as valid dates are used as input parameters. Fixed in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher.
- The Microsoft Query client tool, an application shared by several Microsoft products accepts 2-digit year date formatting for the ODBC query, but assumes a twentieth century date. To avoid this, use 4-digit years for queries based upon date data in MS Query or use other client tools provided with SQL Server like ISQL/w or Enterprise Manager. Fixed in SQL Server, Service Pack 5 and higher.
- Two APIs in ODBC 2.5 are affected by Year 2000 issues. The SQLInstallDriver and SQLInstallODBC APIs are used to write custom setups for ODBC drivers. If the following conditions are met, a wrong version of a file may be installed:
- The Setup is written using the APIs SQLInstallDriver or SQLInstallODBC
- An INF file is used to specify the list of files to be installed.
- The filelist information in the INF file includes file date but not the file version.
Both the Win32 and the Win16 APIs are affected by this issue. Note, the SQL Server ODBC installs provided with SQL Server 6.5 itself use both, date and version information and are therefore not affected.
The SQLInstallODBC API was discontinued after ODBC 2.5. SQLInstallDriver still exists, but the option to use an INF file (the source of the problem) was removed in ODBC 3.0. Instead a new preferred API, SQLInstallDriverEx, was added.
On Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, and Windows 98, ODBC versions 3.0 and higher are provided either as part of Operating System Upgrades or Service Packs. For further information on ODBC year 2000 compliance, see http://www.microsoft.com/year2000. For further information on ODBC and Microsoft Data Access Components, see http://www.microsoft.com/data.
Microsoft Data Access Components version 2.1 (MDAC 2.1) are provided as part of SQL Server 6.5 Service Pack 5 and are identical to the versions shipping in SQL Server 7.0. The ODBC version provided herein is 3.51. SQL server customers on Windows NT 4, Windows 95 and Windows 98 who wish to upgrade from ODBC 2.5 should use MDAC 2.1.
SQL Server customers on Windows NT 3.51 who wish to upgrade from ODBC 2.5 should use the ODBC 3.0 setup, odbc3brz.exe, which will be available shortly from http://www.microsoft.com/data. ODBC 3.0 is not available for the Win16 platform.
- If the user has optionally installed replication to non-SQL Server datasources using the Microsoft ODBC Desktop Drivers, the Microsoft Jet database engine is being used, which is also used by Microsoft Access 7.0. Consult http://www.microsoft.com/year2000 for Year2000 status of Microsoft Access 7.0. MDAC 2.1 are provided as part of SQL Server 6.5 Service Pack 5 and are identical to the versions shipping in SQL Server 7.0. The Jet version provided in the MDAC 2.1 release is Jet 4.0. Jet 3.51 for the NT 3.51 platform is available from odbc3brz.exe mentioned above.
Testing guidelines and recommendations:
- Examine the database schema to see whether smalldatetime datatypes are used; in some cases, in order to achieve higher precision, it is recommended to convert these to datetime.
- Use 4-digit year input to avoid ambiguities or boundary conditions in applications.
- Investigate front end application behavior using SQL Server as a backend and interaction with other applications.
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| * |
The product is compliant with recommended customer action. This indicates a prerequisite action is recommended which may include loading a software update or reading a document. |
| # |
The product is compliant with an acceptable deviations from Microsoft's standard of compliance. An acceptable deviation does not affect the core functionality, data integrity, stability, or reliability of the product. |
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The product is compliant with pending Year 2000 software updates. Future maintenance actions will be recommended shortly. See Product Guide for further details. |
| Note: Compliance ratings given for each product assume that all recommended actions have been taken. |
If after reviewing this information you have additional questions related to this product, click here.
YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE
ALL COMMUNICATIONS OR CONVEYANCES OF INFORMATION TO YOU CONCERNING MICROSOFT AND THE YEAR 2000, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THIS DOCUMENT OR ANY OTHER PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE INFORMATION REGARDING YEAR 2000 TESTING, ASSESSMENTS, READINESS, TIME TABLES, OBJECTIVES, OR OTHER (COLLECTIVELY THE "MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT"), ARE PROVIDED AS A "YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE" (AS DEFINED BY THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT) AND CAN BE FOUND AT MICROSOFT'S YEAR 2000 WEBSITE LOCATED AT http://www.microsoft.com/year2000/ (the "Y2K WEBSITE"). EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS HEREOF, THE TERMS OF THE Y2K WEBSITE, AND THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING THE PLANNING FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE YEAR 2000. EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND IS UPDATED REGULARLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. MICROSOFT THEREFORE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU CHECK THE Y2K WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR ANY CHANGES TO ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT. EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. CONSEQUENTLY, MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. MOREOVER, MICROSOFT DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IN TERMS OF ITS CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MICROSOFT OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY DECREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER REGARDING ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN EACH MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENT IS FOUND AT THE Y2K WEBSITE AND IS INTENDED TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER INFORMATION LOCATED AT THE Y2K WEBSITE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MICROSOFT'S YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE STATEMENT, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CATEGORIES OF COMPLIANCE INTO WHICH MICROSOFT HAS CLASSIFIED ITS PRODUCTS IN ITS YEAR 2000 PRODUCT GUIDE, AND THE MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 TEST CRITERIA.
ANY MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 STATEMENTS MADE TO YOU IN THE COURSE OF PROVIDING YEAR 2000 RELATED UPDATES, YEAR 2000 DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, OR REMEDIATION SERVICES (IF ANY) ARE SUBJECT TO THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT (112 STAT. 2386). IN CASE OF A DISPUTE, THIS ACT MAY REDUCE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS REGARDING THE USE OF ANY SUCH STATEMENTS, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY YOUR CONTRACT OR TARIFF.
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