Clock Ticking on Daylight-Saving Time Changes

Timing really is everything.

A Microsoft bulletin is telling system administrators that a congressionally mandated change in the start and end dates for daylight-saving time (DST) could result in some significant problems in their mobile Outlook calendars.To head off issues that could shift mobile Outlook calendar items to incorrect times and throw users' schedules off-kilter, Microsoft says administrators should advise end users to download files to their devices immediately. The United States is shifting the beginning of the time change forward by three weeks this year. Canada has a similar change planned.

The Microsoft bulletin also calls into question how software running on a range of other devices will be impacted by the DST shift. Industry observers say wide-area devices that get their time updates from a base station will be unaffected by the shift.

Microsoft says mobile users who connect to a PC must also install the software on their PCs to keep their calendars in sync. The company says it is critical that end users follow all instructions, and that all connected devices be updated, noting that if some users fail to update their software, it will have a detrimental effect on other users.

System administrators and end users can access instructions and the necessary software files to update their Outlook calendars.