The upgrade of Russian computer systems for making them Y2K ready will cost approximately US$ 1 billion. This digit was reported by vice prime minister Vladimir Bulgak at the meeting of the Russian government. He also said that currently the readiness of Russian computer systems for such upgrade does not exceed 30 to 35 per cent.

According to governmental data, 86% of all computer-equipped facilities in the country are checked up by the moment. The total number of such systems equals 56,000. Out of this digit, as underscored by Vladimir Bulgak, about 16,000 systems are in critical situation from viewpoint of their year 2000 readiness, with systems related to national security and vital services for Russian population being among them.

In his report the Russian vice prime minister warned about "a few other painful strokes" which are expected to hit the national computer systems even before the beginning of the new millennium. The main of them will occur on September 9, 1999, when "four nines" will be indicated by the most of Russian computers. In certain systems, this combination means erasing the entire program, and programs will be restarted in some other systems. The next dangerous date is November 11, 1999; at that day some computers will indicate the value 1199, which is also able to change the program. As a potential consequence of these failures, in particular, all computers of the Central Election Committee may be halted. (Right on the eve of parliamentary elections, which are due to take place in December.)

Vladimir Bulgak believes that even in the case of total upgrade and reconfiguration of the computers "there is only 85 per cent probability of perfect operation of the system". According to his opinion, "the arrears of this problem in the most complicated systems" will not be eliminated until 2003.

Source: InfoArt News Agency

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