Hi All,
I am currently working on a project with a requirement that our software must operate until at least 2050. Recently we have run into problems dealing with the Y2.036K "bug" in the NTP protocol and also the Y2.038K bug. Basically, our software must continue to run past these dates with all data recorded using correct time stamps. Given that there is currently no solution to either of these bugs a workaround must be employed.
It is critical that our software keeps running after these two events and records dates correctly. It is not critical that the OS system time be correct. Given that we are using Java we should be able to handle dates relative to the prime epoch of 1900 after it rolls over. However, the java JVM will not even run if the system time is set before Unix epoch in 1970! It just crashes.
To add fuel to the fire, the NTP server is supplied by another vendor and we have no control over it. So using another protocol or modifying the server to handle any of this is not possible.
A creative solution is required. Needless to say, some deep voodoo must take place. We have considered the following:
1) Modify the ntpd client software to somehow co-operate with the ntp server and offset the local time from a date greater than Unix epoch in 1970 rather than 1900. Thus allowing the JVM to run without crashing on initialization. All time stamps will then be handled relative to our chosen rollover date. (So basically, make sure we rollover to a date greater than the Unix epoch).
2) Allow the ntp corrected time to rollover to 1900 epoch and find a fix so that the JVM will not crash.
Has anyone else tackled this issue? And also, are there any other issues that may occur which I have not foreseen, making one or both of these solutions not feasible at all?
Sorry if this is not as concise as possible :-( It's a tricky one.
Thinking caps on!
Thanks in advance.