DST arrives this weekend: Are your Microsoft systems ready?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) starts a couple of weeks earlier this year than usual -- on Sunday March 9 for U.S. and Canada. Microsoft users and administrators should know the drill by now: Double-check to make sure your Microsoft-based systems are ready.

M3 Sweatt, the Chief of Staff of the Windows Core Operating System Division (COSD), reminded Microsoft users in a March 7 blog posting:

"If you use Microsoft Update on your PC at home, chances are you're already covered. The December Cumulative 2008 Daylight Saving Time and Time Zone Update for Windows should already be installed on your PC. If you're not sure, visit Microsoft Windows Update to check your PC and install important updates. At work, if an IT Pro (aka 'hero') manages your network, chances are good that the needed updates have already been installed on your computers and devices automagically.

"If you manage servers and a host of Microsoft software, visit http://www.microsoft.com/time for more details."

The full list of Microsoft products affected by DST changes is available on Microsoft's Help and Support site, and includes everything from Windows Server, to Exchange Server, to Windows Mobile.

It's not just Microsoft's software that is affected by DST, obviously, but for those who run any Microsoft products, it's not a bad idea to check again that you're covered for this week's spring-ahead.