-- Check with external service providers to ensure that they are modifying their own systems to comply with the changes so your systems are not negatively affected.

-- Have IT personnel scheduled to be available during the DST change on March 11 so they can repair any problems that arise, and give them well-defined escalation procedures to deal with any circumstances.

-- IT departments should schedule twice-yearly reviews prior to DST shifts to confirm that systems are working smoothly and to correct any problems that occur.

Another analyst, David Ferris at San Francisco-based Ferris Research, said the DST preparation "shouldn't be a panic response" from IT departments. But the change still needs to be given proper attention with a full regimen of evaluations, patches and testing before the deadline arrives. "I don't think it's a massive thing. It's not going to be like the Y2k scare."