I tested this service and tracked down Y2K information on several products in our Syracuse University Real-World Lab®. I also tried to locate the information on my own and found that Network Advisor greatly simplified the Y2K search process--which translates to time and money saved.

Pricing for Network Advisor is based on number of transactions, one of which occurs every time you receive specific information, such as a product listing or manufacturer listing, obtain a compliance tracker report or create a report folder entry. The prices initially may seem a bit steep--200 transactions for $2,795 and up to 1,000 transactions for $4,950. However, you will probably use many transactions to build your base product inventory, but then, as you track items over time, usage will taper off. Considering the cost of setting up and administering your own Y2K tracking system, Network Advisor is a good, cost-efficient solution to a complex task.

Ahead of Its Time When you subscribe to Network Advisor, you're given a personal home page with links to news and Y2K updates. When I logged in, I found updated information for Windows95. The page explains the Y2K issues for this update and provides links to service packs, vendor-specific information and instructions on applying service patches. I set up a tracker page, which tells Network Advisor to send me any updates for the products that interest me, and I also created a report page, which generates a custom, daily updated report.

Beginning my search, I looked for the most common components of our network. Within a few minutes, I obtained the Y2K status of several pieces of equipment and software packages, such as our Cisco Systems routers and access switches and several Microsoft Corp. application suites. However, this process wasn't perfect. When I was searching for our Cisco AS5300 Access Server, I entered the keywords "Cisco" and "5300," which turned up no results. A search on "5300" turned up five products, but none were Cisco's. I had to enter the full name of the product, in this case AS5300, before I was rewarded with the right hit.

Once I found the product I targeted, I had the option of adding it to the custom reports or custom tracker services, or both. Custom reports (see screen on page 26) list products of interest, along with their current Y2K status. This page is updated daily during the database refresh. The products are listed alphabetically, but I would have liked the option to sort based on compliance or product name. Network Advisor's custom tracker feature is similar to the report feature, but when information on tracked products is updated, Network Advisor sends an e-mail with the appropriate URL. The combination of custom reports and tracker provides a powerful tool for staying on top of Y2K issues with minimal effort.

Of course, Network Advisor can't track every piece of manufactured network and computer equipment. For example, I looked for the Y2K status of Meridian Technology Corp.'s Waymark remote-access server. When my search didn't divulge any information, I submitted a request for information on the product. Later that day, I received an e-mail with details about Meridian and the company's stated Y2K compliance, complete with accompanying URLs. All of the above was accomplished in about 10 minutes. My own search on Y2K took longer and even after retrieving the information, I would still need to track it over time for updates.

On Microsoft's site, I searched for Y2K compliance and then followed four links to reach the Y2K resource center. Once there, I had to search for Y2K information for all of our Microsoft products. Surprisingly, the company didn't provide a Y2K link on its home page. Many vendors force you to search for Y2K information, and even if you do find a Y2K Web page, the content might be anything from a blanket position statement to Microsoft's more valuable resource center.

Send your comments on this article to Mike Fratto at mfratto@nwc.com.