Document Number: OSUP1059
Product: Observer, Expert and Suite
Date:02/7/2007
Title: Daylight Savings Time

Keywords: Daylight Savings Time

Summary
Question - Do you need to upgrade Observer in order to have it work with the new DLST?
Answer: No. Observer is not coded with a specific date in mind.

Question: Does Observer need anything special done to it in order to work with the new DLST?

Answer: DLST is controlled by the Operating System. When the clock rolls backwards or forwards we roll with it, with one exception: Packet Capture/Decode.

Packet Capture provides Nanosecond time resolution, which none of the rest of the product does. Because of this, Packet Capture does not rely on the system clock to provide time stamps. It relies on the Processor Time Ticks. When Observer opens it requests System Time and the number of Processor Time Ticks. This allows Observer to note what date and time it is when a packet is seen.

Because Observer for Packet Capture never again asks the Operating System for the system time, Packet Capture does not know that the time has jumped forwards or backwards. In order to get this to happen you need only close and open Observer after the time change. It is that simple.