DISCO/Y2K/Solution

Last Update : 31 March 2000

At the moment of 2000/03/31

DISCO engaged in the Y2K project considering March 31, 2000 to be one of the critical days of the Y2K problem. Since for accounting purposes, the end of the fiscal year was March 31, 2000, the Japanese mainframe system conducted the accounting processing going beyond the calendar year. We emphasized that the accounting program is different from the normal, and within the Y2K problem program confirmed that a continuation of the year-end processing was completed without any problem.
At this stage, there has been no problem with Disco's internal system and corporate activities due to the Y2K problem. Furthermore, our customers, including DISCO users and suppliers, have not reported any bugs that seemed to be caused by the Y2K problem.
From these facts, I would like to report that DISCO entered FY 2000 without any operational problem.

In order to cope with the Y2K problem, DISCO established a body with our Vice President as the Committee chairman and engaged in this project at the corporate level with the aim of "guninterrupted corporate activities including products and service." In order to make a complete transition into FY2000, DISCO started preparations from 1998, investing approximately 600 million yen in countermeasures.
After entering 2000, a Y2K problem occurred in some products but the impact was small and due to appropriate prearranged actions, our customers felt no serious effect.
During the special monitoring period including a 24-hour stand-by for the rollover as well as other critical days, we reported the status of our corporate activities to all our stakeholders through our web site.
Because March 31 has passed without any problem, we believe that this will be the last report barring the occurrence of any new Y2K problem.

Categories
Items to be confirmed Operation A problem occurred, or not Degree of influence Status

Category1 Company products Company products list

Category2 IT infrastructure -IT systems
-Network systems 100 NO - -

Category3 In-house equipment -Production equipment
-Test equipment
-R&D equipment 100 NO - -

Category4 Common in-house infrastructure Security systems, Office machines and equipment, etc. 100 NO - -

Category5 Social infrastructure The Head Office / Sendai Regional Office / Osaka Branch Office / Kyushu Branch Office / DES / Hiroshima Regional Plants
-Electricity
-Communications
-Gas
-Water
100
100
100
100
NO
NO
NO
NO
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Category6 Suppliers
-124 major suppliers
100 NO - -

Category7
Distribution agents for shipping products
-29 major distributors
100 NO - -

Category8
Handling a temporary increase in product demand
-Production equipment
-Distribution network
100 NO - -

Category9 Overseas subsidiaries
- Disco Hi-Tec (Singapore) Pte., Ltd.
- Disco Hi-Tec Europe GmbH
- Disco Hi-Tec America, Inc.
100
100
100 NO
NO
NO -
-
- -
-
-

Category10 Sales agents
-Domestic sales agents
-Oversea sales agents
100
100 NO
NO -
- -
-

*NOTE OPERATION Describing from "0" to "100" how Disco's relative business activities on each category are working. Even though, a problem occurs, it will be described "100" after the problem is solved.

A PROBLEM OCCURRED, OR NOT Describing by "YES" or "NO" if a problem occurs on each category.

DEGREE OF INFLUENCE Describing by large/medium/small how a problem affects Disco's relative business activities on each category.

STATUS Describing by following definitions how Disco is tackling a problem if it occurs.
1.-Now we can operate normally.
2.-Now we can operate using alternative measures.
3.-Now we are solving the problem.
4.-Now we are investigating the problem.

At the moment of 2000/03/01

DISCO considered the date 29 February 2000, as a critical date, possible cause of Y2K problems.

However, on 29 February 2000 = "The leap day" all of the categories of DISCO operations considered to be critical were not affected by any difficulties resulting from Y2K problems.
As of 1 March 2000, we have not heard of any difficulties caused by Y2K problems from our customers using DISCO products, DISCO's partners and suppliers.

At the moment of 2000/02/04

[ Important information ]
Having entered the year 2000, a Y2K problem was found to have occurred on the 300, 301series and 600,601series.
Please note the applicable products and countermeasures listed in the chart.

At the moment of 2000/01/07 17:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco product.

Disco Group established the Y2K Committee, consisting mainly of directors of Disco, and has engaged in the Y2K problems at a corporate level, with all employees on the alert. Regarding Disco's products, verification according to SEMI tests were performed, and for emergency cases, "SOLUTIONS AND RECOVERY PROCEDURES BY PRODUCT" were made for customer. Regarding Disco's responsibilities as a supplier, we have taken thorough countermeasures for the Y2K problem, including the IT system, manufacturing equipment, and all office equipment, by an investment of about 600 million yen. Also, contingency plans were prepared to counter for emergency cases.
As a precaution to the rollover, a special team has been organized. Soon after the rollover, the team performed a series of function checks, where no problems were detected. From January 5th, year 2000, all of Disco's world-wide offices has smoothly resumed normal operation.

The special team will be maintained until April 30th, year 2000.

At the moment of 2000/01/07 13:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco product.

At the moment of 2000/01/06 17:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco product.
Disco comforted that domestic and oversea sales agents have started the operations normally.
As a result, we could not find any problem in the resulting series of function checks as below started soon after the new year.

At the moment of 2000/01/06 13:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco product.
We confirmed all major suppliers and distributors. They started normal operation. Now, We are checking the status of sales agents.

At the moment of 2000/01/05 17:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco product.
Today, the Supplier Risk Management Project checked major suppliers to confirm their status.
The Distribution Risk Management Project confirmed that the distribution network, which Disco uses, has been functioning well without any problem. Disco products will be shipped out as usual.

At the moment of 2000/01/05 13:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
The domestic locations have started the operations and the worldwide sites of Disco started the corporate activities of 2000. We already confirmed that the infrastructure and internal machines, equipment and systems including the core system and network system are functioning normally and we have entered into regular operations smoothly.

Further, in regards to Disco's suppliers and distributors we have confirmed that 122 organizations out of 153, were not affected by any Y2K related problems.
We will further continue confirming with remaining organizations.

At the moment of 2000/01/04 17:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance for our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred in the Disco products.

At the moment of 2000/01/04 13:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance for our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred in the Disco products.

We restarted the IT system of Disco Hi-Tec Europe GmbH, which supervises the Europe region, and confirmed the communication functions with the Head Office. Following the confirmation of the system functions, we started normal operation.

We restarted the IT system of Disco Hi-Tec America, Inc., which supervises the North America region, and confirmed the system functions and communication functions with the Disco Head Office. Following the confirmation of the system functions, we started normal operation. As the system of Disco Hi-Tec America, Inc. restarted from a silent rollover, Disco’s entire global network has started operation.

At the moment of 2000/01/03 17:00 (JST)

The Y2K Program confirmed the following:
So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
We confirmed that Disco's plant production equipment is in an "able to manufacture" condition. As we already confirmed the infrastructure, we also conducted a test by actually supplying power to the equipment. In order to respond to large orders from the customers, we ensured that we could conduct smooth production activities from the beginning of the new year.

At the moment of 2000/01/03 13:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
We restarted the IT system of Disco Hi-Tec (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. , which supervises the Asia region, and confirmed the system functions and communication functions with the Disco Head Office. This was the first reboot and check of an IT system at our overseas locations and there was no problem. Following the confirmation of the system functions, we started normal operation.
As of 01/03/2000, Disco Group has resumed E-mail communication.

At the moment of 2000/01/02 17:00 (JST)

So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
In order to roll over the IT system safely at Disco, we silently rolled over systems other than the Web server. At 9 a.m. today we restarted the domestic core system / network system. We confirmed the hardware as well as system functions and communication status with domestic locations and are ready to start operations from January 5, 2000.

At the moment of 2000/01/02 13:00 (JST)

The Y2K Program confirmed the following:
In order to roll over the IT system safely at Disco, we silently rolled over systems other than the Web server. At 9 a.m. today we restarted the domestic core system / network system. We are checking the hardware as well as system functions and communication status with domestic locations and are ready to start operations from January 5, 2000.

At the moment of 2000/01/01 17:00 (JST)

The Y2K Program confirmed the following:
So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.

At the moment of 2000/01/01 13:00 (JST)

The Y2K Program confirmed the following:
So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
From 9 a.m. today, the Infrastructure Risk Management Project has checked the infrastructures (communications, electricity, gas and water supply) of the domestic locations (Sendai Regional Office, Osaka Branch Office, Kyushu Branch Office, DES, and Hiroshima Regional Plants) and confirmed that they are normally operating and no problem has occurred.
We have also checked functions of the office machines and equipment commonly used internally and could not find any problem.

At the moment of 2000/01/01 0:05 (JST)

The Y2K Program confirmed the following:
So far there has been no disturbance of our corporate activities due to any Millennium bugs. In addition, we have not received any information that a Y2K problem has occurred regarding Disco products.
The Y2K Program has checked the most basic infrastructure for our corporate activities such as communications, electricity, gas and water supply in the area where the Head Office is located from midnight, January 1, 2000 and confirmed that they are in a normal and usable status.

At 9 September 1999

DISCO considered the date 9/9/1999 as a critical date, possible cause of Y2K problems.

However, on Sept. 9, 1999, all of the categories of DISCO operations considered to be critical were not affected by any difficulties resulting from Y2K problems.
As of Sept. 30, 1999, we have not heard of any difficulties caused by Y2K problems from our customers using DISCO products, DISCO's partners and suppliers.

The information contained in this document may be changed without notice.
Unauthorized copying, modification, or translation of this document is forbidden without prior written permission, except where permitted by the copyright laws.

Disco Corporation
All Rights Reserved. 1999-2000