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Informational Memorandum
Subject:Expectations for Testing of Mission Critical Systems
Date of Memorandum:03/17/1998
Expiration Date:
Office:OE
Signed By:Smith, Roland
FCA Contact Person:Glenn, Thomas
Contact Phone:703-883-4412
List of Attachments:None


INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM

March 17, 1998


To: Chairman, Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer
Each Farm Credit System Institution

From: Roland E. Smith, Chief Examiner Roland E. Smith
Office of Examination

Subject: Expectations for Testing of Mission Critical Systems


On June 6, 1997, I issued an Informational Memorandum titled “Year 2000 Awareness.” Attached to the document was a copy of the May 5, 1997 Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) Interagency Statement titled “Year 2000 Project Management Awareness.” In the latter document, the FFIEC members encouraged financial institutions to ensure that, for mission critical systems, renovations were largely completed and that testing was well underway by December 31, 1998. The intent of this Informational Memorandum is to provide further guidelines to Farm Credit System institutions on the dates that the testing of mission critical systems should begin and should be completed.

Farm Credit System institutions are expected to have prepared test plans for all mission critical systems by June 30, 1998. The test plans should identify the array of critical target dates that will be used in testing each application, specify the testing schedules, identify the staff involved in testing, describe the testing environment, and identify the testing methodology and the tests to be performed. Testing of mission critical systems maintained by the institution should be started by September 1, 1998, and be completed by March 31, 1999. Testing for mission critical systems that require testing with a third party should commence by November 1, 1998, and be completed by June 30, 1999.

In summary, key testing dates are as follows:

June 30, 1998 Testing plan(s) completed.
September 1, 1998 Internal testing of mission critical systems should have started.
November 1, 1998 Testing of mission critical systems with third parties should have started.
March 31, 1999 Internal testing of mission critical systems should be completed.
June 30, 1999 Testing of mission critical systems involving testing with third parties should be completed.

If you have any questions regarding this document, please call Thomas M. Glenn, Director of Operations, Office of Examination, at 703-883-4412. Contact may also be made at the following e-mail address: glennt@fca.gov.