Operation Abacus was a
Canadian military operation
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
formed in 1999 in response to anticipated disruption due to the
year 2000 problem or the
Y2K bug
The year 2000 problem, also known as the Y2K problem, Y2K scare, millennium bug, Y2K bug, Y2K glitch, Y2K error, or simply Y2K refers to potential computer errors related to the formatting and storage of calendar data for dates in and after ...
. It was intended as a contingency plan not just to coordinate the protection of government computers but also ensure social order if computing systems went down. For these purposes, the
Canadian Forces (CF) allocated $400 million and established a headquarters in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
on February 27.
The command center was linked to five other regional centers located across Canada.
The military also mobilized more than 10,000 troops for Operation Abacus deployments during the early part of the year 2000.
These units, which has previously conducted training exercises, were tasked to restore order and vital services if the turn of the
millennium caused disruption to
computer systems, and to conduct patrols against looters and to prevent or stop rioting.
References
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Abacus
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