One side that IMO hasn't been addressed much, is your responsibility to yourself and to your management to get their expectations exactly where they need to be. If I were in your shoes, I would have expressed *huge* doubts about the October deadline. Maybe you'll make it, and maybe you won't, but you should be telling them when it can be done, not have them tell you when it *will* be done.

You may piss some people off. (I've literally had people red-faced and jumping up and down.) However, once you do it a few times, and people know your word is good, life becomes much easier on you, and your organization will be better for it.

Do not bow to pressure -- the truth will set you free.