Blackboard – ensuring Blackboard's effective performance and integration

24 Sep 2015

Regular Blackboard maintenance on Sunday mornings

What is happening?

An issue which may impact on data integration and overall system performance and stability of Blackboard has recently been identified. We are working with Blackboard on a long term solution and this issue has been flagged as high priority. 

From Sunday 27 September we will be scheduling regular maintenance of Blackboard from 2-5am (during which the service should be considered ‘at’risk’) on Sunday mornings – this will include approximately 30 minutes downtime.  Please be aware of this when planning your work. 

What is affected?

Blackboard and tools accessed via Blackboard, eg Turnitin.

Why is this happening now?

In order to ensure the stability of Blackboard, it is sometimes necessary to undertake essential maintenance of the system.  To minimise disruption to staff and students we try to confine maintenance activities to a regular maintenance window (Sundays 2-5am).

The weekly maintenance window will be used to monitor the situation and take any steps needed to address issues identified.

What do you need to do?

Please be aware of this 30 minutes downtime and ‘at risk’ period.  You may wish to consider any due dates for student submissions or key online activities and adjust timescales accordingly, ensuring that students are advised of any changes.

A message has also been sent to students and a reminder will appear in the Blackboard communications portlet.

Further questions?

We will keep you informed of progress with implementation of a long term solution.  In the meantime, please contact elearning@manchester.ac.uk if you require further information or advice.