[BB] Part II: Upgrade Prep and Updates

Blackboard Users,

 

Our Staging Server has been upgraded to Blackboard 8.0. It looks like everything went smoothly, and the upgrade was completed in less than 24 hours. If you could check your course site(s) one more time and make sure everything looks like a functional copy of what you have on real Blackboard (as of April 29^th).

 

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Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

1.       Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com

a.       Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.

b.       Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server.

2.       Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.

3.       If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

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Upgrade Scheduled!

We are currently scheduled to do the real upgrade on Monday, June 23^rd at 7:00pm. I hope to be down for less than 24 hours during the brief window between when Summer I grades are due (6/23) and Summer II begins (6/25).

 

Also, I have attached a cheat sheet to help you get acquainted with the new gradebook. The biggest changes are that you can now enter grades directly into the gradebook and you can lock down, sort, and scroll through the columns. But you can kick the tires yourself on the Staging Server.

 

Thank you as always.

____________________________________
JENNIFER CLISTER
Blackboard Manager & Analyst
University of Miami IAC
305-284-3949

 

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From: UM Blackboard Announcements [mailto:BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU] On Behalf Of Clister, Jennifer R
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 4:53 PM
To: BB@LISTSERV.MIAMI.EDU
Subject: [BB] Please review your course site (Upgrade Prep)

 

Blackboard Users,

 

As promised, we are getting ready for our Blackboard upgrade this summer, and we are doing a practice upgrade on a copy of our production data made on April 29^th.

 

Before Thursday at 4:00pm could you look at the staging server copy of your course and confirm that it looks and functions basically way you think it should?

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

4. Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com
1. Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.
2. Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server (as if it were wearing a moustache).
5. Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.
6. If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The real upgrade is tentatively scheduled to occur sometime between June 23^th and June 25^th (between Summer 1 and 2). More information on that will be available in the coming weeks.

 

After the “dress rehearsal” upgrade to system 8.0 (Friday, May 23^rd), I will ask you to check the staging server one more time to be sure that the upgrade didn’t affect the course content you are verifying now. This will also give you a sneak peak at the new Blackboard system 8.0.

 

Questions? Let us know.
Blackboard Help Desk:  305-284-3949

 

And thank you again.

 

____________________________________

JENNIFER CLISTER

Blackboard & Technology Integration Analyst

University of Miami IAC

305-284-3949

 

[BB] Please review your course site (Upgrade Prep)

Blackboard Users,

 

As promised, we are getting ready for our Blackboard upgrade this summer, and we are doing a practice upgrade on a copy of our production data made on April 29^th.

 

Before Thursday at 4:00pm could you look at the staging server copy of your course and confirm that it looks and functions basically way you think it should?

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steps to check your course data on the staging server:

1. Login to Staging Server: http://umiamitemp.blackboard.com
1. Login info is the same as it is for the “real” Blackboard.
2. Note that the staging server tabs are purple to distinguish it from the production server (as if it were wearing a moustache).
2. Look at one or more of your courses on the staging server and verify that your course looks OK based on the content it had as of April 29^th when it was copied. No updates made after April 29^th will be reflected on the staging server.
3. If you see anything wrong, please let me know right away. If it all looks good, you don’t need to do anything.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The real upgrade is tentatively scheduled to occur sometime between June 23^th and June 25^th (between Summer 1 and 2). More information on that will be available in the coming weeks.

 

After the “dress rehearsal” upgrade to system 8.0 (Friday, May 23^rd), I will ask you to check the staging server one more time to be sure that the upgrade didn’t affect the course content you are verifying now. This will also give you a sneak peak at the new Blackboard system 8.0.

 

Questions? Let us know.
Blackboard Help Desk:  305-284-3949

 

And thank you again.

 

____________________________________

JENNIFER CLISTER

Blackboard & Technology Integration Analyst

University of Miami IAC

305-284-3949

 

[BB] Blackboard Upgrade / Advisory Committee

Blackboard Users,

 

It’s upgrade season again, and I just wanted to let you know what is going on with Blackboard this summer. We are planning on doing another (small) upgrade to Blackboard Release 8.0.

 

Upgrade Details

§         We are going to try and do this upgrade between the summer sessions in June. I am waiting for confirmation on how long Blackboard will need to be down.

§         More information will follow very soon as more precise dates and duration of the upgrade are worked out.

 

Practice Upgrade

§         In addition, to make sure we are prepared for this upgrade, we are doing a dress rehearsal upgrade on a staging server. (We did this last year also.)

§         We are copying our entire Blackboard system to another server and performing the upgrade on that server to make sure we iron out any wrinkles in the process before we do the real upgrade.

§         When I get confirmation that the copy process is officially complete, I will be asking you if you could look at your courses on the staging server to confirm that they really look like your real courses (or like your real courses looked a week ago).

 

New Changes in Bb 8.0

§         The only drastic changes in this release are some major improvements to the Gradebook (which will be called the “Grade Center”). Here is a short video that Blackboard made to showcase the new features of the Grade Center.
Video Intro to the Grade Center: http://www.blackboard.com/release8/video_2.html

 

Advisory Committee

§         I am looking for volunteers for an “advisory committee.” This would be a small group of individuals who would be willing to email me their opinions or input on questions from time to time.

§         If you would be willing to share your thoughts, please email me and let me know: jclister@miami.edu.

 

 

Thank you as always for your patience and cooperation.

 

-Jennifer

____________________________________
JENNIFER CLISTER
Blackboard Manager & Analyst
University of Miami IAC
305-284-3949