Throughout the year, downtimes are required to allow for maintenance and upgrades of the system hardware and software that support MnSCU’s self-hosted Instructional Management System (IMS) enterprise, as well as updates and maintenance releases to the IMS software, which is currently Desire2Learn (D2L). Based on broad-based input from people in the academic, administrative and technical areas of the MnSCU system, recommendations were made regarding the optimum times to schedule these downtimes.
This is the fifth academic year in which we are pro-actively scheduling potential downtimes for maintenance releases and version updates that may be available in the future. Pro-active planning keeps faculty informed of times that D2L may not be available. While a potential downtime for D2L software updates is scheduled once a month, we typically do not use more than three or four of these downtimes each year. Scheduling one potential downtime a month gives us more flexibility in taking maintenance releases and updates as they become available, thereby providing more timely fixes to software issues.
Planned Downtimes
There are two basic types of planned downtimes: one for routine maintenance and upgrades to our self-hosted hardware and server software that support our IMS/D2L system, and another for upgrades and maintenance releases for the D2L software. The scheduled downtimes for this maintenance work for 2010-2011 have been identified and are listed below. If no work is necessary during a particular period, the downtime will not be used. Users will be notified in advance if the downtime will be used.
Unplanned Downtimes
Unforeseen emergencies or special circumstances (power outages, hardware failures, for example) that require downtime at other dates and times will be announced as necessary.
Since MnSCU’s IMS/D2L Enterprise System is among those hosted at a data center at the University of Minnesota campus, on occasion, we may also experience downtimes related to the services at that site. Having established our pre-scheduled downtimes for our own maintenance will help us to coordinate downtimes with our hosting data center, enabling us to provide as minimal as possible disruption of access to the IMS/D2L system.
PLEASE PLAN YOUR D2L USAGE WITH THESE DATES IN MIND
D2L SOFTWARE-RELATED PLANNED DOWNTIMES
These are scheduled downtimes that are reserved in the event we need to take maintenance releases and updates for D2L software. Note that non-major updates are scheduled for 12 hours and major updates are scheduled for 24 hours. Occasionally more or less time is needed. We will provide more details near the date of each downtime.
D2L Software Updates and Maintenance Release Downtime Schedule (Reserved Dates to be Used Only if Needed)
Days Dates Times Type of Update
Friday-Saturday Jan 20-21, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Feb 3-4, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Mar 2-3, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Apr 13-14, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday May 4-5, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Jun 1-2, 2012 10 PM-10 PM Major—24 hours +
Friday-Saturday July 6-7, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Aug 10-11, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Sep 7-8, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Oct 12-13, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-Major
Friday-Saturday Nov 2-3, 2012 10 PM-10 AM Non-major
Friday-Saturday Dec 21-22, 2012 10 PM-10 PM Major—24 hours +
Friday-Saturday Jan 4-5, 2013 10 PM-10 PM Major—24 hours +
+ this downtime may be extended in both directions if needed
HARDWARE/SERVER SOFTWARE RESERVED DOWNTIMES
These are windows of time reserved to perform routine maintenance and upgrades to the hardware and server software that support our self-hosted IMS. These will only be used if needed, and users will be notified of the downtime in advance.
Hardware and Server Software Routine Maintenance Downtime Schedule
Days Dates Times Type of Update
Tuesday All Tuesdays 5 AM - 7 AM Routine Maintenance
Sunday All Sundays 5 AM - 9 AM Routine Maintenance
