Blackboard at KU - Maintenance Windows

Why are there scheduled maintenance windows for Blackboard Learn?

Scheduled maintenance for the Blackboard Learn system is necessary to ensure that the system is running as well as it possibly can. The maintenance windows can be used to update Blackboard Learn with updates as they are released, but only after they have been tested and approved by KUIT. We also use this downtime to restart certain services, as necessary, in order to keep the systems running smoothly, while minimizing impact to students.

Based on statistics and usage patterns, we determined that early mornings and Sundays are the times that Blackboard Learn is used least. As a result, we have reserved the following times for maintenance windows:

• 4 AM – 6 AM Monday through Friday
• 12:00 AM (midnight) - 12:00 PM (noon) Sunday mornings

This time frame has the smallest impact on our user base while also allowing our administrators ample time to communicate with Blackboard should the need arise. Updates during the maintenance window will usually not prevent you from using Blackboard or disrupt your session. If system maintenance requires an outage, KU IT will send an email and post an announcement to let you know the date and time that Blackboard will be unavailable. 

Any further questions about the scheduled maintenance windows for Blackboard Learn should be directed to the KU IT Educational Technologists at itedtech@ku.edu or 785-864-2600.