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How We Maintain a Healthy Bb Environment

How We Maintain a Healthy Bb Environment. Sheila Chandler Director, Learning Systems Virginia Commonwealth University. Presentation Overview. Background Who am I? Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) VCU Blackboard Environment ____________________________________

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How We Maintain a Healthy Bb Environment

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  1. How We Maintain a Healthy Bb Environment Sheila Chandler Director, Learning Systems Virginia Commonwealth University www.ts.vcu.edu

  2. Presentation Overview • Background • Who am I? • Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) • VCU Blackboard Environment ____________________________________ How We Maintain a Healthy Bb Environment Sharing Lessons Learned

  3. Who am I? • High School – Computer programming (IBM) • University of Louisville • Sociology Degree • First programming job (PDP 11/45 - BASIC) • Community Hospital of Central California (MUMPS, BASIC) • Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) -Accounting Degree • Auditor of Public Accounts – CPA, CISA • VCU • Programmed on Web Course in a Box (1998 to 2000) • Blackboard purchased WCB (2000)

  4. About VCU • Richmond, VA • Students: 32,000+ • Faculty: 1,927 • Adjunct: 1,161 • Staff: 2,586 • Monroe Park, MCV, Qatar, NOVA

  5. Bb App Environment • Bb Application (2000 to present) • Bb Classic Enterprise (7.3 -> v9 – May 2010) • Bb Content Management System • Building Blocks • Bb Faculty Tools (VCU developed) • CPS Connection (Clickers) • Echo360 Content Creator • Health Check (modified) • Help Desk Tools (VCU developed) • Wimba • SafeAssign • SoftChalk

  6. Bb User Environment

  7. Lesson Learned #1Designate Bb Coordinator and Support Team • VCU Support Team (Tribe) • Technology Services • Learning Systems • Help Desk • University Computer Center • Networking • Center for Teaching Excellence • Support staff in Schools (School of Nursing, Business, etc) • Vendor (Blackboard)

  8. Lesson Learned # 2Recognize Mission Critical • Path to Mission Critical • Student demand (85%+) • Faculty use (email, gradebook, document storage) • Administration/Staff found uses • Keep statistics – show growth

  9. Lesson Learned # 3 - Scale Out

  10. Lesson Learned #4 Request System Audit

  11. Lesson Learned # 5 Monitor and Take Action • Hobbit (Internal) • Pingdom (External) • Custom Scripts • Check db connections • Search logs for Oracle errors • Scan Snapshot files (header & footer) • Monitor SAN space (set to expand at 90%)

  12. #5 Monitor and Take Action • System cleanup • Rotate logs • Run Bb Cleanbb once a week • Restart app servers twice a week • Track usage and react to trends • Ask Users • My VCU Portal Polls • Annual Tech Fair suggestion box • Talk to Students on Campus • blackboard@vcu.edu

  13. #5 Monitor and Take Action • External Listserv • ASU list • (BBADMIN-L@lists.asu.edu) • BIE list • (BIEACAMDEMIC@lists.blackboard.com) • Developers • (BB-OPENSRC@lists.vcu.edu) • Internal VCU Listserv • Bb-core • Bb-mgmt • Bb faculty list

  14. Lesson Learned #6 Document and Communicate • Technical • Bb Diary • Internal wiki – notes • BbCMS – Documentation • Emergency Call list • End-User • Help Desk - blackboard@vcu.edu • Blogs (Tech Services, Bb system-wide, Bb faculty) • Learning Systems Newsletter • Technology Services Knowledge Base (http://www.ts.vcu.edu/kb/blackboard.html)

  15. #6 Document/Communicate • Regular Meetings • Weekly LS meeting • Monthly Bb Tech meeting (agenda & minutes) • Monthly Center for Teaching Excellence meeting • Periodic meetings with IT Directors of Schools

  16. #6 Document/Communicate • Special Meetings • Special Task Force (iptables fix) • Discovered that net.ipv4.netfilter.ip_conntrack_tcp_be_liberal = 1 doesn't survive an iptables restart • Bb TSM bi-weekly meetings • Periodically request to review Bb tickets

  17. Lesson Learned #7“No such thing as a SMALL change” • ALL Changes follow Written Procedures • Development Environment (maybe multiple times) • Test Environment (always multiple times) • Production

  18. #7“No such thing as a SMALL change” • System Maintenance – Regularly Scheduled • Second and Fourth Friday of the month • Perform Downtime Checklist • One week before downtime • During downtime • After downtime • Group IM (Instant Messenger) • Follow emergency communication plan (if needed)

  19. Lessons Learned Summary • Designate BbCoordinator and Support Team • Recognize Mission Critical • Scale out • Request System Audit • Monitor and Take Action • Document and Communicate • “No Such Thing as a SMALL Change”

  20. Additional Information • Additional Information • Sheila Chandler (sdchandl@vcu.edu) • Bb Connections site • http://healthybb.wetpaint.com • Thank you to… • Learning Systems Staff • University Computer Center Staff • Networking Services • Center for Teaching Excellence

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