Upgrading blackboard academic_suite_to_blackboard_learn_release_9

Version 9.0
Upgrading Blackboard Academic
Suite to Blackboard Learn

©2008 Blackboard Inc. Proprietary and Confidential

Publication Date: January 2009

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Upgrading Blackboard Academic Suite to Blackboard Learn Page 2

Table of Contents
Introduction .........................................................................................5
About this document......................................................................................5
What does it contain?.....................................................................................5
Reference Materials................................................................................6
Upgrade Kit Documents ..................................................................................6
Other Reference Materials...............................................................................6
Compatibility Matrixes .......................................................................... 10
Overview.................................................................................................. 10
Server Compatibility Matrix.................................................................. 11
Server Compatibility .................................................................................... 11
Updating the Operating System or Database Version.............................................. 11
Certified Server Configurations for the Blackboard Learn........................................ 12
Compatible Server Configurations for the Blackboard Learn..................................... 12
Certified Server Configurations for Blackboard Learn - Course Delivery, Basic Edition...... 13
Compatible Server Configurations for Blackboard Learning System – Basic Edition .......... 13
End User Configuration Matrix .............................................................. 14
End User Configuration Guidelines ................................................................... 14
Supported Paths for Importing and Restoring Courses ................................. 15
Supported Paths for Blackboard Learn Release 9 .................................................. 15
Supported Update Paths ...................................................................... 16
Performance and Scalability in Blackboard Learn 9 ...................................... 17
See Also ................................................................................................... 17
Performance Improvements for Blackboard Learn 9 ................................... 18
Processing ................................................................................................ 18
Module Pages............................................................................................. 18
Discussion Board, Assessments, and the Grade Center............................................ 18
Server Caching ........................................................................................... 18
Performance Comparison..................................................................... 19
Chart 1 .................................................................................................... 20
Chart 2 .................................................................................................... 21
Recommended Deployment Configurations .............................................. 22
See Also ................................................................................................... 22
Update Instructions from Release 8 for Windows ......................................... 23
Overview.................................................................................................. 23


Run the Updater on a Load-Balanced System....................................................... 23
Run the Updater on Windows ......................................................................... 23
Troubleshooting the Updater.......................................................................... 24
Language Pack Changes ................................................................................ 25
Update Failure due to Strict Password Requirements (SQL Server) ............................. 25
Update Instructions from Release 8 for UNIX............................................... 26
Overview.................................................................................................. 26
Run the Updater on a Load-Balanced System....................................................... 26
Run the Updater on UNIX .............................................................................. 26
Troubleshooting the Updater.......................................................................... 27
Language Pack Changes ................................................................................ 27


Introduction

About this document

This document provides Administrators with the information needed for a successful installation.
This includes information on running the Updater, product and browser compatibility, and
changes to the system from the previous release.

This document provides Instructors with information about new features and enhancements. This
includes information on browser compatibility, new feature descriptions, and changes to the
system from the previous release.

What does it contain?

This document contains the following sections:

• Reference materials – Lists and describes reference manuals available for this release.
• Compatibility Matrixes – Explains dependencies between the new application and
existing Blackboard applications in the field. Included is information on which server
configurations are supported with this release, and which end user browsers and
operating systems are supported.
• Performance and Scalability in Release 9 – Outlines the improvements in performance
and scalability in Blackboard Learn Release 9.
• Update Instructions for Windows – Describes general information about the Blackboard
Learn Updater for Windows and the steps for running the Updater.
• Update Instructions for UNIX – Describes general information about the Blackboard
Learn Updater for UNIX and explains steps for running the Updater.

Resolved Issues from previous releases and Known Issues in the current release can be found in
separate reports. Please check Behind the Blackboard for more information.

Warning: Obtain a license key that is meant for Blackboard Learn Release
9 before attempting to install the software.


Reference Materials
Upgrade Kit Documents

To assist in the upgrade process, Blackboard has produced an Upgrade Kit comprised of
documentation resources.

• Understanding the Change – Materials designed to help the user transition from
Academic Suite 8 to Blackboard Learn.
• Upgrading Academic Suite 8 to Blackboard Learn 9 – This document includes specific
instructions for administrators.
• Blackboard Learn Setup Manual – This document outlines the specific procedures
necessary to install Blackboard Learn.
• Blackboard Learn Supported Server and Client Configurations – Comprehensive
matrices that present the operating systems, databases, and web browsers that are
supported by Blackboard.
• Hardware Sizing Guides – These materials are designed to help clients achieve high
service levels and reduce risk by properly configuring and sizing the implementation of
Blackboard Learn on Dell or Sun application and database servers.
• Known Issues Report– A report detailing the known issues in Blackboard Learn.

Other Reference Materials

A full suite of reference materials is available for Blackboard Learn. All materials are located in
the Reference Center at http://behind.blackboard.com. These materials include the following:

Re so ur ce Na me Descript ion
Blackboard Learn Hardware/Software Guide
Performance and Capacity Planning Guide Helps Administrators achieve the best
performance for their implementation of
Blackboard Learn.
Hardware Sizing Guide Helps Administrators plan their hardware
needs for running the Blackboard Learn.
Supported Client Configurations Outlines the Web Browsers and Java Virtual
Machine versions that are supported for
Blackboard Learn.
Supported Server Configurations Details the Operating Systems, Databases,
and Java Virtual Machine versions that are
supported for use on servers hosting
Blackboard Learn.
Blackboard Learn Installation Guide
Setup Manual Installing Blackboard Learn.


Blackboard Learn Administrator Guides and Manuals
System Administrator Manual Reference manual detailing the tools and
functions available through the System
Administrator Panel.
Server Administration Manual Background information, specific instructions,
and resources covering different types of
end-user authentication, application
architecture, Virtual Installations, and SSL.
Advanced Integration and Data Management Background information on integration and
Manual instructions for using integration tools
included in Blackboard Learn.
Outcomes Manual This provides information and instructions on
the usage and capabilities of the Outcomes
System.
Blackboard Learn API Specifications and Building Blocks
Introduction to the Building Blocks APIs and Reference material about the Building Block
Runtime APIs and Runtime for developers creating
Building Blocks.
System Extension Developers Guide An overview of the Building Block framework
and a quick start reference to begin creating
Building Blocks.
Module Developers Guide A quick start reference to create Building
Block modules.
Building Block API Specifications The Building Block API JavaDoc; this serves
as the authoritative reference for developers
creating Building Blocks for the Blackboard
Learning System and the Blackboard
Community System.
Administrative API Specifications The Snapshot API JavaDoc; this serves as
the authoritative reference for Administrators
using the snapshot tool.
Blackboard Learn End User Manuals
User Manual Reference manual detailing the tools and
functions included in the platform from the
general user perspective. This manual
includes information on Blackboard Learn.
Instructor Manual Reference manual providing detailed
information about building and managing
Courses and Organizations. This manual
includes information on Blackboard Learn.


Blackboard Content System API Specifications and Building Blocks
Blackboard Learning Content Building Blocks The Building Block API JavaDoc for the
API Specifications Blackboard Content System; this serves as
the authoritative reference for developers
creating Building Blocks for the Blackboard
Content System.
Blackboard Learning Content End User Manuals
User Manual Reference manual detailing the tools and
functions included in the system for all end
users. This manual includes information on
Blackboard Learning Content.
Understanding the Change
Understanding the Change from Blackboard This document is designed to give the users
Academic Suite Release 8 to Blackboard a comprehensive look at the features and
Learn functions of Blackboard Learn, Release 9,
and how they compare to the Blackboard
Academic Suite, Release 8.
Understanding the Change from CE 4 to This document is designed to give the users
Blackboard Learn a comprehensive look at the features and
functions of Blackboard Learn, Release 9,
Learning System – CE, Release 4.
Understanding the Change from CE 8 to This document is designed to give the users
Blackboard Learn a comprehensive look at the features and
functions of Blackboard Learn, Release 9,
Learning System – CE, Release 8.
Online Resources
EduGarage EduGarage is the home of the Blackboard
Developer Community, an innovative group
of over 2000 technical experts with a passion
for using technology to enhance teaching
and learning. There are a variety of
resources available: documentation, tutorials,
developer forums, and many others.
www.edugarage.com
Maintenance Center The Blackboard Maintenance Center
provides up-to-date information about
releases to help you make informed
decisions about the maintenance of
Blackboard Learn and supported
technologies.
Access this resource by logging into
Blackboard Support using a valid username
and password.
support.blackboard.com


Reference Center The Reference Center contains a large
number of documentation resources for the
latest version as well as past versions.
Access this resource by logging into
Blackboard Support using a valid username
and password.
support.blackboard.com


Compatibility Matrixes
Overview

This section of the document includes information on the following:

• Server Compatibility Matrix – Explains which server configurations are supported with
this release. The required versions of databases and operating systems are included
here.
• End User Compatibility Matrix – Reviews which end-user browsers and operating
systems are supported with this release.
• Supported Paths for Importing and Restoring Courses – Details the supported paths for
import and restore of courses from earlier releases.
• Supported Update Paths – Outlines the supported update paths from earlier releases to
Blackboard Learn.

Note: Refer to the Blackboard Learn Release Maintenance Center or the Faculty
Support Resource Center for up-to-date configurations and compatibility
matrixes.


Server Compatibility Matrix

Server Compatibility

Server software must meet certain requirements before installing Blackboard Learn, Release 9.
The following are important to keep in mind when setting up the server software:

• The database is run on a separate server when using two or more servers. Thus,
appropriate client tools for the database must be installed on the Application server or
servers when using a configuration with two or more servers.
• Certified configurations are fully tested and supported.
• Compatible configurations are partially tested but should function properly.
• Windows users: When installing the Java SE Development Kit (JDK), make sure that
both the JDK and the JRE components are installed to different locations. Also, ensure
that there are no spaces in the path name to either the JDK or the JRE.
• Solaris users: ensure that the Swap space for the operating system is at least twice the
amount of physical RAM on the server.

Note: Clients running the Blackboard Learn on a Windows Operating System
must install the .NET framework if they plan on using .NET Building Blocks.

Updating the Operating System or Database Version

When installing an update to the operating system or database to support a new version of the
Blackboard Learn, always update the Blackboard Learn and then make the updates to the
database and operating system. Installing the database or operating system on an earlier version
creates the risk of destabilizing the existing, earlier version. Please take care to back up the
database and file system and test the restore process before installing an update.

Warning: Before installing or upgrading to Blackboard Learn Release 9,
upgrade to SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2. Otherwise the install/update
will fail.


Certified Server Configurations for the Blackboard Learn

W in dow s S u n So la r is Red Hat
E nt er pr i se L i nu x
Microsoft® Windows® 2003 Sun® Solaris™ 10 Red Hat® Enterprise
Server SP1 (32-bit) 64-Bit SPARC Linux® 4.0

• Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 Enterprise • Oracle 10g R2 • Oracle 10g R2
Edition or Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 version 10.2.0.3 version 10.2.0.3
Standard Edition SP2
• Java SE • Java SE
• Microsoft® Internet Information Server Development Kit Development Kit
(IIS) 6 (not included with Blackboard) (JDK) 5 (JDK) 5
• Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 5

Compatible Server Configurations for the Blackboard Learn

Server SP1 (32-bit) Update 2 Linux® 4.0
Red Hat Enterprise
Server 5, 32-Bit
Red Hat Enterprise
Server 5, 64-Bit

• Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 Enterprise • Oracle 10g R2 • Oracle 10g R2
Edition or Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 version 10.2.0.2 version 10.2.0.2
Standard Edition SP2
• Java SE • Java SE
• Microsoft® Internet Information Server Development Kit Development Kit
(IIS) 6 (not included with Blackboard) (JDK) 5 (JDK) 5
• Mixed mode compatible: 32-bit
application servers with a dedicated,
64-bit database server


Certified Server Configurations for Blackboard Learn - Course Delivery,
Basic Edition

Microsoft® Windows® 2003 Sun® Solaris™ 10 Red Hat® Linux®
Server SP1 (32-bit) Update 2 Enterprise Linux 4.0

• Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 Enterprise • Small-scale Oracle • Small-scale Oracle
Edition or Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 10g R2 version 10g R2 version
Standard Edition SP2 10.2.0.2 10.2.0.2
• Microsoft® Internet Information Server • Java SE • Java SE
(IIS) 6 (not included with Blackboard Development Kit Development Kit
Learn) (JDK) 5 (JDK) 5

Compatible Server Configurations for Blackboard Learning System –
Basic Edition

W in dow s S u n So la r is R e d H at L in ux
Server SP1 (32-bit) Updater 2 Linux® 4.0

• Microsoft® Internet Information Server • Small-scale Oracle • Small-scale Oracle
(IIS) 6 (not included with Blackboard 10g R2 version 10g R2 version
Learn) 10.2.0.2 10.2.0.2
• Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 5 • Java SE • Java SE
Development Kit Development Kit
(JDK) 5 (JDK) 5

Non-English applications, both operating systems and databases (such as a Chinese-language
version of Oracle), are considered compatible with Blackboard Learn Release 9. These systems
have not undergone official Blackboard Product Development testing.


End User Configuration Matrix

End User Configuration Guidelines

End users must use a certified or compatible operating system and browser configuration with the
Blackboard Learn. All configurations marked as Compatible and have undergone a limited
engineering analysis to test areas of the Blackboard Learn that may have browser issues.

B row ser W in dow s W in dow s Mac OS Mac OS Mac OS
XP Vista 1 0 .3 1 0 .4 1 0 .5
De skt op
Microsoft Compatible Certified Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested
Internet
Explorer 7
Mozilla Certified Certified Not Tested Certified Certified
Firefox
3.0.3
Apple Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested Compatible Certified
Safari 2
Apple Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested Certified Certified
Safari 3

Ke y
Certified This configuration has been fully tested and is fully supported by
Blackboard.
Compatible This configuration has had key application areas tested and is fully
supported by Blackboard. There may be unknown issues present.
Not tested The specified browser is not supported for the Operating System.
Not Supported This configuration is not supported by Blackboard.


Supported Paths for Importing and Restoring Courses

Supported Paths for Blackboard Learn Release 9

The table below identifies the supported paths for importing or restoring a Course that was
exported or archived from an earlier version. Certified paths are fully tested and supported by
Blackboard. Compatible paths are not fully tested but should function correctly based on past
performance.

Source* Su pp ort
Academic Suite Release 8 Certified
Blackboard ML Certified
Blackboard 5.5** Certified
Blackboard 5.0** Compatible
CourseInfo 4 Not Supported

*Paths for Importing and Restoring Courses are not backward compatible. Courses may be
Imported or Restored to a newer version, but Courses from a newer version may not be Imported
or Restored to an earlier version.

**Blackboard 5 and Blackboard 5.5 did not include an Archive and Restore function. Courses
from these releases may be imported but Courses cannot be restored with user data and
interactions intact.


Supported Update Paths
The table below outlines the update paths for Release 8.

P r e vi o u s V e r s io n D irect U pda te to 9? Details
8.0 SP4 Yes
8.0 SP3 No Must upgrade to SP4. This is a direct
update.
8.0 SP2 No Must upgrade to 8.0 SP4 before
upgrading to Blackboard Learn.
8.0 No Must upgrade to 8.0 SP4 before
7.3 No Must upgrade to 8.0 SP4 before


Performance and Scalability in
Blackboard Learn 9
This section on performance and scalability provides an overview of performance enhancements
and resolved issues. Blackboard continuously invests in making Blackboard Learn more
responsive and able to handle greater volumes of user traffic.

Performance issues are defined as issues in which application responsiveness for a system not
under load fails to meet user expectations. Scalability issues are defined as issues in which
application responsiveness or stability of a page request for a system under load fails to meet
user expectations.

Issues are identified from previous releases by clients through our traditional support channels.
Issues are also identified from an array of performance and scalability exercises performed as
part of the standard release.

See Also

• Performance Improvements for Blackboard Learn 9
• Recommended Deployment Configurations


Performance Improvements for Blackboard Learn 9
A major theme of Blackboard Learn, Release 9 is page responsiveness. The user interface was
redesigned using client-rich technologies to enhance the processing efforts to display a page.

Improvements have been made regarding the number of clicks or page requests for a user to
perform an operation in the system. Navigation has been improved with a more robust course
management area in the navigation bar. Users may customize their navigation menu from a list
view to a folder view; a floating navigation menu is also available. Content authoring has been
improved from a click-through perspective. The user interface now provides a context menu to
perform child actions from the current page, rather than navigating a management or
configuration page to perform a secondary operation.

Processing

In previous releases, processing efforts were driven by the application and database
components. In Release 9, the distribution of processing includes client-side browser processing
as well as processing requirements from the application and database components. Perceived
response time for a page to load will improve as page elements are loaded asynchronously.

Module Pages

Module pages such as the My Institution page, Course Home page, Group Home page and
System Administration page are configured by default to load asynchronously by default. This
means that each module is rendered upon request and the data for each module loads
asynchronously. This feature existed in previous releases, but was not enabled by default. As
part of the installer or updater process, modules capable of loading asynchronously are now
configured to load asynchronously.

Discussion Board, Assessments, and the Grade Center

Performance enhancements were made to the Discussion Board and Assessment engine to
improve query performance and responsiveness for such activities as reading discussion threads,
as well as executing a quiz or test. These changes remove the dependency for a cross-reference
table (X-table) to traverse the parent-child relationship tree of these types of entities. The overall
number of logical I/O operations to obtain the result set for the user has been decreased.

Performance enhancements were also made to the Grade Center for courses with large
enrollment and/or item counts. Enhancements were made to the default grid view to reduce the
amount of data sent to the user's browser. This reduces the memory footprint on the client, as
well as the response time to load the Grade Center. Additional changes were made to the Grade
Center View Grade History page to avoid Out of Memory exceptions occurring on courses with a
large amount of audit records (greater then 1000).

Server Caching

A new server-side caching architecture was introduced in this release to reduce round-tripping
requests to the database for cases where the data will not change during the course of a user's
session. Each of these caching structures is configured within the bb-config.properties file
and can be adjusted on a case-by-case basis.


Performance Comparison
Blackboard Learn, Release 9 is the quickest and most scalable release to date. Performance
testing and benchmarking exercises have not only yielded improved response times and
workload capacity, but also the greatest amount of stability of a transaction under load.

The charts below provide a caption of the performance and scalability difference between
Release 8, Application Pack 4 and Release 9. Each chart is focused on a different data point.

In the first chart, the data point presented is active sessions. An active session represents an
authenticated user in the application. The data is based on a single Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
The application can scale beyond a single JVM as noted in the recommended configuration topic,
as well as the Hardware Sizing Guides available Behind the Blackboard. In release 8, a single
JVM could sustain roughly 750 to 1000 active sessions with exceptional response times. An
exceptional response time is defined at 90% of all transactions faster then 2 seconds, 9 percent
between 2 and 10 seconds and 1 percent greater then 10 seconds (none greater then 30
seconds). In release 9, a single JVM could sustain 1150 to 1500 active sessions with exceptional
response times.

The second chart provides a response time summary for five critical transactions in the system.
The response time mean (average) has been identified for a calibrated workload. A calibrated
workload is defined as an appropriate workload for performance testing in which exceptional
response times can be achieved. As noted below, response time improvements are achieved in
Release 9 for all 5 of the identified transactions:

• Login to the application
• Accessing the Course Home page
• Launching an Assessment of 25 Questions (Quiz or Test)
• Reading a Discussion Post (~350 words)
• Opening a Grade Center (50 students and 50 items)
Transaction response times can vary based on the volume of data the user interacts with, as well
as the condition of the system at the time the transaction is being performed. The transactions
presented below are based on response time means for average size content. Response time
behavior should remain relatively similar regardless of operating system deployments.

Note: The data presented is not a service level agreement about sizing the
application. If a configuration is unable to achieve an expected workload,
configuration changes may be necessary to meet workload requirements.


Chart 1


Chart 2


Recommended Deployment Configurations
Blackboard Learn, Release 9 has a flexible deployment architecture. Clients may deploy the
application in a traditional horizontal manner in which separate physical application servers can
support an installation of the application. The overall environment would use a shared file system
for content.

Clients may also make use of virtualization technologies such as VMWare, Xen, or Solaris Zones
that support the identical platform technologies certified and supported for this release.

A third deployment option is to make use of clustering at the application layer. This allows a
single installation to load-balance from the web server to multiple JVMs. All three configurations
are designed to make the best use of available hardware resources. It is recommended that any
or a combination of two or three of these options be used for deployment purposes.

See Also

For more information about deploying Blackboard Learn, refer to the Hardware Sizing Guides
(for Dell and Sun) found on Behind the Blackboard.


Update Instructions from Release 8 for Windows
Overview

Before running the updater, please backup the system and make sure it can be restored.

Note: It is strongly recommended to turn off various utilities that may conflict
with the update process, such as Firewalls, Virus Scanners, and Backup Utilities.

Run the Updater on a Load-Balanced System

The Updater must be run on each Application server and the Collaboration server on a
load-balanced system. After running the Updater the first time, choose the Update an App Server
for all other Application servers and the Collaboration server. This option will update the
application files without making any of the database changes. If .NET Building Blocks are used in
the system, please see the troubleshooting section below for an important step to ensure that
.NET Building Blocks function correctly in a load-balanced system.

Run the Updater on Windows

Follow these steps to run the Updater on Windows:

1. Make sure that the Java environment variable is properly set.
2. Click on the Updater file to launch it.
3. A welcome message will appear with a reminder to read the release notes and the
installations instructions completely before updating. Click Next to continue.
4. The first updater page confirms the auto-detected install and content directories.
Click Next to accept the defaults or enter new values and then click Next. Load-Balanced
users should use the mapped UNC path.
5. The next prompt presents several options. The options are Update, Provide new License
file, Uninstall Blackboard Learn, and Uninstall Application Server. Select the
appropriate option and click Next. The Update option will use the license file already
configured and Provide new license file will update the system and apply the new
license.
6. A message will appear that displays the changes that will be made when the Updater is
run. Click Next to start the update. If the Updater was launched from the command line, do
not close the command line window or any of the other windows that pop-up during the
update.


Troubleshooting the Updater

The Updater logs are an important source of information when troubleshooting issues that arise
during an update. The Updater writes the following logs:
blackboardlogsbb-installer-log.txt

If the installer log file does not identify the problem, the update tool log most likely contains the
cause of any installation errors:
blackboardlogsupdate-toolsupdate-tool-log.txt

Also check:
blackboardlogsinstall

blackboardlogsinstalldb-install-errors-log-bb_bb60.txt

blackboardlogsinstalldb-install-errors-log-bb_bbadmin.txt

blackboardlogsinstalldb-install-info-log-bb_bb60.txt

blackboardlogsinstalldb-install-info-log-bb_bbadmin.txt

Microsoft .NET Building Blocks on load-balanced configurations

After running the update, an error message may appear in the system when attempting to launch
a Building Block built using Microsoft .NET. The system reports a Parser Error Message. To
resolve the problem, copy the Webapp directory for any Building Blocks created using Microsoft
.NET to each application server so that the directories may be accessed locally. Here is an
example of the Webapp directory for a Building Block .NET directory on the UNC share:
UNC_server_namebb_contentvibb_bb60pluginsname_of_building_blockwebapp

After copying the Building Blocks directories to each application server, follow these steps to
remap the virtual directory in IIS on each application directory to point to the local directory:

1. Open Start. Select Programs. Select Administrative Tools. Select Microsoft .NET
Framework 1.1 Configuration.
2. Expand Runtime Security Policy. Select Machine. Select Code Groups.
Select All_Code.
3. Right-click All_Code. Select New...
4. Create a code group name, for example dotNETB2, and then choose Next.
5. Set condition type to URL.
6. In the URL field, enter:

file:////[local_server_name][sharename]

for example:

file:////bb_app_server_01bb_contentvi*
7. Restart IIS.


Language Pack Changes

To ensure consistency across releases, the Blackboard Learn Updater will compare the existing
en_US language pack against the version that is being installed. The differences are noted and
output in a file called bundle_diff.txt. This file is added to the
blackboard/backups/<updater_time_stamp> directory. Use this file to review the text differences
between releases and make updates to any custom Language Packs.

Update Failure due to Strict Password Requirements (SQL Server)

On an update with SQL Server, the installation may fail due to the strict parameters for password
requirements. The user will receive the following message:

Password validation failed. The password does not meet Windows policy requirements
because it is too short.

To override or reset the password requirements run the installer as follows (text in caps should be
filled in as appropriately): java -jar bb-as-PLATFORM-VERSION.jar -config
mycustom.properties


Update Instructions from Release 8 for UNIX
Overview

Before running the updater, please backup the system and make sure it can be restored. Solaris
users: ensure that the Swap space for the operating system is at least twice the amount of
physical RAM on the server.

Note: It is strongly recommended to turn off various utilities that may conflict
with the update process, such as Firewalls, Virus Scanners, and Backup
Utilities.

Run the Updater on a Load-Balanced System

The Updater must be run on each Application server and the Collaboration server on a load-
balanced system. The method is similar to the Installer—the Updater is run on each Application
server in sequential order and then run on the Collaboration server (if the Collaboration server
resides on a separate server). After running the Updater the first time, choose the Update an App
Server for all other Application servers and the Collaboration server. This option will update the
application files without making any of the database changes.

Run the Updater on UNIX

Follow these steps to run the Updater on UNIX.

1. Open a command-line prompt and navigate to the directory that holds the Updater.
2. Run the following command to launch the Updater:

$JAVA_HOME/bin/java -jar <updater_file>

If Xwindows or a similar GUI is running and the DISPLAY variable is properly configured,
the Updater will launch in GUI mode (remember that the following steps assume that the
command line Updater is used)

A welcome message will appear with a reminder to read the release notes and the
installations instructions completely before updating. Hit ENTER to continue.
3. Instructions will appear for navigating through the Updater prompts. The Updater, in most
cases, will provide a default value in brackets. Hit ENTER to accept the default and
continue or enter a different value. Hit ENTER to continue after entering a new value.
4. The first Updater prompt asks for the directory where Blackboard will be found. Hit ENTER
to accept the default or enter a new value and then hit ENTER. If The Blackboard Learn is
not found in the directory provided, the Updater will attempt to install at the given location.
5. The next prompt presents several options. The options are Update, Provide new License
file, Uninstall Blackboard Learn, and Uninstall Application Server. Enter 1 and click
ENTER to select Update.
6. A message will appear that displays the changes that will be made when the Updater is
run. Hit ENTER to start the update.


Troubleshooting the Updater

The Updater logs are an important source of information when troubleshooting issues that arise
during an update. The Updater writes the following logs:
/blackboard/logs/bb-installer-log.txt

If the installer log file does not identify the problem, the update tool log most likely contains the
cause of any installation errors:
/blackboard/logs/update-tools/update-tool-log.txt

Also check:
/blackboard/logs/install/

/blackboard/logs/install/db-install-errors-log-bb_bb60.txt

/blackboard/logs/install/db-install-errors-log-bb_bbadmin.txt

/blackboard/logs/install/db-install-info-log-bb_bb60.txt

/blackboard/logs/install/db-install-info-log-bb_bbadmin.txt

Language Pack Changes

To ensure consistency across releases, the Blackboard Learn Updater will compare the existing
en_US language pack against the version that is being installed. The differences are noted and
output in a file called bundle_diff.txt. This file is added to the
blackboard/backups/<updater_time_stamp> directory. Use this file to review the text differences
between releases and make updates to any custom Language Packs.


Upgrading blackboard academic_suite_to_blackboard_learn_release_9

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