Blackboard Learn™, Release 9.1
Upgrade Planning Document for Blackboard Classic
In order to assist our clients with successful upgrading, Blackboard has assembled this list of key questions to
answer prior to creation of your institution’s upgrade plan.
We encourage you to use this resource to get a holistic view of all parts of the institution that may be affected by
an upgrade prior to documenting your first upgrade plan draft.
Your Blackboard Representative stands ready to walk you through this document, and if desired, arrange
conversations with our Solutions Engineers, Managed Hosting team or Consulting team.
Basic Information
General information about your upgrade
1. From what version of Blackboard Classic will you be upgrading?
2. Do you have a test environment implemented?
3. When do you plan on having your upgrade complete?
4. Who are your stakeholders for this upgrade?
5. Do you have any customizations on your current Bb environment? If so, what are they? Were they completed
by the Blackboard Consulting organization or by institution staff?
Helpful Hint: For more information on how to take your customizations from your current environment to
Release 9.1, please contact your Learn Account Representative to review your options.
6. Are you integrated with your SIS system?
Helpful Hint: For more information on how to migrate your SIS integration from your current environment to
Release 9.1, please visit the Services tab on the Upgrade Center (www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter) or
contact your Learn Account Representative to review your options.
7. Have you attended an Upgrade Success Webinar?
Helpful Hint: If not, you may register for an Upgrade Success Webinar at
https://blackboard.webex.com/mw0306l/mywebex/meetingsearch.do?SearchText=Upgrade+Success++CE/Vista&siteurl=blackboard&searchKeyWord=Upgrade+Success+-+CE/Vista
8. Have you reviewed the resources and documentation available at the Upgrade Center?
Helpful Hint: If not, the Upgrade Center is located at www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter and includes all
necessary documentation and information needed to plan your upgrade to Release 9.1.
Planning
Information specific to your planning process and timelines
1. Have you developed a Communication Plan for this upgrade?
Helpful Hint: Blackboard has developed a Communication Plan template that you can download, along with
a collection of communication tools from the Release 9.1 Communications Toolkit located on the
Communications tab on the Upgrade Center at www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
2. How are you planning to train your faculty, staff and students on Release 9.1 new functionality?
Helpful Hint: See all of the Quick Tutorials and pre-built training content available for faculty, staff and
students at the On-Demand Learning Center at http://ondemand.blackboard.com/.
Client created training plans can also be viewed on the On-Demand tab at the Upgrade Center
www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
4. Do you plan on using the upgrade process as a time to purge data or implement new data management
processes? If so, what changes are you intending to make and why?
Helpful Hint: To view your upgrade options, please review section 2.0 Upgrade Options of the Upgrade
Center at www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
5. Do you plan on using the upgrade as a time to implement new teaching and/or instructional design
approaches? If so, what changes are you intending to make and why?
Hardware
Information specific to current hardware infrastructure of your system
Self-hosted clients:
1. Does your existing hardware meet the minimum recommended requirements for Release 9.1 as detailed in
our hardware specifications?
Helpful Hint: Find the following Hardware Sizing Guides at:
Dell:
https://behind.blackboard.com/s/sysadminas/refcenter/docs/details.Bb?DocumentID=3319&pid=100000&rid
=5776&dt=
Sun:
https://behind.blackboard.com/s/sysadminas/refcenter/docs/details.Bb?DocumentID=3319&pid=100000&rid
=5776&dt=
2. Do you plan on upgrading any server or database hardware or software prior to the upgrade as required by
the hardware specifications? if so, what will you be upgrading?
3. Have you considered outsourcing your hosting to Blackboard Managed Hosting?
Helpful Hint: Talk to your Learn Account Representative about Blackboard Managed Hosting 99.9% uptime
SLA for select accounts or visit www.blackboard.com/managedhosting.
Managed-hosted clients:
1. Have you submitted a ticket to request your upgrade to Release 9.1? If so, for what time frame have you
requested the upgrade?
Helpful Hint: Submit your ticket to request to upgrade at Behind the Blackboard at
https://behind.blackboard.com.
2. Do you plan on creating an archive and/or back-up of your course data prior to the upgrade?
Functionality
Understanding the changes in Release 9.1
1. Have you reviewed the Blackboard release documents that detail added functionality and interface
enhancements within Release 9.1?
Helpful Hint: You can review the relevant transition documents to Release 9.1 on the Documentation tab at
the Upgrade Center at www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
2. Have you explored these changes and enhancements through either a Preview Account or a test
environment? Are there specific changes you are concerned about?
Helpful Hint: Sign up for a preview account at www.blackboard.com/bblearnpreview or download test key
from Behind the Blackboard at https://behind.blackboard.com/Downloads/Bb-Learn/License-KeyOptions.aspx
3. Have you reviewed the On Demand Learning Center to understand the core process changes in
teaching and learning in Blackboard Release 9.1? Are there specific changes you are concerned
about?
Helpful Hint: Please visit the On-Demand Learning Center at http://ondemand.blackboard.com/ .
Also, you’ll want to review the Understanding the Change documents located in the Documentation tab of
the Upgrade Center at www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
4. Are there specific changes you are concerned about? And, how prepared do you feel you are to effectively
address potential faculty, staff and student concerns?
Helpful Hint: Ask your Blackboard Representative to set up time with our expert Solutions Engineers to
address any open questions you have.
5. Have you discussed the upgrade process with a peer institution that has already upgraded?
.
Helpful Hint: For more information on how your peers are utilizing Release 9.1, please review the video of
Release 9.1 Beta client experiences located on the Overview tab of the Upgrade Center
www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter.
You can also ask your Blackboard Representative for additional resources available to you such as
arranging a meeting with a peer institution that is already in the process of upgrading.
Enlisting Blackboard Support, Consulting and Solutions Engineers
1. Do you have any Support tickets open to assist in the upgrade process?
2. Have you engaged in a discussion regarding your upgrade with a Blackboard Account Executive or
Solutions Engineer?
3. Have you reviewed the Client Success Guide?
Helpful Hint: You can see the Client Success Guide at
https://www1.vtrenz.net/imarkownerfiles/ownerassets/1077/Client%20Success%20Guide.pdf
4. As you evaluate your upgrade options, you might consider a conversation with a Blackboard Solutions
Engineer to discuss the Services and Tools available to you to effectively manage your upgrade.
Helpful Hint: You can learn more about the Services and Tools available to you at the Services tab on the
Upgrade Center (www.blackboard.com/upgradecenter) or reach out to your Learn Account Representative
to set up a one-on-one consultation with one of our Solutions Engineers.