D2L Fall Readiness

This message is intended to inform users of our D2L preparation for fall, usage recommendations, and our contingency plan to avoid system slowdowns during peak usage time.

Outline

• Fall Readiness Plan
• Recommendations For Users To Avoid Slow Downs
• Performance Management Strategy
• Contingency Plan (Important - See Details Below)
• Usage Expectations
• Avoiding Traffic Jams
• Hardware Configuration And Upgrades
• D2L Software Upgrade

Fall Readiness Plan

We have worked hard to prepare for fall start up:

• New application servers and file servers have been installed.
• Past usage patterns and performance levels have been reviewed.
• Changes were made to load balancing based on past usage patterns.
• D2L software was upgraded to the most current version (8.3) that includes design changes and enhancements to improve performance.
• We have recommendations for users to help prevent system slowdowns.
• We have a contingency plan in the event that performance levels decline at fall start up.

Recommendations For Users To Avoid Slow Downs

Since we are aware that the copy/import/export processes make great demands on the system, we are asking users to help by planning ahead, and using some strategies that will reduce the peak demand.

• Perform copy/import/export processes prior to the start of fall semester on August 25.
• Import and copy course packages in portions rather than all components at once.
• Select only the components and items you expect to use.
• Once fall semester starts on August 25, avoid doing any copy/import/export processes between 9 AM-3 PM and 7 PM-10 PM

Performance Management Strategy

Our past experience has shown that during the peak usage time in fall, users become understandably frustrated when the system performance is slow and they are unable to perform routine tasks such as logging in to D2L and viewing content, submitting assignments and taking quizzes. The worst case scenario would be a system so slow that no one is able to use it. Avoiding this situation is essential and we have developed contingency plans to maintain core system functionality during fall startup.

Contingency Plan

In an effort to proactively head off performance issues, we have identified activities and tools that have slowed down response time for all users in the past. Our contingency plan is to carefully monitor the system and if performance levels dip unacceptably low, we are prepared to take action to ensure that the system remains functioning at an acceptable level. We have identified some tools that may need to be made temporarily unavailable to ensure that all users experience acceptable response times when using D2L in the first few weeks of class. Those tools include:

• Copy Course Components/Import/Export
• Events Widget
• Schedule Widget
• Updates Widget

There may also be additional tools or widgets that could slow down the system, and those will be monitored as well. We will provide email announcements to campuses via the site admins, trainers and CIOs listservs if temporarily disabling any tools or widgets becomes necessary. Our primary objective is to keep the D2L system available to users, and limiting the use of some tools during peak times will only be implemented if absolutely necessary. The MnSCU IMS web site will also provide information about the current status of D2L http://mnscuims.mnscu.edu

Usage Expectations

Usage has historically peaked at the beginning of fall semester and has remained high during the first few weeks of the semester. Other peak usage periods occur at certain times of the day and night, such as from 9 AM to 3 PM and 7 PM to 10 PM. Experience has shown that during peak usage times, performance levels can diminish, affecting users with slower response times and in some cases, tasks that time out and fail to complete.

Analysis of the tasks and tools that are most resource-intensive has shown that copying, importing and exporting course materials are resource-demanding processes. At the beginning of the semester as faculty prepare their courses, great demand is made on the system by those processes. The highest level of student usage is also at the beginning of fall semester. Those high usage levels have resulted in performance problems for all users at the start of fall semester in the past.

Avoiding Traffic Jams

The issue that we face is similar to traffic problems at peak times. Freeway, highway and city traffic systems may be adequate 95% of the time, but during rush hour, traffic slows down and no one is able to move very fast. One strategy to deal with the issue is avoiding the freeway during rush hour unless absolutely necessary. Another strategy is prohibiting left turns between certain time periods. The strategies help to reduce the number of people using the road transportation system, and reduce time-consuming actions that slow down traffic for everyone. Our contingency plan and our recommendations to users include similar strategies to avoid congestion and slowdowns in the D2L system.

Hardware Configuration And Upgrades

Over the summer, new application servers and file servers were installed and configured to support our self-hosted D2L instance. The new servers have more RAM, more CPU, and faster network connectivity speeds. One of the new application (app) servers has been running since March 2008, and has demonstrated significant performance capability. The app servers are arranged in clusters, with schools distributed across the clusters to balance the load of usage. Analysis of the recent past and the current usage by schools was performed, and some changes were made in the distribution to make the load more consistent across the clusters of application servers.

Another part of the self-hosted D2L configuration is the database server. The database stores vast amounts of data including course materials created by instructors and assignments submitted by students. Question libraries, quiz responses, news items, discussion posts, dropbox feedback and other data are also stored on the database. Each semester the amount of stored data increases, resulting in an increased amount of time required to perform maintenance, and at times, a slower than desired response rate for end users performing tasks in D2L that interact with the database.

The amount of data stored in the database also substantially increases the amount of time required to perform upgrades, as experienced in the last two major upgrades in June 2008 and June 2007. An ongoing problem has been the lack of a purge tool in D2L to remove old data and course materials from the database. When D2L makes a purge tool available, we will be able to remove old data that is no longer used or needed. We anticipate that a D2L purge tool could be available within the next six months.

Routine database maintenance requires extensive periods of time to perform. One impact that affects users is the need to use the Sunday morning maintenance windows from 5-9 AM. Announced in the e-mail message on August 5.

D2L Software Upgrade To Version 8.3 In June 2008

D2L Version 8.3 was taken into production June 5-9. Version 8.3 brings new features and functionality to D2L to enhance collaborative learning, and brings improvements to existing tools, particularly the gradebook. In April 2008, hands-on training was provided to Campus Site Administrators and webinars were provided to Campus Trainers to help prepare them to support the new version of D2L. Trainers then offered training to faculty at their campuses to prepare them for the changes in version 8.3. Videos that illustrate the changes from the instructor perspective and from the student perspective are available in a MnSite D2L course that is accessible to instructors, trainers and site administrators. Contact your campus site administrator or campus trainer for details on accessing the training videos.