If you're a Managed Hosting (SaaS) customer, this topic doesn't apply to you.
Starting with the Q2 2016 release, the Blackboard Learn 9.1 installer is based on Gradle and Maven. The installation process has changed, but ultimately, it is becoming more streamlined. The new installer is run completely from the command line. Blackboard Learn properties are preconfigured in a flat file along with a few settings to define the installation process. There are only a handful of required entries in that file. Most settings have a reasonable default value that only requires an entry if you need to change it.
Preparing the installer properties
The new Blackboard Learn installer does not have a User Interface. As such, there are no forms available for collecting the data at install time. In order to specify this information, the installer requires a flat file containing the configuration information previously entered during installation. For the purpose of this document, the configuration file will be named installation.properties, but there is no requirement for a particular filename, as the full path to the file is passed to the installation script as a command line argument.
There are several parameters required by the installer, and a subset of required parameters that are dependent upon the database the system will utilize.
Fresh installation
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| bbconfig.basedir | This is the directory to install Learn into. Generally /usr/local/blackboard or C:/blackboard |
| bbconfig.file.license | This is the full path to the Blackboard License to use when installing Learn |
| bbconfig.java.home | This is the full path to the Java 8 directory, i.e. /usr/local/jdk1.8.0_60 |
| bbconfig.appserver.fullhostname | The full hostname of the Learn Application Server |
| bbconfig.admin.email | Administrator email address |
| bbconfig.smtpserver.hostname | The hostname of the SMTP mail server |
| bbconfig.inst.name | Institution name |
| bbconfig.inst.city | Institution city |
| bbconfig.inst.state | Institution state |
| bbconfig.inst.zip | Institution zip code |
| bbconfig.inst.country | Institution country |
| bbconfig.inst.type | Institution type: Developer, K12, Corporate, NAHE, INTL, etc. |
| antargs.default.users.integration.password | Password for user 'integration', used for snapshot integration |
| antargs.default.users.rootadmin.password | Password for user 'root_admin', used for the defunct Virtual Installation feature |
| antargs.default.users.administrator.password | Password for user 'administrator' |
| antargs.default.users.guest.password | Password for user 'guest' |
| bbconfig.database.datadir | The directory to place the database files. This must exist outside the Blackboard installation directory. |
| bbconfig.database.type | The type of database. Must be mssql or oracle. |
| bbconfig.database.server.instancename | The instance name of the database |
| bbconfig.database.server.fullhostname | Full hostname of the database server |
| bbconfig.database.server.systemuserpassword | System password for the data base server |
| antargs.default.vi.db.password | BBLEARN database password |
| antargs.default.vi.stats.db.password | BBLEARN_stats database password |
| antargs.default.vi.report.user.password | BBLEARN_report database password |
| bbconfig.database.admin.password | BBLEARN_admin database password |
| bbconfig.cs.db.cms-user.pass | BBLEARN_cms and BBLEARN_cms_doc database password |
| bbconfig.database.server.instancenametype.oracle | The Oracle SID or SERVICE_NAME |
| bbconfig.oracle.client.drivertype | The Oracle Driver Type, i.e. 'thin' |
| bbconfig.database.indexdir.oracle | The directory that houses the Oracle indices |
| bbconfig.server.type | Server type for the installation. This property is only needed if your Learn environment had a PRODUCTION MODE mobile registration. Mobile registration may default to TEST MODE if this property isn't set to PRODUCTION. Visit Behind the Blackboard to learn more about this known issue. |
The data directory must be available to the database and the directory MUST exist ahead of time. Since the Blackboard installation directory does not exist prior to a clean install the data directory MUST NOT be under the installation directory.
Sample installation properties file
The following example shows what a installation.properties file might look like. For completeness, the settings for both SQL Server and Oracle are listed, but please only use the one that corresponds to your installation.
Windows
#
# Installer Overrides
#
bbconfig.basedir=C:/blackboard
bbconfig.file.license=C:/bbinstaller/license/bb-license.xml
bbconfig.java.home=C:/java/jdk1.8.0_91
#
# Shared Content folder
#
bbconfig.base.shared.dir=//filer/path/bb_content
#
# Shared Content folder
#
UNIX STYLE:
bbconfig.base.shared.dir=/mnt/shares/bb_content
#
# Explicitly set Hostname properties
#
bbconfig.appserver.fullhostname=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.appserver.machinename=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.collabserver.fullhostname.default=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.smtpserver.hostname=mail.monument.edu
#
# Use SQL Server
#
bbconfig.database.type=mssql
bbconfig.database.server.portname=1433
bbconfig.database.datadir=C:/mssql/bbdata
bbconfig.database.server.fullhostname=mssql.monument.edu
bbconfig.database.server.instancename=SQLSERVER
bbconfig.database.server.systemuserpassword=mssql
#
# Demonstrate non-required settings
#
bbconfig.tomcat.debug.enable=true
bbconfig.min.heapsize.tomcat=2048m
bbconfig.max.heapsize.tomcat=2048m
bbconfig.max.stacksize.tomcat=1M
bbconfig.jvm.options.extra.tomcat=-XX:+UseCompressedOops -XX:+DoEscapeAnalysis -Xverify:none
bbconfig.group.javascript.files=false
bbconfig.unix.max.open.files=5000
#
# Front-End Settings
#
bbconfig.frontend.fullhostname=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.frontend.protocol=https
bbconfig.frontend.portnumber=8443
#
# Installer-set passwords
#
antargs.default.users.guest.password=password
antargs.default.users.administrator.password=password
antargs.default.users.integration.password=password
antargs.default.users.rootadmin.password=password
antargs.default.vi.report.user.password=mssql
antargs.default.vi.db.password=mssql
antargs.default.vi.stats.db.password=mssql
antargs.default.vi.report.user.password=mssql
bbconfig.database.admin.password=mssql
bbconfig.cs.db.cms-user.pass=mssql
#
# Institution Information
#
bbconfig.admin.email=admin@monument.edu
bbconfig.inst.city=Washington
bbconfig.inst.country=USA
bbconfig.inst.name=Monument University
bbconfig.inst.state=DC
bbconfig.inst.type=NAHE
bbconfig.inst.zip=20036
Linux
#
# Installer Overrides
#
bbconfig.basedir=/usr/local/blackboard
bbconfig.file.license=/usr/local/license/bb-license.xml
bbconfig.java.home=/usr/local/jdk1.8.0_91
#
# Explicitly set Hostname properties
#
bbconfig.appserver.fullhostname=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.appserver.machinename=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.collabserver.fullhostname.default=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.smtpserver.hostname=mail.monument.edu
#
# Use Oracle
#
bbconfig.database.type=oracle
bbconfig.database.server.portnumber=1521
bbconfig.database.datadir=/usr/local/oracle/bbdata
bbconfig.database.indexdir.oracle=/usr/local/oracle/bbdata
bbconfig.database.server.fullhostname=oracle.monument.edu
bbconfig.database.server.instancename=ORACLE.monument.edu
bbconfig.database.server.instancenametype.oracle=BBLEARN
bbconfig.database.server.systemuserpassword=oracle
bbconfig.oracle.client.drivertype=thin
#
# Demonstrate non-required settings
#
bbconfig.tomcat.debug.enable=true
bbconfig.min.heapsize.tomcat=2048m
bbconfig.max.heapsize.tomcat=2048m
bbconfig.max.stacksize.tomcat=1M
bbconfig.jvm.options.extra.tomcat=-XX:+UseCompressedOops -XX:+DoEscapeAnalysis -Xverify:none
bbconfig.group.javascript.files=false
bbconfig.unix.max.open.files=5000
#
# Front-End Settings
#
bbconfig.frontend.fullhostname=dev.bbdn.local
bbconfig.frontend.protocol=https
bbconfig.frontend.portnumber=8443
#
# Installer-set passwords
#
antargs.default.users.guest.password=password
antargs.default.users.administrator.password=password
antargs.default.users.integration.password=password
antargs.default.users.rootadmin.password=password
antargs.default.vi.report.user.password=oracle
antargs.default.vi.db.password=oracle
antargs.default.vi.stats.db.password=oracle
antargs.default.vi.report.user.password=oracle
bbconfig.database.admin.password=oracle
bbconfig.cs.db.cms-user.pass=oracle
#
# Institution Information
#
bbconfig.admin.email=admin@monument.edu
bbconfig.inst.city=Washington
bbconfig.inst.country=USA
bbconfig.inst.name=Monument University
bbconfig.inst.state=DC
bbconfig.inst.type=NAHE
bbconfig.inst.zip=20036
Upgrade
The Q2 2016 release contains an upgrade for ActiveMQ. It is important that the ACTIVEMQ_MSGS table is empty before performing your upgrade. If you are a self-hosted customer and need assistance with this action please open a case with Client Support.
If upgrading an existing Blackboard Learn installation, the minimum number of required parameters list is much smaller.
Here is a sample installer.properties file containing the minimum properties:
Windows
# Minimum Required Parameters for Upgrade to Q2 2016
antargs.default.vi.db.password=######
antargs.default.users.administrator.password=######
antargs.default.users.integration.password=######
antargs.default.users.rootadmin.password=######
bbconfig.basedir=C:/blackboard
bbconfig.file.license=C:/license/blackboard-license.xml
bbconfig.java.home=C:/java/jdk1.8.0_91
Linux
# Minimum Required Parameters for Upgrade to Q2 2016
antargs.default.vi.db.password=######
antargs.default.users.administrator.password=######
antargs.default.users.integration.password=######
antargs.default.users.rootadmin.password=######
bbconfig.basedir=/usr/local/blackboard
bbconfig.file.license=/usr/local/license/blackboard-license.xml
bbconfig.java.home=/usr/local/jdk1.8.0_91
Note the use of '######' as the passwords. The upgrade process should ignore the values in these parameters, as you are upgrading and existing system that is already aware of these values. The value for antargs.default.vi.db.password should match the parameter in your bb-config.properties file.
Once the upgrade is complete, you can add any custom jvm options back into the bb-config.properties file and run a PushConfigUpdates. Java 8 deprecated several JVM options.
