What Web browser do you recommend using to access Blackboard?
Although any java-enabled browser will probably work, we recommend using Internet Explorer 5.2 or Safari 1.0 (for Macintosh); Internet Explorer 6 or Netscape 7.0 (for Windows) to access Blackboard. We've had some problems reported from individuals using other browsers that we've been unable to resolve.
When I try to access the Blackboard login page I instead get a page saying that the server is down for upgrades.
You need to to clear both your memory cache and disk cache (if you are using Netscape) and clear your History and Temp Internet files if you are using IE. That will enable you to load the login page.
Is there scheduled downtime for the Blackboard server?
The server that hosts Blackboard remains up and available through scheduled backups (daily starting at 4:30AM). There are no recurring downtimes scheduled although upgrades and maintenance often occur between semesters and during breaks.