A test environment refresh updates a non-production Brightspace environment with data from a production environment. During the refresh process, the existing test environment is rebuilt using production data while selected test-specific configuration is maintained based on the options included in the refresh request.
A refresh applies to the entire test environment and cannot be performed for individual organizations within a multi-org environment.
Test environments
A test environment refers to any non-production Brightspace environment, including:
Demo environments are not included in the refresh process.
Refresh process
During a refresh:
- Production data replaces the existing data in the test environment.
- Notifications are disabled to prevent production notifications from being sent from the test environment.
- Existing test-only data is removed unless specifically preserved through an available refresh option.
- The test environment is placed in maintenance mode and is unavailable while the refresh is in progress.
A refresh typically requires approximately 8 hours to complete. The duration of the refresh depends on resource availability, scheduling, and the volume of data being copied. Because of this variability, D2L cannot provide an estimated completion time.
| Important: A refresh affects the entire test environment. All organizations within a multi-org environment should be prepared for the maintenance window before the refresh is scheduled. You cannot refresh individual organizations within a multi-org environment. |
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Refresh considerations
Before requesting a refresh, consider the following impacts:
Data preservation
A refresh replaces the existing test environment. Selective copying of production data is not supported.
If you want to retain courses or course content from the test environment, export the content before the refresh begins. Existing data in the test environment cannot be recovered after the refresh is complete.
User accounts
Local user accounts are replaced with user accounts from the production environment. As a result, local test accounts are removed unless they also exist in production, and local passwords are replaced with the corresponding production passwords.
Notifications
The refresh copies notification configurations from the production environment to the test environment. Notifications are disabled after the refresh to prevent messages from being sent to production users.
Preparing test users and courses
Organizations that perform regular refreshes can simplify post-refresh testing by maintaining dedicated test users and courses in the production environment.
Before a refresh, consider the following preparations in the production environment:
- Create dedicated roles for test learners, instructors, administrators, and developers.
- Create a semester for test courses.
- Create test course offerings in the test semester.
- Create test user accounts.
- Enroll the test users in the test courses.
- Disable the test users and test courses.
After the refresh, the test users and courses can be reactivated in the test environment without being recreated.
If your test courses include LTI or Valence extensibility integrations, maintaining production copies of those courses allows the integrations and their links to be preserved when the appropriate refresh option is selected. Course content is not preserved.
Post-refresh configuration
After a refresh completes, it is good practice to review the test environment and restore any required test-specific configurations.
Examples of items that typically require reconfiguration include:
- IPSIS connection settings
- Third-party integrations
- Authentication configurations
- Other environment-specific settings
Protecting production data
Organizations with privacy or security requirements can request refresh options that modify how production data is handled during a refresh.
These options can be used to address concerns related to:
- Personally identifiable information (PII)
- Active learner accounts
- Local passwords
For additional information, refer to PII and Anonymizer options.
Integration options
The test environment Valence extensibility key pair is maintained during a refresh.
By default, LTI and extensibility integrations are copied from production. During the refresh, LTI 1.3 (LTI Advantage) integrations are recreated as LTI 1.1 integrations to meet the security requirements of the refresh process. If you need to preserve LTI 1.3 integrations, choose the appropriate refresh option. Refer to Refresh options for more information.
IPSIS behavior
The behavior of IPSIS depends on the version configured in the environment.
- IPSIS 1.0: Production configuration is copied during the refresh. If the test environment uses different connection values, update the IPSIS connection settings after the refresh completes.
- IPSIS 2.0: Test configuration and connection information are preserved during the refresh.
Scheduling a refresh
Refreshes are scheduled during specific windows within the monthly Continuous Delivery schedule.
Refreshes are performed after Wave 2 test environment updates, which typically occur during the second or third week of each month.
Because refresh windows are limited, submit your refresh request to your Customer Success Manager (CSM) or Technical Account Manager (TAM) well in advance of your preferred date.
If your preferred date is unavailable, your D2L representative will propose alternative dates that align as closely as possible with your requested time frame.
Production backup
A refresh uses the most recent production backup available. Production backups used for refreshes are typically taken on Monday morning following the weekend maintenance window.
Refresh entitlement and purchasing
Refresh entitlement depends on the organization's agreement with D2L. Organizations with Plus or Platinum Support are entitled to one refresh per contractual year.
For more information on support tiers, refer to D2L Support Schedule.
If a refresh is not included in the support agreement, one-time refreshes can be purchased.
To confirm refresh entitlement or request pricing information, contact your Client Sales Executive or another member of your D2L account team.
Refresh and overall storage
Production and non-production environments both contribute to your organization's overall storage usage.
To help manage storage during a test environment refresh, consider the following options:
- Purging unnecessary data from your production environment before a test environment refresh so that you can make intentional decisions about the data that is copied.
- You can use the Data Purge tool to remove eligible data. For more information about the Data Purge tool, refer to About data purge.
- Limiting copied data by date.
- This option allows you to specify a date so that only data created on or after that date is copied.
Products excluded from refreshes
The following products are excluded from the refresh process:
- Activity Feed
- Advanced Data Sets
- Analytics Builder*
- Brightspace Cards in Ellucian Experience*
- Brightspace Data Sets
- Brightspace Data Streams (Beta)*
- Brightspace Parent & Guardian
- Completion Tracking
- Content Service
- Course Merchant
- D2L Link
- Discover
- Insights Dashboards*
- LeaP
- Learning Groups
- Learning Outcomes
- Learning Paths
- Manager Dashboard
- Portfolio
- Site Tabs
- Student Success System*
- User Attributes
| Note: Products marked with an asterisk (*) are not supported in non-production environments. |
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Related topics
Refresh options
PII and Anonymizer options