IT maintenance schedule

Regular maintenance is essential to uphold the continuous performance and reliability of our systems. We strategically schedule maintenance periods to minimise disruptions to vital University operations. The dates on the calendar have been coordinated with relevant business representatives.

Explanation of the maintenance types are listed below the table and details of planned service disruptions are posted on the Service Portal before the scheduled maintenance periods.

Reminders for these maintenance periods will be sent out when appropriate via Staff and Student communication avenues, including screensavers, digital signage, all Staff Emails, digital newsletter as well as social media.

2024 schedule

START DATEFINISH DATEMAINTENANCE TYPE

Sat 3 Feb 8:00

Sat 3 Feb 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Mon 12 Feb 8:00

Fri 16 Feb 18:00

Change Freeze – Summer 1 & 2 Exams

Mon 16 Feb 8:00

Fri 23 Feb 18:00

Change Freeze – Orientation Week note Welcome Week

Mon 26 Feb 0:00

Tue 27 Feb 18:00

CHANGE BLACKOUT – Start of Semester 1

Tue 27 Feb 18:00

Fri 01 Mar 18:00

Change Freeze – Start of Semester 1

Sat 02 Mar 8:00

Sat 02 Mar 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Sat 30 Mar 8:00

Sun 31 Mar 20:00

MAJOR Maintenance

Mon 22 Apr 8:00

Mon 29 Apr 18:00

Change Freeze – Trimester 1 & Singapore Tri 1 Exams

Sat 04 May 8:00

Sat 04 May 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Sat 25 May 8:00

Sat 25 May 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Mon 10 Jun 8:00

Sat 22 Jun 18:00

Change Freeze – Semester 1 Exams

Sat 29 Jun 8:00

Sun 30 Jun 20:00

MAJOR Maintenance

Mon 15 Jul 8:00

Fri 19 Jul 18:00

Change Freeze – Winter Exams

Mon 22 Jul 0:00

Tue 23 Jul 18:00

CHANGE BLACKOUT – Start of Semester 2

Tue 23 Jul 18:00

Fri 26 Jul 18:00

Change Freeze – Start of Semester 2

Sat 27 Jul 8:00

Sat 27 Jul 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Mon 05 Aug 8:00

Fri 09 Aug 18:00

Change Freeze – Trimester 2 Exams

Mon 12 Aug 8:00

Thu 22 Aug 18:00

Change Freeze – Singapore Tri 2 Exams

Sat 24 Aug 8:00

Sat 24 Aug 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Sat 21 Sep 8:00

Sun 22 Sep 20:00

MAJOR Maintenance

Sat 12 Oct 8:00

Sat 12 Oct 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Mon 04 Nov 8:00

Sat 22 Nov 20:00

Change Freeze – Semester 2 & Trimester 3 Exams

Sat 30 Nov 8:00

Sat 30 Nov 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Mon 09 Dec 8:00

Thurs 19 Dec 18:00

Change Freeze – Singapore Trimester 3 Exams

Sat 21 Dec 8:00

Sat 21 Dec 20:00

Minor Maintenance

Maintenance explanation

Scheduled maintenance windows are designated time periods during which ALL services may encounter interruptions. Notifications for affected systems will be provided on the Service Portal before the scheduled maintenance periods. There are two types of maintenance windows throughout the year:

  • MINOR with a duration of 12 hours
  • MAJOR with a duration of 36 hours.

Occasionally, there arises a need for immediate maintenance actions that cannot wait for a regularly scheduled Monthly Maintenance Window. These urgent maintenance tasks are exclusively executed outside the Monthly Maintenance Window when it is imperative to uphold the security, stability, and functionality of a system.

In the event that urgent maintenance becomes necessary, DTS will communicate any service disruptions through notifications on the Service Portal.

No changes to systems are to be scheduled during this period to minimise risk in these student focused periods (start of semesters 1&2). The only changes during this period will be in response to, or to prevent major incidents, or to address ‘critical’ security patches.

During a change freeze, systems supporting University critical & important processes will not be changed unless in response to, or to prevent a major incident, or to address ‘critical’ or ‘important’ security patches. The periods where change freezes apply are:

  • Supporting University Critical Processes (as listed in Section 7 of the University Business Continuity Management Framework)
  • Student Admissions
  • Student Enrolments
  • Student Fees
  • Student Teaching
  • Student Exams
  • Maintaining critical research
  • Pay Staff
  • Pay Creditors
  • Student Census dates
  • Research grant applications
  • Research grant revenue
  • Important Student Processes

Key Student Dates:

  • Welcome Week, Start of semester 1 & semester 2
  • Graduations
  • Open Days
  • Student Accommodation Check-In and Check-Out weekend

Periods throughout the year where changes to nominated systems are avoided if possible. Generally changes will only be made during these periods at the request of the business and if the risk is low. Change awareness periods apply:

  • In the days leading up to key student deadlines, listed in the Change Freeze section above
  • When key business support processes are scheduled:
    • finance end of month,
    • finance end of year,
    • Excellence in Research Australia (3 yearly review)