System Access

Please see an updated version of System Access in D2L Brightspace. This wiki page will be retired on January 07, 2027. 

What does system access show?

System access shows sessions. A session is all of an individual student's, faculty member's, or staff member's use of the D2L Brightspace system within one, continuous block of time. A session may be brief or may span hours, and a session may include activity in no courses, one course, or multiple courses.

How the D2L Brightspace system marks the start and end of sessions depends upon whether the person accessing D2L Brightspace is doing so using a web browser or using the Brightspace Pulse app.

Sessions in a Web Browser

A person begins a new session in D2L Brightspace each time they:

• log in to the D2L Brightspace system
• return to using the system after more than 30 minutes of inactivity

A person's session ends at the time they:

• log out of the D2L Brightspace system
• complete their last active use of the system prior to more than 30 minutes of inactivity
• are automatically logged out

Sessions in the Brightspace Pulse App

A person begins a new session in D2L Brightspace each time they:

• launch the app if 30 or more minutes have passed since it was last open in the foreground
• switch back to the app after it spent more than 30 minutes running in the background

A person's session ends at the time they:

• log out of the D2L Brightspace system
• leave the app running in the background for more than 30 minutes
• close the app and do not reopen it more more than 30 minutes