Motivation :
The issues:
1. Multiple computer labs with heterogeneous h/w configurations and software installed.
2. Students requiring access to multiple machines for advanced learning.
3. Students requiring access to specialized software beyond their alloted lab time.
4. Students queing up for computers with specific configuration (say linux) in a lab while other labs are free.
5. Setting up pristine practical examination env for each batch is tedious. The vision:
1. Dissolve the physical and geographical dependencies on labs.
2. Give access to multiple machines to students for advanced experiments at no extra hardware cost.
3. Expand students' learning and experimentation time beyond lab hours.
4. Make use of students' laptops without compromising security.
5. Minimize repetitive tasks like installations, configurations etc The solution
Create a virtual computer lab powered by Colama – univ edition. This will provide any time access to require software, hardware and data from any place and any device with a web browser. Motivation
How does it work :
How does it work 1. Users' personally configured desktops/servers (virtual machine images) reside on colama infrastructure.
2. Users log in using web interface and starts the machines owned by them.
3. Once started, users get console access to all machines they own.
4. Users get policy driven access to virtual machines. Policies are controlled by the admin / super-user.
5. Faculty members get priviledged access in order to manage the lab sessions.
How does it benefit students :
Multiple virtual computers' private access to one student One computer shared access to one student How does it benefit students Transformed into 1. Owns multiple (as many as they require) virtual machines.
2. Anytime access from any place with net connectivity on any device with a browser.
3. Access to specialized software beyond lab hours and outside the physical lab.
4. Carry and continue their assigments with the same hardware and software env back at home/hostel.
5. Preserve ”snapshots” of their machines and rollback to an earlier known state/configuration in case of machine corruption.
How does it benefit institute and faculty :
How does it benefit institute and faculty For the institute management
1. Improved student to computer ratio without additional hardware + admin cost.
2. Hassle-free scheduling of computer lab classes.
3. Allows older machines to be used in lab as the applications run on server.
4. Drastically reduces capital and operation expenses on labs.
5. Provides quick and pristine examination environment.
6. Ensures maximum utilization of licensed software.
7. Security and accountability for the content of the lab computers. Figure: Cost advantage of Colama powered virtual computer lab
How does it benefit faculty :
How does it benefit faculty 1. Teaching tool
can point one machine (virtual) as ”demo”, i.e viewable by all students.
real time troubleshooting on students' virtual machines by just accessing their corresponding consoles.
2. Ease of invigilation during practical exams: just access the consoles of students.
3. Better quality of assigments can be given due to increased access to compute resources.
4. Better evaluation: See the assignments in running state in students' virtual machines stored on the server.
Slide 7:
We look forward to build virtual computer labs for you
Thank you