How NETLAB+ Uses VM Infrastructure

The virtual machine infrastructure (VMI) serves as the backbone of NETLAB+ VE, enabling the creation, management, and operation of virtual machines (VMs). The VMI hosts both the NETLAB+ VE appliance and the virtual machines that students use for lab exercises.

Hosting NETLAB+ Appliance

The NETLAB+ VE appliance itself is a virtual machinethat runs on a host server. It provides the web interface and backend services for managing lab sessions, user accounts, and other administrative tasks.

In a NETLAB+ environment, there is typically one management server and one or more pod servers. The NETLAB+ virtual machine and other virtual components run on the management server, while the pod servers host the virtual machines that students use for lab exercises. :Lab Virtualization: NETLAB+ provides a wide range of labs that require different operating systems, network devices, and configurations. Virtual machines are used to create these lab environments, allowing students to work with real-world scenarios without needing physical PCs or servers. This is particularly important for courses in networking, cybersecurity, and system administration, where hands-on experience is crucial.

NDG NETLAB+ acts as an orchestration and access layer on top of a standard virtual machine infrastructure. It uses the capabilities of hypervisors and VM management tools to dynamically provision, manage, network, and provide remote access to virtual machines (and sometimes physical devices) that constitute the lab environments required for IT training courses. This reliance on virtualization provides scalability, efficient resource utilization, automation, and flexibility essential for modern IT education labs.

Resource Pooling and Allocation

The physical servers managed by the hypervisor form a pool of resources (CPU, RAM, network bandwidth). When a student reserves a lab pod through NETLAB+, the system allocates the necessary virtual resources (powering on specific VMs, connecting them via virtual networks) from this pool for the duration of the lab session.

Virtual Networking

NETLAB+ works with the hypervisor’s virtual switching capabilities to create isolated network topologies specific to each lab pod. This allows students in different pods to work on identical network configurations without interfering with each other, even if they are running on the same physical host. Automation and State Management: VM infrastructure allows NETLAB+ to automate crucial tasks. When a lab session starts, NETLAB+ can trigger the hypervisor to power on the required VMs. When the session ends, it can revert the VMs to a clean, pre-configured snapshot state, ensuring the next student starts with a fresh environment. Scalability and Flexibility: Using VMs makes the lab environment much more scalable and flexible. Institutions can add more virtual resources by upgrading or adding host servers, rather than buying extensive sets of physical lab gear. It also allows for quicker deployment of new labs or different courseware that relies on virtual components.