A Virtual Solution to a Real Problem: VMware in the Classroom

Over the past few years we have witnessed rapid advancements in ICT, which in turn has led, in the industry, to a staggering growth in the number and diversity of computer and networking solutions. As a result, academic institutions and professional training organizations face serious challenges in exposing students to many different computing environments while making efficient use of limited resources. To put it bluntly, how do we easily provide people with the practical experience of working with different operating systems, server applications, switches and routers? For a number of years, tutors at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) have been using VMWare for the teaching of Microsoft, Linux, Netware and other operating systems as well as various associated technologies. The use of VMWare allows students to complete exercises, laboratory work and practical projects involving multiple servers in multiple networks without having to leave the physical confines of a single computer. While William McEwan (2002) documents the use of virtual machines, its origins and uses in the teaching of Unix and Linux courses, this paper extends this to other operating systems and moreover shifts the focus to the supporting infrastructure required in order to extract the maximum benefit from this virtualisation of machines, devices and storage media. This paper discusses one response to the dilemma of needing to expose students to a range of rapidly evolving computing technologies while ensuring that costs are kept low and that the supporting infrastructure is reliable, robust and not easily compromised in one way or another: in short, a solution that delivers to students and staff alike, a safe, scalable and flexible learning environment.