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VCL Best practices
Lee Toderick, Department of Technology
Systems ([email protected])
Tony Miller, ITCS ([email protected])
Topics Covered
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VCL Definitions
Apache VCL Details
Citrix VCL Details
Incorporating VCL into Courses
Conclusion and Questions
Virtual Computing Lab
Providing
computing
resources
without
traditional
physical lab
space
Benefits
• Increases availability to 24/7
• Reduces dependence on student owned
equipment and software
• Removes requirement to be on campus
• Increases equivalence of D/E and on-campus
student experience
• Controls access to software for only actively
enrolled terms
ECU VCL Options
• Option 1 – Apache VCL
– Presented by Lee Toderick
• Option 2 – Citrix VCL
– Presented by Tony Miller
APACHE VCL
Reserved computers at your command
Apache VCL Overview
Reference: https://cwiki.apache.org/VCL/#Index-ConceptualOverview
Apache VCL Features
• Reservations for an entire computer are
made for now or future date
• Reserved computers are delivered in initial
“known good” state
• Students have admin control of computer
during their session
• Reservations that expire cause computer
to reload
Apache VCL Features
• Faculty can request one time or repeating
scheduled reservations for their class
• Reduces wait time and allows class to
begin work right away
Apache VCL Features
• Because Apache VCL reserved computers
are trusted ECU machines, students can
access network resources not otherwise
available
• Ex: Apache VCL reserved computers can
directly access Pirate Drive
Apache VCL Labs (several)
Apache VCL Lab NSF/HP Grant
Apache VCL Statistics
Reservations
Unique Users
Hours Used
4,928
1,101
9,421
Top Five Reserved Images
ECU Cisco Lab
ICTN 4800 Fall 2010
RHEL RHA
Windows XP with SAS, PASW, and Mathematica
Windows XP with NI Circuit Design
Data collected August 24, 2010 – March 18, 2011
Apache VCL Computer Access
• Reservation for Microsoft Windows
– Use an RDP Client to show remote desktop
– (Optional: Use a VNC Client to access remote desktop)
• Reservation for Linux
– Use an SSH Client to access remote
command line
– Use a VNC Client to access remote desktop
• All clients are available for Windows, Mac,
Linux, and mobile devices
Apache VCL File Saving
• Reservation for Microsoft Windows
– User can access Pirate Drive as U: drive
using desktop application
• Reservation for Linux
– User can mount Pirate Drive into their current
file system
Apache VCL File Submission
• Send files as e-mail attachments
• Set Pirate Drive permissions to allow
faculty to view files
• Use faculty designated persistent storage
• Use reserved computer’s web browser to
upload to Blackboard / Moodle
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**New for ICTN4800, Fall 2010- student-initiated automated grading and
feedback!
Apache VCL Persistent Storage
• Faculty can request additional storage for
their classes
• Faculty control their space and can create
their own folder structure and file
permissions
Individual Applications Delivered On Demand
CITRIX VCL
Citrix VCL Features
• Users use web browser with plugin to
access Citrix VCL portal
• Users choose application and click link to
activate
• Citrix web plugin is used to deliver
application to users
Citrix VCL Features
• Web plugin is available for Windows, Mac,
Linux, and mobile devices
• Web plugin allows access to local
computer storage (if user desires)
• Web plugin allows access to local printers
Citrix VCL Features
• Because Citrix VCL servers are trusted
ECU machines, students can access
network resources not otherwise available
• Ex: Microsoft SQL Server instance
Citrix VCL Statistics
Total Number of Application Starts
6,851
Top Five Applications
Mathcad 14
SQL Server Management Studio Express 2008
Visio Pro 2007
Photoshop CS5
PASW (SPSS) 18
Data collected August 24, 2010 – March 18, 2011
Citrix VCL File Saving
• Citrix web plugin prompts for access to
local disks
• Servers have Pirate Drive automatically
available
Citrix VCL File Submission
• Local files → No different than usual
submission policy
What Now?
INCORPORATING VCL INTO
COURSES
VCL Integration Steps
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Determine software package information
Obtain software
Determine audience restriction (if any)
Make VCL software request
Test software in VCL
Prepare course specific instructions
Determine Package Information
• Operating system requirements
• Vendor information
• Software license information
– Free? / Commercial?
– Not all software vendors allow virtualized
software
• ITCS assists with licensing details
Obtain Software
• Need to provide media or files to ITCS
VCL team
• Freely downloadable software only
requires a pointer to download method
Determine Audience Restriction
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Individual student(s)?
One section?
One course?
One department?
One college?
No restriction - easiest
Make VCL Software Request
• Choose one of:
– E-mail [email protected] with proposed
software
– Submit a Virtual Computing Lab Image
request via http://ithelp.ecu.edu
VCL Documentation
• Detailed information
– Apache VCL
– Citrix VCL
• Printable Adobe Acrobat documents
– Via ITCS Learning Center
VCL Resources
• VCL web site
– http://vcl.ecu.edu
• VCL e-mail
– [email protected]
• IT Help Desk
– http://help.ecu.edu
Checklist for Help E-mail / Ticket
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What VCL am I using?
What operating system am I using?
What web browser am I using?
What software / image am I using?
What am I trying to do?
Course Repetition
• VCL software remains in place unless
removal requested
Conclusion and Questions
• VCL / Citrix is EXTREMELY flexible!
• ITCS support team is responsive (sense of
urgency)!
• Labs are scalable from a few students to a
hundred students!
QUESTIONS???
Contact Information
• Lee Toderick ([email protected])
• Tony Miller ([email protected])