Online 24 hour hardware lab frontend server configuration

• Main Author: Tan, Eric Yim Hai
• Other Authors: School of Computer Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/58939
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In today’s modern technological age, technological advances have improved the phrase of learning. Building upon such advancement, institutions has integrated current technologies into their curriculum to inspire learning. Undergraduate Engineering subjects typically involve laboratory sessions that are required to be performed as part of learning, attaining practical knowledge and skills development (Vladimir Lasky 2003). They are used to reinforce concepts and materials learnt in the classroom as well as to enhance independent thinking. Institutions are moving away from pure theory-based classes to hands-on laboratory exercises to provide students with the experience of using state-of-the-art technologies. Laboratory sessions are essential for an engineering field as part of its curriculum, however, students are expected to spend long hours on hands-on laboratory exercises in the laboratory physically. Logistics supports are also required when students are performing laboratory exercises. Furthermore, the restriction of the working hours of the laboratory is not flexible and does not provide the freedom for students to enrich learning after the opening hours. In order to enhance flexibility and efficiency of use, virtualization of laboratory exercises provides a platform to perform the exercises using the Internet. This can provides a highly interactive and powerful learning environment which enhances the students the flexibility and freedom to have better control for accessing the state-of-the-art-technology. Online 24/7 Hardware Lab Server is the key to the solution. Through this virtual online platform, laboratory exercises are delivered through a user-friendly browser interface for students to access and provide a meaningful practical learning experience. With such a solution, it is more cost effective as students are able to work at their own convenience without time and location restrictions.