Creating Remotely Accessible “Virtual Networks”
on a Single PC to Teach Computer Networking
and Operating Systems
Mark Stockman
University of Cincinnati
2220 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45209
(513) 556-4227
mark.stockman@uc.edu
ABSTRACT
Instruction in the area of computer networking (specifically
systems administration) can be cumbersome and ineffective; and
is almost always is an expensive prospect when it comes to
instructional and lab facilities. Problems arise both in the
classroom and the lab when trying to recreate a true computing
environment. Two solutions spelled out in this paper, virtual
machines and remoting technology, have been implemented to
help solve these problems encountered in the delivery of
instruction.
Categories and Subject Descriptors
K.3.2 [Computing Milieux]: Computers and Education –
Computer and Information Science Education.
General Terms
Management, Performance, Experimentation, Human Factors,
Standardization.
Keywords
Virtual Machines, Virtual Network, Networking Lab, Systems
Administration Instruction, Remoting Technology, Remote
Administration.
1. INTRODUCTION
Virtual system/machine technologies, which allow users to run
multiple operating systems simultaneously on one computer while
enabling “virtual network” communication among them, enhance
both lecture and lab components of networking and other
computer-related classes. Software such as Virtual PC and
VMware can be used to create multiple independent operating
systems which can be run entirely from a single computer. Users of
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this virtual system technology can actually, on a single screen, run
multiple server and/or client operating systems simultaneously
then configure them to interact just as they would if each operating
system were installed on separate computers connected through a
physical network [7].
Remoting technologies, such as VNC (virtual network computing)
and Microsoft’s remote desktop, enable a user to control a remote
operating system through any other computer on a network, even
via a wide area network connection such as the Internet [8, 9]. An
instructor using a remoting solution will bypass any software or
configuration conflicts on the classroom computer by displaying
networking demonstrations created on the faculty member’s
desktop computer; pulling the desktop computer’s display through
the campus network, into the classroom, and onto the projection
screen.
This combination of virtual machines and remoting technology
gives the networking faculty member a portable solution for
instruction both in the classroom and the lab. This paper lays out
the specifics of using these technologies in tandem to improve the
instruction of a networking curriculum while also eliminating
some of the costs and inefficiencies involved with providing
facilities specifically for these courses alone.
2. CLASSROOM DELIVERY
The base level for instruction of systems administration and
networking courses involves taking screenshots of administration
tools (adding users to a domain for example) and placing them
into a slide presentation. While this can give students a general
idea of the tools required, more can be done to help with
instruction. Simulations and animated screen captures are the next
level of instruction for demonstrating administration tools, both of
which however cannot give the instructor the flexibility to change
the discussion or show connections to other parts of the system or
network while the concept is being covered. The best scenario for
instruction is to actually demonstrate the tools used in network
administration.
Demonstration of specialized software is not something new to
computer based instruction, but where networking is different is
that the key to demonstrating networking concepts is to show how
one system is affected by another. In the past, demonstrating
networking concepts has meant physically connecting multiple
computers to the projector and each other then switching the
display between each of them. Most institutions do not have the
resources to implement such a multi-system instruction space for
one class or series of classes, and even if they do, it can be quite
awkward and time consuming for the professor to setup before
class then manipulate during demonstrations.
An emerging technology has provided a solution to this problem
in the form of utilizing virtual machines. Using software such as
Virtual PC or VMware allows the instructor to show multiple
operating systems on one computer simultaneously. A
dual/multiple-boot computer can also allow for multiple operating
systems on a single computer, but the problem with the multiple-
boot solution is that only one of those operating systems can be
run at once, changing operating systems means shutting down the
currently active one. Virtual machines, on the other hand, run
simultaneously in windows of the main operating system and can
be configured to act as if they are independent systems physically
connected on the same network (see Figure 1). Each virtual
system operates just as if the physical computer were cloned and
put on the same physical network as the main system. Any
operating system that supports the hardware on the physical
computer can now be installed as an image within the virtual
machine software. With this software implemented, interactions
among systems can now accurately and easily be demonstrated in
the classroom through a single computer interface over the
projection system.
Figure 1. Virtual Machines running simultaneously.
Each virtual system is stored as a single file located on the main
operating system, taking two gigabytes or more of physical hard
drive space, this makes backup of a virtual machine image as easy
as putting a copy of the file in another location. The file size
expands as information/data is placed on the virtual system; while
inside the virtual system a user can access the local floppy and cd-
rom drives (or a virtual cd-rom drive pointing to an iso cd image
file) of the computer system and its virtual hard drive. Additional
virtual hard drives can be added enabling instruction of redundant
hard disk systems. When a virtual system is booted (activated) it
shares the local hardware resources with the main operating
system and any other virtual system that is activated at the
moment. The amount of RAM used by each virtual system is
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specified by the user upon its creation and can be changed; this
memory will only be taken from the main operating system when
that virtual system is activated. There can be as many virtual
machines activated as local resources permit (RAM and CPU
speed), and as many virtual machines installed as the local hard
drive space permits.
While virtual machine technology helps the networking professor
solve the problem of displaying multiple operating systems on a
single screen, the fact that the instructor needs to have access to
and configure each of these virtual machines on the classroom
computer continues. To keep systems up and running, university
technical support staff often implement tight control of classroom
computers. This situation combined with a “just-in-time” mode of
class preparation by faculty can create an atmosphere where the
faculty member does not regularly have unique software, like
virtual machine technology, installed or configured properly and
in time for the start of class. Even if faculty/staff cooperation
exists, because a virtual machine cannot be simply copied from
one computer to another because of its dependence on a single set
of hardware resources, physical access to the classroom by the
faculty member to prepare his/her demonstrations is necessary and
can often be a hurdle because of other courses scheduled in the
classroom.
To relieve these classroom computer problems, many faculty rely
on using their own notebook computers for preparation and in-
class demonstrations. These instructors simply bring their own
computers, on which they created the virtual machine
demonstrations for that day’s lecture into the classroom and plug
into the video project unit. This certainly can be a workable
solution for instructors, but again there are a few nagging
problems. While not completely prohibitive, the weight of even a
notebook computer can be an unneeded additional weight to the
instructor’s already full attaché or book bag. The second, and
more convincing problem, is that notebook computers still do not
provide the reliability, expandability, and cost-effective higher-
end hardware which can be particularly important for a virtual
system application. Because each active virtual machine is sharing
the hardware resources of the actual computer system on which
they are housed, demonstrating a multiple system network can be
slow or impossible on a computer without a sufficient amount of
memory, cpu capacity, and hard drive space.
Utilizing a VNC (virtual network computing) or remote desktop
solution rather than a notebook computer can be a better fit for
many faculty. By setting up a remote connection to one’s desktop
computer, the instructor can use the computer already in the
classroom, then login to his/her own system and display the
demonstration to students just as if they were all crowded into
his/her office watching the computer screen. VNC or remote
desktop pulls the display through the network and onto the
classroom computer then sends back the keystrokes and mouse
movements to the desktop computer. Since the demonstrations
were created on the desktop machine, technical incompatibilities
with the classroom computer system are reduced if not eliminated.
The remoting solution even spans differing operating systems; the
classroom computer could be a Linux or Macintosh operating
system while the instructor’s desktop computer is a WindowsXP
system. See Figure 2 for a screenshot of a remote connection to a
Windows XP computer using a Macintosh client.
Remoting provides a completely portable solution, requiring only
a computer connected to the Internet (with a relatively high-speed
connection) to operate. Even if the computer from which the
instructor is using to log into the desktop computer is light when
it comes to hardware resources, all processing is being done on
the desktop computer thereby negating any limitations of the
Figure 2. Remoting into a Windows XP computer from a
Macintosh.
classroom computer. Not only does a remote solution help with
the presentation of the material to the students, but a faculty
member can also prepare these demonstrations from home or any
system with an internet connection. While historically remoting
technologies have had a reputation of producing lag in the
responsiveness of the interaction, current high-speed internet
connections make accessing systems through a remote connection
just as useable as actually sitting down to the computer itself.
Remote desktop is a service built into the WindowsXP operating
system and VNC (client and server) is a free downloadable
software (http://www.realvnc.com) which can run on any number
of operating systems without cost. While the server side to
Microsoft’s solution can only be setup in a Windows
environment, their remote desktop client can be run from a
number of non-Windows computers; these clients can be
downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com. Descriptions for
setup of each of these solutions, remote desktop and VNC, can be
found on their websites [8, 9]. While both are relatively easy to
configure and use, another hurdle can exist when accessing one’s
desktop computer from off campus. In this situation, it may be
necessary to have the ability to login to the campus network using
a VPN (virtual private network) connection before being able to
connect with the desktop system. Instructions on downloading the
necessary software and obtaining the proper credentials to log into
the campus network in order to access one’s computer using a
remoting technology can be obtained by contacting one’s
technical support staff or visiting their website.
Remoting may seem ripe for security holes in a technical sense;
one is actually opening the door for a hacker to access the desktop
computer system. Both VNC and Microsoft’s remote desktop
require a valid user authentication, which is encrypted, thereby
making the access as secure as the username/password
combination. This authentication is relatively secure using both
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technologies, though the VNC has some snooping vulnerabilities.
What this means to the user is that it is plausible that someone
could plant a device on the network and see the moving screen
image of the remote system as the professor is connected to it.
This vulnerability however does not permit the hacker to take
control over the remote system, only spy on the actions being
taken as if they were looking over the instructor’s shoulder while
the preparation or demonstration is being performed. This threat is
generally inconsequential for many instructors since the work
being done while connected remotely is not of a highly private
nature. If this is a concern, there are methods of circumventing
these security flaws through any form of data tunneling such as
SSH [3].
Using the combination of virtual machine and remoting
technologies a professor can now prepare for lecture then deliver
those demonstrations from a single machine accessed from
anywhere. Virtual machines allow for displaying multiple
operating systems interacting on a single screen, while remoting
provides access to the physical machine on which those virtual
machines reside. The instructor no longer has to rely on the
technical support staff quite as heavily using these technologies;
no longer has to worry about system incompatibilities among their
home, office, and classroom computers; no longer has to worry
about carrying sometimes unreliable media such as floppy disks;
and no longer has to obtain and carry a laptop computer around
with them. Having used this solution for nearly a year now, the
author can say that it has been an invaluable resource in both class
preparation and delivery.
3. THE NETWORKING/COMPUTER LAB
Virtual machine and remoting technologies can extend from the
classroom for faculty member to the networking lab for students.
A goal of the computer networking lab is to recreate the real-
world business environment as closely as possible so students can
interact with technologies just as they would in a work setting.
Traditional lab methodologies for networking generally involve a
completely simulated environment or the necessity of multiple
computers in the lab setting. Both scenarios present problems
creating a computing environment which accurately emulates the
true business network in scope or depth.
Networking simulations do not enable full operating system
functionality, allowing the student to only point and click on
objects enabled by the simulation. This method does not allow for
any student thinking beyond the scope of the specific task at hand.
This level of instruction cannot present the student with much
semblance of what they will encounter on a true business network
where every decision and click of the mouse will affect a number
of other subsystems and services. Learning this domino affect is
crucial when it comes to configuring and troubleshooting a
network.
Allowing students to work on true operating systems in a lab
solves the problem of interactions among subsystems in a
network, but in this model problems arise in scope and practicality
of efficient university computer usage. Often a networking lab is
set up with a pair of computers being used to test certain
scenarios, with sometimes two students per computer. First of all,
this only allows for performing labs where two systems are
communicating, which is fine in some instances but generally we
would like to show students how a handful of systems with
differing operating systems or configurations might interact. The
other hang-up with this setup is that each student is sometimes
actually performing only a few hands-on activities per lab since
they must share and often just watch as other students work. Not
many institutions provide the funds necessary to provide even one
computer per student in a lab, let alone five. These networking
systems are generally only useable for these specific classes as
well since students are regularly changing the system settings and
using operating systems and software only relevant to their
classes.
Because of the limitations of simulations and networking labs,
most instructors will use a combination of the two alternatives.
Still, it lacks in providing a truly realistic atmosphere for students
wishing to become network administrators.
Now, however, an instructor can use the virtual machine software
to create networking lab modules that can be run entirely from a
single computer system as if it were multiple systems
communicating over a network, providing the necessary scope of
a computer network. Students can, on a single monitor, run
multiple server and/or client operating systems simultaneously
then configure them to interact just as they would if each
operating system were installed on separate computers connected
through a physical network. This virtual system approach to
teaching networking allows students to perform all lab functions
without the hassle and expense of buying and configuring separate
computers with varying operating systems (Linux, Windows,
etc.). Because lab activities are performed completely on these
operating system “images” and not the main operating system on
which the computer is booted, there is also a reduced risk of the
students harming the computer and making it inoperable for
others. The worst case scenario while using a virtual machine
solution is that the student corrupts his or her own operating
system image, in which case either a new virtual system can be
installed by the student or a backup virtual system can be restored.
Having such a backup copy of a “fresh” virtual operating system
that can be quickly copied down to the physical computer system
for this use can be very helpful, particularly if the lab does not
specifically cover or have time for operating system installation.
Using the virtual machine technology allows students in multiple
sections of various classes to use the same physical computer
system as is being used for other courses, negating the need for an
individual lab for systems administration or operating systems
courses. The Linux, Windows, or systems integration courses can
all deliver labs from the same physical computer systems. At the
end of the quarter/semester, the students’ virtual machine images
can simply be deleted from the main computer system in
preparation for the following quarter/semester. If the systems in
the lab contain identical hardware, base images can be created,
backed up, then easily redistributed to the systems for use in
classes for which the installation of the operating system is not
necessary.
Like the instructor, students often encounter the problem of access
to the networking based computer lab and its unique operating
systems and configuration. Even using virtual machine
technologies, students can be “doubled up” in lab, sharing a
computer to perform the tasks involved in systems administration.
Again, students sometimes end up never having performed these
tasks themselves. Student access to these systems can also be
limited to their defined lab period during the week giving them
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only one or two hours with the systems. Many or most students do
not have the hardware or software requirements at home to
recreate the lab environment on their own to further study the
skills and concepts.
Providing students with a remoting solution into their virtual
systems enables them to work on labs at a distance or, like the
instructor, from any computer with a high-speed internet
connection. Students can obtain a mastery of the subject matter in
their own time by going back to work on the exact virtual
machines used in lab. While the author has already implemented
virtual machine technology in his lab, this remoting extension will
be established in the fall quarter of 2003. This form of
accessibility to systems can be particularly of interest to those
who teach on a non-residential campus or are seeking distance-
learning capabilities, which in the past were difficult at best.
4. CONCLUSION
As is spelled out in this paper, the rich combination of virtual
machine technology with a remoting solution creates a synergy for
teaching networking coursework that cannot ordinarily be
obtained. In a discipline that can be hard to accurately impart real-
world skills to students, these tools can get technical educators a
step closer to the goal.
Others have used forms of both technologies with similar
outcomes. The Connectix web site points to Vernon College using
the virtual machine technology for instruction of networking and
operating systems concepts in their labs [6]. Corporate technical
trainers also use virtual machines regularly in their instructional
techniques, but generally they demonstrate the systems from a
local system, not via remote technologies. Research has found a
few others in networking education performing varying forms of
virtual networking lab components on a smaller scale and not
specifically using this virtual system/remoting solution [1, 2].
Sloan has created something quite similar to what is presented
here using VNC for a remoting solution and mentioning the
possible use of virtual machines primarily for lab use [5]. The
extent, however, to which the author has implemented the full
virtual system/remoting solution for a three course sequence of
systems administration classes both in the classroom and lab was
not found in the literature.
The specific technology chosen for virtual machines and remoting
depends on the needs of the instructor, class, and college. While
Virtual PC and VMware are nearly identical in their functionality,
there are added features for each that the other does not currently
provide. Virtual PC version 5 includes a built-in VNC server
component to each virtual system installed, automatically
ensuring a remoting capability to the virtual systems. VMware
version 4 allows for the emulation of multiple network interface
cards (NIC) while Virtual PC can only utilize a single card. This
multiple NIC feature could be of use in advanced labs such as
setting up a server cluster or network gateway configurations [7].
An additional fact to consider when deciding between the two
virtual machine technologies is that Microsoft recently purchased
the company that distributes Virtual PC thereby throwing its
future pricing structure and support into some uncertainty [4]. The
question of using VNC, Microsoft’s remote desktop, or a few
other technologies such as Microsoft’s terminal services or Citrix
Metaframe (both server based products) is also a question which
needs to be answered based on the specific needs of the instructor,
course, and college.
5. NEXT STEPS
The author is studying the feasibility a clustered server
environment connected to a storage area network to centralize
administration of such a virtual machine/remoting system. This
solution would provide a central access point for students and
instructors to remote into and access their virtual machines
whether they are in or outside of the lab environment. Details for
this system, particularly its scalability, are still being investigated.
Such a centralized environment of delivered virtual systems could
prove useful across the technical curricula beyond just networking
courses.
6. REFERENCES
[1] Fabrega, L., Massaguer, J., Jove, T., and Merida, D. A
Virtual Network Laboratory for Learning IP Networking.
From the Proceedings of the 7th Annual Conference on
Innovation and Technology in Computer Science
Education, June 2002.
[2] Liu, S., Marti, W., and Zhao, W. Virtual Networking Lab
(VNL): Its Concepts and Implementation. From the
Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for
71
Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition,
June 2001.
[3] Making VNC More Secure using SSH. VNC Website.
http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/sshvnc.html.
[4] Microsoft Acquires Connectix Virtual Machine
Technology. Connectix Website, February 2003.
http://www.connectix.com/about/acquisition_win.html.
[5] Sloan, J. A Remotely Accessible Networking Laboratory.
The Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, Volume 18
Issue 2, December 2002.
[6] Success Stories: Virtual PC for Student Training.
Connectix Website.
http://www.connectix.com/success/vpc5w_vernon.html.
[7] Turvey, S. Almost as Good as Being There: Virtual PC vs.
VMware. Technology & Business Magazine Austrailia,
April 2003.
[8] Remote Desktop in WindowsXP. Microsoft Website.
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/remotedesktop/.
[9] VNC Documentation. Real VNC Website.
http://www.realvnc.com/documentation.html.