Remote Real Laboratory: Linux Installation and Configuration.

Remote real laboratories deal with performing real lab experiments remotely via Internet. Recent advances in Internet/web technologies and computer-controlled instrumentation allow net-based techniques to be used for setting up remote real laboratory access. The goal of our project VITELS (Virtual Internet Telecommunications Laboratory of Switzerland) is to develop a course that provides practical exercises in the area of telecommunications and computer networks to the students. The exercises shall be performed by students remotely and students do not need to be present in particular laboratory rooms. As regards communication between machines, several levels of complexity must be differentiated. The management and total handling become more complicated according to the kind of desired networks functionality and data exchange. This differentiation is often based on the following functions networks: File transfer (File transfer), Execution of programs on other machines (remote execution), virtual Terminals (Network File System). In our paper, we present a remote laboratory which consists to learn how to install and configure Linux on a real remote machine using a simple Internet connection. Three approaches have been studied and have been implemented. First approach is the installation of Linux Mandrake distribution by simulation. The second approach, more interesting, consists in using VNC (Virtual Network Computing) to really install Linux on a remote machine just using a navigator and our environment. The third approach which consists in combining the two approaches to obtain an optimal result. The distant user would gain in time and would profit from an interaction of the assistance coming from the server. This system is based on a client-server concept with a deployment by levels of the installation on the remote machine. Our environment allows several users to make the virtual installation on the same machine at the same time and the real deployment of the user’s parameters is done once the virtual installation is finished.