Abstract:

Virtualization technology provides an abstract layer between computer’s hardware and its software, and allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on one computer. Each installed operating system can have remote access, thus sharing the computer’s common resources.
Virtualization can significantly enhance educational delivery and improve active learning with minor expenses. Virtualization can improve teaching in various courses, specifically Information Technology (IT) courses, by providing easier access to resources, and by offering a variety of computational environments with rich set of features, thus improving the delivery of courses and stretching the reach of the university resources. Virtualization can also improve teaching by providing instructors with additional tools while improving the system management.
We explain an educational environment that allows IT students to have open remote access to a high performance computing environment, customized with centralized hardware, using their typical home computers.

Keywords:

Virtualization, Information Technology, High Performance Computing.