Always create and test your labs within our platform to confirm the design is compatible. While creation and testing can occur in VMWare Workstation or other sources it is advisable to confirm functionality within our platform.

To create a lab, click the Labs [1] tab on the sidebar to open the Manage Labs page.

This page displays the labs that have been created in your organisation, as well as any labs that have been assigned to your organisation by FifthDomain. This page provides an overview of the labs you have access to so that you can manage them from one location.

This page is also where you can create your own lab prototypes with customised configurations. Every time a participant accesses a lab within a course, the lab prototype will be cloned to create a new lab instance for the participant.

To create a lab click the Create Lab [2] button.

Give your lab a name by entering one into the Lab Name [1] text box. You can add any extra information to your lab by typing it into the Lab Description [2] text box. Once you’ve finished filling in the Lab Details, you can proceed to the next page by clicking the Next [3] button or hit Cancel [4] to stop creating a lab. You can also save your lab as a draft by clicking Save as Draft [5].

Adding a network to the lab is optional. However, if you do decide to add a network, then all the fields become mandatory except attaching the internet gateway to the network. The networks you create on this page will be the ones that can be assigned to the VMs. Click Add Network to start creating a network, as shown below.

You can then enter the subnet network name into the Network Name [1] text box, and specify a Classless Inter-Domain Routing - CIDR [2] IP subnetting range. After that, you will have an option to attach the internet gateway to your network. However, it is optional. You can also click Delete [3] to remove the network.

You can add as many networks to your lab as required. Simply click Add Network [1] and repeat the process as above. Once you’ve added all your networks to the lab, click Next [2] to go to the next page, Back [3] to return to the previous page or Cancel [4] to lose all changes made to the lab. You can also click Save as Draft [5] to save your work.

You can add Virtual Machines (VMs) to your lab by selecting between the VM images uploaded in your organisation or using VMs that FifthDomain has provided. You must add at least one VM to create your lab successfully. Click the Add Virtual Machine button to start adding VMs, as shown below.

Start by entering a VM Name [1] into the form field. Then select a VM from the VM Image [2] dropdown menu. There are two Network Options [3] which you can select by clicking the boxes. If you want to remove a VM, click the Delete [4] button.

Next, you have the option of assigning a network to the VM. If you do decide to assign a network, then you must complete the mandatory fields. Click the Assign New Network button to start assigning a network to the VM, as shown below.

Start by selecting a Network [1] from the dropdown menu. The list will contain the network(s) that you created on the previous page. Next, select a NIC Adaptor Type [2] from the dropdown menu. The default adaptor type is VMXNET3. There are also options to assign an IP Address (IPV4) [3] and/or a MAC Address [4] manually for the VM by entering them into their respective fields.

To add a second network to the VM click Assign New Network [1]. If you want to remove a network from a VM, click Delete [2].

To add another VM, click Add Virtual Machine [1] and repeat the process as above. Once you’ve finished adding all your VMs to the lab, click Next [2] to go to the next page. Otherwise, click Back [3] to return to the previous page or Cancel [4] to lose all changes made to the lab. You can also click Save as Draft [5] to save your work.

The summary page lets you check that all the details for the lab are correct before you go ahead and build it. If you do need to go back and make changes, simply click Back to return to the previous page. You can also Cancel if you no longer want to create the lab.
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You can continue editing a draft lab at any time by going to the Manage Labs page and clicking the Actions [1] dropdown for that lab and then selecting Edit [2]. Note, that draft labs cannot be added to a course.

Once you’re happy with your lab, you can publish it by clicking the Build Lab button on the Summary page, as shown in the image below. Note, that it can take some time for the lab to build, so it’s good to do this in advance.

You can still edit a lab after it is published by going to the Manage Labs page. See the ‘Viewing and Editing Labs’ article for more details. Note: you cannot edit a lab once a participant has started it.