A Centralized Resource Management Model for Computer Networking Laboratory Equipment Sharing among Collaborating Institutes

信息科学与系统（33）该项目是一项为期两年的合作研究，由三所机构组成，包括一所两年制社区学院、一所区域性四年制教学大学和一所国立综合大学，位于德克萨斯州、密西西比州和北卡罗来纳州。该项目开发了一个框架，用于远程教育学生使用虚拟化技术进行计算机网络和安全实验教学，并在班级和机构之间共享实验室资源。该项目在基于实验室的远程教育中创新地使用成熟的现成软件应用程序。该项目的主要新奇在于它利用VMware等产品提供使用异构操作系统的环境，并利用Dynamips模拟物理网络设备，包括路由器，交换机，VPN服务器和防火墙，为学生提供丰富的互联网体验。所提出的设备共享模型通过一个中央预留和管理系统解决了一个复杂的问题，调度，优先级，安全访问，并从多个位置的会计资源。该项目的成果使20多所高中和社区学院受益，这些学校通过Cisco Networking Academy计划被列为当地学院。八名教师参与了这项研究，而200多名学生，在试点本科课程注册，直接受到影响。预期成果包括其他STEM学科管理和共享物理实验室设备的基本思想的适应。

Information Science and Systems (33) This project is a two-year collaborative study among three institutions consisting of a two-year community college, a regional four-year teaching university and a national comprehensive university, located in the states of Texas, Mississippi and North Carolina. It develops a framework for teaching computer networking and security labs using virtualization technologies for the distance education students and sharing lab resources among classes and institutions.The project makes innovative use of mature and off-the-shelf software applications in the delivery of lab-based distance education. The primary novelty of this project lies in its utilization of products like VMware to provide environment for working with heterogeneous operating systems, and Dynamips to emulate physical networking equipment including routers, switches, VPN severs, and firewalls to provide a rich blend of internetworking experiences for the students. The proposed equipment sharing model through a central reservation and management system solves a complex problem of scheduling, prioritizing, securely accessing, and accounting resources from multiple locations. The outcomes from this project benefit more than 20 high schools and community colleges that are listed as the local academies through the Cisco Networking Academy program. Eight faculty members are involved in this study, while more than 200 students, enrolled in the pilot undergraduate courses, are directly impacted. Anticipated outcomes include adaptation of the fundamental ideas of managing and sharing physical laboratory equipment by other STEM disciplines.