VirtLab: Virtual Laboratories in Federated Environments

This document presents the ongoing VirtLab project which fosters an architectural model for modular and configurable virtual network laboratories, supporting selective access to different levels of resources, according to learning profiles, which can be securely utilized inside a campus or in the context of e-Leaning federations. This work references globally distributed testbeds such as PlanetLab or FEDERICA, and is aligned with projects developed in the European academia, which promote federated sharing of online educational content. The VirtLab Project is a relevant example of how state of the art information technology can be used to leverage successful teaching paradigms and make them accessible in the context of e-Learning initiatives.