A lab creation walkthrough

To create your first lab, you need to complete these steps:

1. Create an API library for your lab

A lab consists of a sequence of life-cycle actions  that fully describe this lab: for example, the creation of a user in a virtual environment, activation of the user and so on. Such actions are implemented by means of API requests defined by API objects. Objects are grouped into API libraries so that a library contains a set of life-cycle actions of a particular lab.

Thus, first thing you need to do when starting to configure a lab is to create an API library for it. See Adding API libraries for the details.

2. Add API objects to your API library

After you have created an API library for your lab, you need to populate it with API objects. Each object defines an API call that implements a particular action in the external system.

An API object defines the endpoint to which to send requests, request parameters, examples and other properties. 

You need to add an API object per each lab life-cycle action as described in Adding API objects. After all actions are added to the library, you can start configuring your lab.

3. Create an image of VM to use in your lab

If you need specific configuration of VMs that students will use for your lab, create a custom VM image. That is, you can set an image in such a way that VMs have the required applications and scripts installed, files downloaded, and so on. See Adding custom VM images.

Alternatively, you can use one of the default VM images. In this case skip this step.

4. Set up your lab

After you have configured the API objects and VM image for your lab, you can create and configure the lab as follows.

1. Add a lab — create an object for your virtual lab that will be used for students' practical exercises. Depending on the lab type, you might need to assign to the lab a VM image that defines students' VMs. It can be either the custom VM image you have created or a default one.
2. 
   Configure the life-cycle actions of the lab — add the life-cycle actions that fully describe the lab flow. (You have added those actions in the lab's API library.)
3. 
   Add the lab's contents — add tasks to instruct your students how to complete the lab and criteria to assess each task.

See Virtual lab set up for the details.

5. Publish your lab

After you have set up and reviewed your lab, you need to publish it in Virtual Lab and then in your course in LMS. See Publishing your lab.