Remote Access Lab (iLab) Environment

Preparing your eCollege Shell to use an iLab

As many Standard Delivery courses and many of the Campuses are moving to the use of iLabs, you will need to prepare your eCollege AUGMENTATION shells (used for Compressed or Standard delivery) so that students may access the appropriate Remote Access Lab Environment.

One of the most importants item in your shell will be the "Link to iLab" content item that appears under the COURSE HOME unit. Many of you have seen this in your iOptimize shells. This content item is used to provide students with the login information, helpdesk ticket information and the  link to the appropriate Remote Access Lab (iLab) environment.

Click to find out NEW FOR NOVEMBER 2007

Which Environment is used in your course: 

In order to add the correct content to your course shell, you must identify which Remote Access (iLab) Environment your course will use.  You will find this information in one of three ways.

  1. iLab's currently in production :   The iLabReport will give you a list of courses, software, environments, delivery modalities supported by iLab as well as location specific iLab support that are currently in production.  Please check the "As of" date at the top of the report.  Find your course number (Ctrl-F) and see which software and environment is associated with that course.  If your course has a check in the box for Std (Standard) or Com (Compressed) OR your metro is listed in the LOCATION-SPECIFIC column, your course is already supported in the specified Remote Access Lab Environment. This report is updated the second week of each session to reflect current production status of iLabs.
  2. Scheduled iLab's:  If you are preparing your shell for a new iLab implementation, please review the Project List which will provide a list of projects that are scheduled to be implemented in the upcoming terms. This list is presented by session / course. If you have any questions regarding scheduled projects, contact your local academic dean or your program director.
  3. Metro "All iLab":  If you have been notified by your campus management that your metro is moving to "All iLab" in the upcoming term, you will need to update the eCollege augmentation shells for courses that use the Application Remote Access Lab Environment. 

What if a course uses multiple applications and environments?

In some cases a course may use several environments - usually Application and Server.  When this is true, use the instructions for the environment that is NOT the Application Environment. For Example:  CIS-336 has three software applications listed and their environments - MS Access using Application Environment, Oracle 10g using Server Environment, and MS Visio using Application Environment.  If this is your course, you would use the instructions provided in the Server Environment section below.

Next Step:

Once you have identified the environment, go to the associated section below.  Review the Environment Overview and then download (click and select SAVE) the zip file for that environment.  Each zip file contains a READ-ME-FIRST document that provides instructions for adding the shell content and how to use the other files included in the ZIP. 

WHAT'S NEW FOR NOVEMBER 2007

  1. Courses using Microsoft Office 2007 - If your location does not have Office 2007 installed locally for student assignments, you will need to provide a link to the Application Lab Environment.  Office 2007 is available to students and faculty in this environment.
  2. Oracle 10g Upgrade - All of the CIS courses have migrated to Oracle 10g.  Your iLab information for CIS-336, DBM-405, DBM-438, DBM-449 and SAI-430 will need to be updated.
  3. Visual Studio 2005 using ASP.Net 2.0 - CIS-407A and WEB-460 have migrated to Visual Studio 2005 using ASP.Net 2.0.  You will need to update your iLab links for these courses.
  4. New CIS Labs for CIS-407A and WEB-460 - Your iOptimize shells for Fall Session A were created before the labs were finalized.  You MUST attach these labs to your section shells.  Please follow all instructions included in the zip files.
  5. Lab Mentors Experimental Lab - The Lab Mentors interface has changed.  You will need to update your iLab links for all courses using Lab Mentors as the Host for the Experimental Labs.

Application:   This is currently supported using Citrix.  Applications such as Visual Studio (.Net 2003 and 2005), MS Project, MS Access, Eclipse, Rational Rose, Avaya, OpNet, MultiSim8 are served in the Application Environment.  Beginning in July 2007, all students in all locations will be provisioned with user accounts for the Application Environment based on their program of study.  If your course uses software delivered in the Application environment, the instructions for the Application Environment are the same regardless of the software. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Beginning with the Fall 2007 term, Microsoft Office 2007 will be available in the Citrix (Application) iLab Environment.  If your course requires the use of Microsoft Office and you are upgrading to Office 2007, you need to provide the Link to iLab content in you eCollege shell.

DOWNLOAD and save this Zip File to your local drive -  Link to iLab for Application Environment Courses.  Open the Zip File and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - Citrix.pdf".  Follow the instructions in the document.  All of the files you need are contained in the zip file. 

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Server:  Currently there are two Server environments.  One is for the Oracle Server and the other is for the IIS Web Server.  This will be clear when you see the software used in a course using the Server Environment.  Because of the nature of these two server environments, students will only have access while enrolled in a course using the Server environment. 

     ORACLE DATABASE SERVER:
If your course uses the Oracle Database Server - Oracle 10g , DOWNLOAD and save this Zip File to your local drive -  Link to iLab for Oracle 10g Database Courses.  Open the Zip File and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - Oracle - Nov 07.pdf".  The instructions have been updated for Oracle 10g.  Follow the instructions in the document.  All of the files you need are contained in the zip file. 

Note:  All courses using Oracle in the CIS program will use Oracle 10g beginning with the Fall 2007 term. You will find new student tutorials for these courses. Please place them within your eCollege shells to assist students with the environment.

If your course is not part of the CIS program, you may still be using Oracle 9i.  DOWNLOAD and save this Zip file to your local drive - Link to iLab for Oracle 9i Database Courses.  Open the Zip file and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - Oracle 9i.pdf".  Follow the instructions in the document. 

     WEB SERVER: 
If your courses uses the Web Server, DOWNLOAD and save this Zip File to your local drive -  Link to iLab for Web Server Courses .  Open the Zip File and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - Web Server.pdf".  Follow the instructions in the document.  All of the files you need are contained in the zip file.    

Note:  The CIS-407A and WEB-460 courses will migrate to ASP.Net 2.0 - Visual Studio 2005 beginning with the Fall 2007 term. The Link to iLab content has not changed. However, the tutorials have been updated. Be sure you review the new tutorials and place them in your eCollege shells to assist students with using the software and the iLab environment.

CIS APPROVED LAB ACTIVITIES:  If you are teaching CIS-407A or WEB-460 you can download the student lab activities to include them in your course shells.  Do NOT distribute the Solution files.

    • CIS-407A
      • CIS-407A New Labs zip file (contains the lab activities and the database package)  READ the "CIS-407A - Instructions for Adding Labs.doc"
      • PayrollSystemCS zip file - the Payroll System solution project file - using C#

    • WEB-460
      • WEB-460 Labs zip file (contains the lab activities)  READ the "WEB-460 - Instructions for Adding Labs.doc"
      • WEB460SolutionVB zip file - the solution project file using VB.Net

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Experimental:  There are currently two vendors for the Experimental Environment - Lab Mentors and ElementK .  If you are not sure which of these experimental environments is used by your course or if your location is using the Experimental Remote Lab Environment, you should contact your course's Program Director or your Academic Dean.  

      LAB MENTORS:

THE Lab Mentors Portal has changed for November 2007!  The new Link to iLab and tutorial references have been updated in the following zip file.


If your course uses the Lab Mentors Experimental Environment (CIS or BIS), DOWNLOAD and save this Zip File to your local drive -  Link to iLab for Courses using Lab Mentors.  Open the Zip File and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - Lab Mentors.pdf".  Follow the instructions in the document.  All of the files you need are contained in the zip file. 

     ELEMENT K: 
If your courses uses the ElementK Experimental Environment (NCM and others), DOWNLOAD and save this Zip File to your local drive -  Link to iLab for Courses using ElementK.  Open the Zip File and read the "READ-ME-FIRST Creating a Link to iLab - ElementK.pdf".  Follow the instructions in the document.  All of the files you need are contained in the zip file.     

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