RudderVirt

#Working on Modules

A module is a real virtual machine (or several) loaded with a scenario for you to work through. You connect to it through your browser, drive it with your keyboard and mouse exactly like a regular desktop, and submit when you're done. There's nothing to install on your computer.

#What you'll be working with

  • Real operating systems. Modules run real Windows, real Linux, real whatever — not simulators. Anything you can do on a real machine you can do here, including breaking it.
  • One VM for the whole module. A fresh clone of the template is provisioned for you before you start, and that same VM is yours for the duration. Your changes — files, installs, configuration — stick around between sessions and across submissions.
  • Reprovisions are a manual action. Only a teacher or administrator can reprovision your VM. A reprovision destroys the current VM and hands you a brand-new clone of the template; anything you had on the old one is gone.
  • Graded automatically. When you press I'm Done, an autograder checks the VM against the module's success criteria. Some modules give partial credit; some are all-or-nothing.

If something looks wrong (the VM won't boot, the browser tab keeps disconnecting, the autograder won't run), see Troubleshooting Grading Failures or contact the proctor.

  • The VM Console — When a module starts, you land in the console — a browser-based view of the VM. It works like a remote desktop: what you see is the VM's actual screen, and your keyboard and mouse drive the VM directly.
  • Working in a Module — Once you are inside the console, you are driving a real virtual machine. Most of what works on a normal computer works here. A few things are specific to the platform, and a few things will get you in trouble if you break them.
  • Multi-VM Networking — Modules with more than one VM are wired together on a shared private network. From inside a VM, the other machines in your module look exactly like other hosts on a small LAN: same subnet, reachable by IP, no NAT in between.
  • Switching Between VMs — Some modules ship with more than one VM — for example a client and server pair, or a small lab with multiple machines wired together on the same network. They all clone together when the module starts, and they all run for the duration of your attempt.
  • Timers — Two clocks may be running while you're in a module. They count different things and have different consequences.
  • Contests — The following contest policies are meant to foster a fair competitive environment: