Virtual Laboratory for QoS Study in Next-Generation Networks With Metro Ethernet Access

Teaching in university engineering departments is currently facing a number of challenges, especially for those involved in the most innovative and dynamic areas of information and communication technology. Learning model developments that place greater weight on laboratory activities require investment in specific equipment that is often very expensive, difficult to manage, and soon obsolete. This paper describes a virtual laboratory education platform, QoSLab, for training in and research into quality-of-service (QoS) mechanisms used for Metro Ethernet access in next-generation networks (NGNs). QoSLab integrates three experiments and 21 tasks with a pedagogical model to help students achieve learning goals; it also promoting student teamwork, iteration with lecturers, and autonomy. QoSLab was developed using OMNeT++, an open-source framework environment that allows students to run the code on their personal computers. Evaluations have shown that since 2013, QoSLab has produced a significant increase in student grades on NGN-related topics, as well as good results in student satisfaction surveys.