Collaborative Virtualization-Based Experimentation in Teaching Networking Concepts

Regular computer networking courses normally include individual laboratory tasks for each student, because the course's main objectives require that each student have the ability to manage all network equipments as an administrator. However, this approach still suffers the limitation of an insufficient amount of equipment in laboratory classes. We applied collaborative virtualization-based experimentation (CVE) in this study to avoid this limitation. CVE enables students to do networking assignments such as connecting, design, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting using the Linux OS on a group of virtual machines (VMs) connected to a single server. Collaborative tasks for laboratory assignments in CVE have the following rules: 1) each student manages and configures one VM, 2) students can establish laboratory network setups by connecting with other group members' VMs, and 3) students can communicate with others via online synchronous discussion (OSD). The students in the experiment were divided into a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group performed their laboratory assignments using CVE, whereas the control group completed the same assignments on VMs that were installed on their personal computers. The results show that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in the last two homework assignments and the second post-test. In addition, the experimental group's activities were better than those of the control group, based on the total average of the command count per laboratory. Finally, the analysis of the questionnaire data of the experimental group reveals that CVE was helpful during and after the laboratory class, including when the students performed laboratory assignments.