Using and Managing the VMware Lab

Platform User Interface

VMware Lab Platform

Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

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 Contents

About the VMware Lab Platform user interface 4

1 Where to begin when using the VMware Lab Platform user interface 5

2 VMware Lab Platform lab workflow 9

3 Using the lab action options in VMware Lab Platform 10

How to register and verify your account in VMware Lab Platform 12
How to enroll and start a lab in VMware Lab Platform 14
How to enroll as a temporary user in VMware Lab Platform 15
How to search for a lab in VMware Lab Platform 15
How to view details of a lab in VMware Lab Platform 15
How to view the network topology of a lab in VMware Lab Platform 16
How to log out of a lab in VMware Lab Platform 17
How to self register for a class 18

4 Managing my profile in VMware Lab Platform 20

How to view my profile details in VMware Lab Platform 21

5 Using the lab console toolbar in VMware Lab Platform 23

How to view the help options in VMware Lab Platform 24
How to change the language settings in VMware Lab Platform 25

6 Using the console screen display options in VMware Lab Platform 27

How to change the console screen size in VMware Lab Platform 28

7 Using the lab options in VMware Lab Platform 30

8 Using the lab manual in VMware Lab Platform 34

9 Taking an instructor-led lab in VMware Lab Platform 36

10 Additional user features for VMware Lab Platform 37

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About the VMware Lab Platform user
interface

VMware® Lab Platform™ (formerly known as VMware® Learning Platform™) is a complete

learning environment that integrates instructional materials, rich virtual machine (VM) labs,
videos, social media, and more as a lab. VMware Lab Platform is a cloud-based SaaS service,
and its content management tool includes features to run and track training labs and courses.
The VMware Lab Platform user interface lets you take on-demand labs or instructor-led labs.

Intended audience
The primary audience for VMware® Lab Platform™ user interface is end users and students who
intend to take an on-demand lab or an instructor-led lab.

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Where to begin when using
the VMware Lab Platform user
interface
1
As a user with a student or an end-user role of VMware Lab Platform, you use the VMware
Lab Platform user interface to take an on-demand lab. Your lab administrator creates the labs in
the VMware Lab Platform administrator interface. If you are new to VMware Lab Platform user
interface, you will need to know where to start.

Day in the life of a lab user

As a lab user, you use the VMware Lab Platform user interface to perform the following tasks:

n How to register and verify your account in VMware Lab Platform.

n How to enroll and start a lab in VMware Lab Platform.

n Chapter 7 Using the lab options in VMware Lab Platform.

n Customize your lab console.

n Use a lab manual to complete a lab.

n View and email a lab transcript that shows training labs and courses that you have
completed.

n Share and recommend on-demand labs with friends and team members.

n View a catalog of all the available VMware training labs and courses.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Access the VMware Lab Platform user interface

You access the VMware Lab Platform user interface through a web browser.

n User interface URL: https://www.labplatform.vmware.com/<org_name>

Note You must have valid credentials from your organization administrator to log in the VMware
Lab Platform user interface. Your organization administrator defines the authentication provider
for the login page in the VMware Lab Platform administrator user interface.

Or you can use the Register option to self register and create an account to use a lab.

For more information on how to self register for a class, see How to self register for a class.

Note Passwords are case-sensitive. Contact your VMware Lab Platform administrator, if you
have trouble logging in to the application, or locate a lab.

After you login, VMware Lab Platform displays your lab portal.

Figure 1-1. VMware Lab Platform user interface view

The following table describes the main areas of the VMware Lab Platform user interface.

Menu What the menu option does

Labs—A Displays all the labs that are available to you. You can
enroll for a lab from the available lab list.

My Enrollments—B Displays all your lab enrollments. For more information on

how to enroll for a lab, see How to enroll and start a lab in
VMware Lab Platform.

Completed Labs—C Displays a list of labs that you have completed.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Menu What the menu option does

Favorites—D Displays all your favorite labs. To add a lab to the favorite
lab list, click the heart icon in the lab.

Classes Use the Classes tab to see your active and upcoming
classes.

Note The Classes tab is available only when your part of

an upcoming class or an active class.

Filter By—E Use the filter option to search for a lab. You can search a
lab by a product name, tag name, badge, or a catalog type.

Lab details—F Displays all the details about the lab you have selected.

Favorites icon—G Use the heart icon to tag all your favorite labs. You can use
the Favorites tab to list all your favorite labs.

Enroll—H Use the Enroll tab to enroll for a lab. After you enroll for
the lab, you get the Start a Lab option.

Style selector—I Use the style selector to set the theme of your interface
window. You can choose from light and dark mode user
interface setting.

User name—J Displays the user name of the user logged in the system.
If you have logged in as an anonymous user, then the user
name field is blank and does not display any name.

Language selector—K You can choose the language in which you want to see the
user interface information. VMware Lab Platform supports
more than 12 languages.

Search option—L Use the search option to search for any labs assigned
to you or available to you. You can conduct a search
for a lab by entering the title of a lab in the search box
or by entering a keyword. For example, you might enter
Introduction to list all labs in the current catalog that
include the word “Introduction” in their titles.

Sort By—M Similar to the search option, you can use the sort option to
filter your search results for labs.

Announcements/Offers tab Displays announcements, offers, and social media posts

added by your account administrator.

Supported browsers and environments

The following browsers are supported. As a best practice, use the latest available version of the
browser.

n Internet Explorer version10 and above

n Firefox version 13 or above

n Chrome version 18 or above

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

n Safari version 6.0 or above

Note Your browser settings must accept cookies, run JavaScript, and allow web sockets.

We recommend that you run the compatibility test to identify if there are any
system compatibility issues to take a VMware Lab Platform lab. For example; https://
www.labplatform.vmware.com/<org_name>/compatibility.

Support for mobile devices

VMware Lab Platform supports mobile devices for split-screen functionality such that the lab’s
instructional manual appears on the mobile device and the lab console appears on a desktop or a
laptop. With the split-screen feature, you can use a full screen for the console of the lab and have
the manual for the lab display on another desktop screen or other device. For more information
on how to use the split screen feature, see Chapter 8 Using the lab manual in VMware Lab
Platform.

Note VMware Lab Platform does not support the console of the virtual machine on a mobile
device.

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VMware Lab Platform lab
workflow 2
As a VMware Lab Platform lab user, you typically follow a standard workflow.

1 Access the lab through your browser and use the credentials sent by your administrator to
authenticate yourself.

Note User interface URLs to access the lab.

n User interface URL: https://www.labplatform.vmware.com/<organization_name>

Note: The <organization_name is a variable in the URL. Contact your lab administrator to
get the lab URL for your organization account.

2 Select a lab for which you want to enroll, and click Enroll, or resume a lab that you left
without completing (click Enrolled).

VMware Lab Platform loads the lab you selected. After VMware Lab Platform finishes loading
the lab, it displays a lab console that shows your enrollments. The length of time to connect
to a lab varies depending on the lab environment's complexity and configuration.

3 (Optional) If the lab you started includes multiple consoles, click Consoles and select the one
you want to work with. For example, your lab might include a Windows console icon and
a Linux (RHEL) console icon. Most labs only have a single visible virtual machine that you
interact with for the exercises, so the console tab is not shown.

4 Test your browser compatibility with VMware Lab Platform, click Run Test.

5 To start the lab, click Start this Lab. If you start a lab and then leave a lab, then VMware Lab
Platform displays the Resume the lab control instead of the Start this Lab control. When you
start a lab for the first time, you get the option to start a guided tour of the console controls.

6 To display the manual for your lab, click Manual. Manuals are typically made up of modules
that you complete sequentially.

7 Progress through the modules of your lab and end or exit the lab as you choose.

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Using the lab action options in
VMware Lab Platform 3
Each lab listed on the VMware Lab Platform lab portal includes the lab status and the lab action
options. As a lab user, you can use the lab action options to optimize your lab experience. While
you are working on a lab, you can use lab options to extend the time remaining in your lab, to
end or temporarily exit a lab, or to submit your lab results for grading. You can also use lab
options to set your lab keyboard and console attributes.

Table 3-1. VMware Lab Platform lab action options

Lab status Description

Enroll If you are not enrolled in a lab, then VMware Lab Platform
displays the Enroll option. To enroll for a lab, click the
Enroll option. After you enroll in the lab, you see the Start
This Lab option.
If you are already enrolled in a lab, then the VMware Lab
Platform system displays the Enrolled option. To display
the Start This Lab option, click the Enrolled button.
To view the all labs that you have enrolled for, use the My
Enrollments option.

Start the Lab After you enroll for a lab, you see the Start the Lab option
that let's you to start the lab.

Log out To log out of the VMware Lab Platform interface, open
the user name drop-down menu options, and click Log
out.

Resume This Lab If you exited a lab (but not ended it) before completing it,
then the system displays the Resume This Lab option. If
you want to resume the lab where you left, click Resume
This Lab.

Lab status options

Lab status options are located on the ribbon above the console pane. They include the following
settings:

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Table 3-2. Lab status options and descriptions

Status Options Descriptions

Time Remaining Displays the amount of time remaining for you to

complete your lab.

Note Labs have two time limits: Time Remaining and

Expiration Date. Time remaining is the total amount of
time that the lab can be active. The counter for Time
Remaining only changes when the lab is in use.

When the Expiration Date arrives, the lab ends even if

there is allotted time still available. For example, a lab
might have been configured with a one-hour limit to do
the lab, but expire in three days. As a result, you can use
the lab for up to one hour of total time and break up that
time into smaller intervals spread out over three days. In
this case, the lab would end when the first of the time
limits is reached.

End Displays a screen that allows you to confirm or cancel

the ending of your lab. If you confirm that you want to
“end” your lab, then VMware Lab Platform considers you
have completed the lab and returns you to the VMware
Lab Platform lab console login page. As a result, you are
unable to resume the lab. You must click Exit to come
back and resume your lab.

Exit Displays a screen that allows you to confirm or cancel

the exiting from your lab. If you confirm that you want
to “exit” your lab, VMware Lab Platform returns you to
the lab console login page. VMware Lab Platform also
provides you with an option to resume the lab. The Exit
option is displayed only if your admin has enabled it.

Extend Allows you to extend the time remaining in your lab. The
Extend option is displayed only if your admin has enabled
it.

Finish If your admin has configured your lab for grading, then
the system displays the Finish option instead of the End
option.
When you click Finish, the lab is ended and your work is
sent for grading. Note that once you click Finish, you are
not able to return to the lab.

Reset If you reset a lab, all its virtual machines (VMs) are
restored to their original state. You are not able to
recover any work you have done. The Reset option is
displayed only if your admin has enabled it.

Keyboard and Console Options

To view the console and keyboard options, click the gear icon. Select the checkbox for the
options you want to use.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Console Options Descriptions

Keyboard Layout Select your keyboard layout to adjust any incorrect keys
being sent to the console.

Intercept Paste Intercept the paste shortcut keys and send the text
copied from your browser (or elsewhere) to the console.
This option could interfere with the console's own copy
and paste commands.

Remap iOS Key to CTRL Key If you are using iOS operating system, the VMware
Lab Platform automatically remaps the iOS keyboard
shortcuts equivalent to the Windows shortcut keys. You
can remap the system keyboard shortcuts from the
Settings menu.

Manual Shortcuts If enabled, you can change the page in the manual
with Ctrl key combinations even when the console has
focus. See the gear menu for key combinations for your
environment.

Fix non-ANSI US keyboard layouts Remap the keys pressed on your keyboard to send US
ANSI key code equivalents to the console. If you are using
a non-US keyboard or have the keyboard set a non-US
language in your operating system, enabling this option
could help send the correct keys to the console.

Reverse Vertical Scroll Direction Change the mouse scrolling direction sent to the console.
This setting can help with mice or track pads that have
the scroll direction reversed (sometimes called "natural").

Read the following topics next:

n How to register and verify your account in VMware Lab Platform

n How to enroll and start a lab in VMware Lab Platform

n How to enroll as a temporary user in VMware Lab Platform

n How to search for a lab in VMware Lab Platform

n How to view details of a lab in VMware Lab Platform

n How to view the network topology of a lab in VMware Lab Platform

n How to log out of a lab in VMware Lab Platform

n How to self register for a class

How to register and verify your account in VMware Lab

Platform
Register and verify your VMware Lab Platform account so that you can use the VMware Lab
Platform user interface to take a lab.

To self-register for a lab:

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Prerequisites

n Lab URL for the lab assigned to you.

n Note If your lab administrator has shared the quick launch URL for a lab, then you don't
need to register or create a user account with VMware Lab Platform. You can directly access
the lab.

Procedure

1 Open your self-register lab URL in a web browser.

2 On the VMware Lab Platform login page, click Register.

3 Enter the user details.

4 Click Sign Up.

Results

You receive the welcome email with steps to verify your account in your registered email
address. Follow the steps in the email to verify your account.

Note After the succesful login, the system redirects you to the page or URL based on your
user role. For example, as an administrator or an instructor, you self-registered for a lab from the
administrator or the instructor user interface, after the registration the system redirects you to
the user login page based on your user role.

What to do next

To get familiar with the user interface, see Chapter 1 Where to begin when using the VMware Lab
Platform user interface.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

How to enroll and start a lab in VMware Lab Platform

In a VMware Lab Platform lab, if you are not enrolled in a lab, then VMware Lab Platform displays
the Enroll option. You need to be enrolled for a lab to start the lab.

Procedure

1 Launch the lab using the lab URL provided by your account administrator.

2 To enroll for a lab, click the Enroll option. If you are already enrolled in a lab, then the
VMware Lab Platform system displays the Enrolled option.

3 To view all your enrollments, click My Enrollments.

Results

After you enroll in the lab, you see the Start This Lab option.

Example: My Enrollments
The following sample enrollment page shows lab details and the Start the Lab button. This
example also displays the Announcements section.

What to do next

After you enroll for a lab, to start the lab and complete the lab course, click Start This Lab. For
more information on how to start a lab, see

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

How to enroll as a temporary user in VMware Lab Platform

If your account administrator has given you permissions to access a lab for one-time use, you
can log in as a temporary user using the lab URL (provided by your account administrators) and
enroll for a lab in the user interface.

Procedure

1 Use the lab URL and access the lab through your browser.

2 On the lab login page, enter your first name, last name, company name, and email ID, and you
can enroll for the lab.

You can use the lab until the entitlement is complete, or until the valid period of the lab is
reached.

Note Once you complete the lab, you cannot take the lab again. You cannot access
non-anonymous labs from the lab catalog page . A warning message is displayed for non-
anonymous labs. After the entitlement is completed, all user details are deleted from the
system.

How to search for a lab in VMware Lab Platform

A quick search checks all types of labs that are available for your to enroll.

Prerequisites

n Labs assigned to you.

Procedure

1 Enter the lab name in the search box at the top of the user interface window. For example,
you might enter Introduction to list all labs in the current catalog that include the word
“Introduction” in their titles.

2 (Optional) You can also use the sort and filter option to narrow down your search results
based on product type, catalog, or tag type.

How to view details of a lab in VMware Lab Platform

In the labs page, you can view the lab details such as brief description of the lab, including
running time, network topology, and lab costs.

Prerequisites

n Lab assigned to you.

n User credentials to access the lab.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Procedure

1 Access the lab through your browser and use the credentials sent by your administrator to
authenticate yourself.

2 To view the lab details, click the expand arrow for a lab on the lab page.

What to do next

If you have not enrolled for the lab, then enroll for the lab and start the lab.

How to view the network topology of a lab in VMware Lab

Platform
Your lab comprises virtual machines. If your administrator has included a network topology image
in your account, then your lab console includes the Network Topology option.

Prerequisites

n Lab assigned to you.

n User credentials to access the lab.

Procedure

1 Access the lab through your browser and use the credentials sent by your administrator to
authenticate yourself.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

2 To display an image that shows the network topology of the virtual machines that are used in
your lab, click the Network Topology icon.

What to do next

Start the lab.

How to log out of a lab in VMware Lab Platform

On every page of the lab, the Log Out command is nested under the user name menu in the
top-right corner of the banner of the lab web page. Logging out ends your current session.

Prerequisites

n Lab assigned to you.

n User credentials to access the lab.

Procedure

u To log out of a VMware Lab Platform lab console and return to the Login page, open the
drop-down menu options from the user name. Click Log Out.

Results

If you accidentally logged out of a lab or want to resume your lab where you left, select the lab
and click My Enrollments > Resume This Lab.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

How to self register for a class

One of the easiest way to enroll for a lab is to self register for a class.

To self-register for a class:

Prerequisites

You need to be have the registration URL for the class that you want to self register for. Your
account administrator provides the registration URL.

Procedure

1 Enter the class registration URL in a web browser. For example; https://
www.labplatform.vmware.com/vlpdemo2/catalogs/studentToken

2 Enter your email and register your account, if you don't have an account in VMware Lab
Platform. For information on how to register your account, see How to register and verify
your account in VMware Lab Platform.

3 In the Class Enroll window, click Enroll.

4 If there are seats available in the class, you can enroll for it.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

5 Go to the Classes tab.

The Classes tab will be visible only when:

n A student has an upcoming class or has active classes.

n Note: You cannot see completed classes that are not yet deleted from the system.

n The class tile in the tab displays the name of the class, a label indicating remaining time
for the class, status of the class if the class is active, description, start and end date
details, instructor name, and other relevant information.

n The Classes tab has an option that will redirect you to the My Enrollments page with
filtered results. This means that if the class has more than one lab in it, the filtered result
will list all the enrollments related to the class for you. The filter will be visible and present
in the search bar.

n The title in the Classes tab will indicate only the class information, you cannot manage the
individual entitlements from the page.

Results

Click the See Enrollments tab to see all your enrollments, and start your lab.

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Managing my profile in VMware
Lab Platform 4
All users can view and modify their own information on the My Profile page in the VMware Lab
Platform user interface. You can view privacy policies, modify user preferences, help options,
and the log out option.

To access the My Profile page:

1 On the username menu in the upper-right corner of the page, click the username drop-down
menu.

Figure 4-1. User profile options

The Profile page for your user account displays the following user options:

n Profile

n Privacy Policy

n User Guide

n Cookie Settings

n Log Out

Read the following topics next:

n How to view my profile details in VMware Lab Platform

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

How to view my profile details in VMware Lab Platform

You can use the Profile option to view and manage your account information associated with
your VMware Lab Platform user account.

Procedure

1 To view your profile information, open the user name options, and click Profile.

2 The Profile option, when clicked, displays the Profile page. The Profile page comprises
of several sub pages beginning with the General page. To close the Profile page, click
outside the page. Make sure that you have saved your changes before you close the

page.

Note When you switch to the language version you selected, you must end the lab and then
restart the lab.

General

Add your profile details such as name, display name, user name, and company name.

Language and Time Zone preferences

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

To select the language and the time zone to use, click Preferences. Select a language sets
the language of the lab console to the selected language. For example, if you select German,
the system switches the user interface to German. Also, selecting a language determines the
language version of the instructional manual. For example, if you select German, the system
uses the German version of the instructional manual associated with the lab.

Note When you switch to the language version you selected, you must end the lab and then
restart the lab.

About (Bio)

To add a short biography about yourself, click About.

Password

To change your password, click Password.

Security Questions

To update your security questions, click Security Questions. Security questions help validate
who you are in case you forgot your password.

Social

To log into one or more social media services (Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn), click Social.
VMware Lab Platform never shares social media password information.

Results

To view the privacy policy for a user, open the user profile drop-down menu, and click Privacy.

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Using the lab console toolbar in
VMware Lab Platform 5
From the lab console, you can view the lab console walk-through or use the console toolbar to
get help, set up your profile, select a language, or log out.

Lab menus and toolbar settings control how the menus and toolbar option appear when a lab is
in full screen and windowed mode. Hover on each of the menu option to see the menu name and
its details.

Console toolbar—A

Use the options in the console toolbar to manage your lab console screen appearance. Hover
over each icon to view the action option name. You can:

n Check connection strength: To check the console connection strength.

n Go Fullscreen: To change the console screen size.

n Console actions: Use the Console actions to reset or power off a VM. Click the drop-down
menu to view all the available options.

n Keyboard shortcuts: Use the keyboard shortcuts to perform keyboard actions to help
you work quickly and efficiently.

n Check the console notes: Copy and send notes to the console.

n Send text to console: Copy and send notes to the console.

For more information on using the console toolbar, see Chapter 6 Using the console screen
display options in VMware Lab Platform.

Help and Setting options—B

Use the help option to see all the possible support options for the lab.

For more information on the Help options, see How to view the help options in VMware Lab
Platform.

Lab status—C

You can extend your lab, end your lab, or exit from a lab.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Language setting—D

Use the language icon to change the language setting for your lab. For more information on
language setting, see How to change the language settings in VMware Lab Platform.

Manual and Consoles— E

Lab resources such as lab manuals are useful and assists you to complete the lab modules.

Click the Consoles tab to view the consoles and console order for your lab. To insert a media
file, click the vertical ellipses next to the console, and click Insert Media. To eject a media file
or CD, click Eject Media.

Note The Insert Media and Eject Media options are available only if your account admin has
enabled the Enable Cloud Media upload in the student interface option in the administrator
interface.

This lets you to host labs or classes that require a walk through of an OS installation and
other use cases for mounting a CD on a VM.

Read the following topics next:

n How to view the help options in VMware Lab Platform

n How to change the language settings in VMware Lab Platform

How to view the help options in VMware Lab Platform

VMware Lab Platform provides various support and help options to help you navigate through
the user interface or troubleshoot any issue with the lab or the user interface.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Procedure

u To display the Help options, click the icon:

Help options Descriptions

Live Chat If enabled by your organization administrator, Live Chat

opens a window that you can use to chat with the
support staff.

Raise Hand To activate a help request for you and alerts the class
instructor that you need help, click Raise Hand. For
more information about requesting help in instructor-
led labs, see the Chapter 9 Taking an instructor-led lab
in VMware Lab Platform.

Support Options Displays an email address for support requests and a

support phone number.

Tips Displays tips about using the lab console.

User Guide Opens a PDF version of this document.

About Displays VMware Lab Platform product information.

How to change the language settings in VMware Lab

Platform
VMware Lab Platform provides labs in more than 12 languages. You can select a preferred
language from the available language options.

The current language is displayed followed by the language icon icon.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Procedure

u To change the language, click the language icon, drop-down menu and select a language
option.

The lab console language changes to the language that you select.

Note For anonymous users (users who are not logged in and therefore do not have a
profile), the administrator sets the default anonymous user language. Logged in users do
have a profile. If a logged in user changes language, the user’s profile is updated accordingly.

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Using the console screen display
options in VMware Lab Platform 6
You can use the screen display options to manage your console screen appearance and
behavior.

Display options are located in the upper-left corner of the console.

Figure 6-1. Screen display options

Connection Strength The Connection Strength control displays information

about console latency. Your instructor or administrator
can use this information to diagnose any connection
problems. This feature must be enabled by an
administrator.

Toggle Full-Screen Use the Toggle Full-Screen control to resize the console.
Console resizing includes the following actions:
n When the end-user console is docked in the center or
maximized, then VMware Lab Platform resizes it to fit
into the space available in the browser.
n If the console is floated, docked-left, or docked-right,
then you can resize the console manually by dragging
the handles near the edge of the console frame.
n If the end-user console is supported with VMware
tools, then the guest operating system resolution is
updated to the new console size.
n In unsupported consoles, the guest operating system
resolution remains unchanged, but the console is
scaled to the browser.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Console Actions Use the console action options to change the console size
and the console location. Expand the Console Actions
menu to see all the options. The following console actions
helps you manage the console:
n Undock: Use the Floating window control to toggle
between a docked or floating screen.
n Refresh: Use the Refresh control to re-establish
your console connection and reload your console.
This option does not perform a screen refresh. Use
this option only if your console locks up or your
connection drops.
n Reset VM: Hard-reboots the machine as if the reset
button on the physical hardware had been selected. It
is independent of the power options.
n Reset VM And Enter BIOS: Resets a virtual machine
(VM) of a lab, and starts the BIOS and make changes
to the boot order.
n Shutdown VM: Powers down the VM for the lab that
you are running

Keyboard Shortcuts n CTRL+ALT+DEL: Sends the CTRL+ALT+DEL key

combination to the virtual machine (VM). The result
of sending the key combination is operation-system
dependent.

Console Notes Displays metadata about the lab (notes, user name,
and password for each VM) as configured by your
administrator.

Send Text Displays the Send Text to Console window. You can
copy and paste text from your lab manual or enter new
text in the window. When you click Send Text, VMware
Lab Platform sends the text you entered to your lab
console. The text appears at the pointer location inside
your console. You can also highlight text in the lab manual
then drag the selected text onto your console.

Maximize Use the Maximize control to magnify (full screen) your

screen.

Arrow Use the Arrow controls to dock your screen display

controls to the left or right side of your screen.

Place in Center Screen Use the Place in Center Screen control to center your
screen display.

Read the following topics next:

n How to change the console screen size in VMware Lab Platform

How to change the console screen size in VMware Lab

Platform
As a lab user, you can easily change the VMware Lab Platform console size to suit your device
preferences.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

You can use any of the following methods to resize your console screen size:

Procedure

1 Click the right arrow next to the Manual panel to expand the console size.

2 Or, you can custom resize the windows. Move the cursor to any edge or corner of the
window until a double-headed arrow appears. When this arrow appears, click-and-drag to
make the window larger or smaller.

3 Select the specific console from the Consoles menu on the right side of the page. To resize
the VM console of a lab, click Console Actions > Undock. Use the double-headed arrow to
click-and-drag the console window according to your preference.

What to do next

To see different key board options supported for your lab, see Chapter 3 Using the lab action
options in VMware Lab Platform.

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Using the lab options in VMware
Lab Platform 7
While you are working on a lab, you can use lab options to extend the time remaining in your lab,
to end or temporarily exit a lab, or to submit your lab results for grading. You can also use lab
options to set keyboard and console attributes.

Status options
Status options are located on the ribbon above the console pane. They include the following
settings:

Status Options Descriptions

Displays the amount of time remaining for you to

complete your lab.
Time Remaining
Note Labs have two time limits: Time Remaining and
Expiration Date. Time remaining is the total amount of
time that the lab can be active. The counter for Time
Remaining only changes when the lab is in use.

When the Expiration Date arrives, the lab ends even if

there is allotted time still available. For example, a lab
might have been configured with a one-hour limit to do
the lab, but expire in three days. As a result, you can use
the lab for up to one hour of total time and break up that
time into smaller intervals spread out over three days. In
this case, the lab would end when the first of the time
limits is reached.

Extend Allows you to extend the time remaining in your lab. The
Extend option is displayed only if your admin has enabled
it.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Status Options Descriptions

If your admin has configured your lab for grading, then

the system displays the Finish option instead of the End
option.
When you click Finish, the lab is ended and your work is
sent for grading. Note that once you click Finish, you are
not able to return to the lab.
Finish Lab
n Exit: Displays a screen that allows you to confirm or
cancel the exiting from your lab. If you confirm that
you want to “exit” your lab, VMware Lab Platform
returns you to the lab console login page. VMware
Lab Platform also provides you with an option to
resume the lab. The Exit option is displayed only if
your admin has enabled it.
n End: Displays a screen that allows you to confirm or
cancel the ending of your lab. If you confirm that you
want to “end” your lab, then VMware Lab Platform
considers you have completed the lab and returns
you to the VMware Lab Platform lab console login
page. As a result, you are unable to resume the lab.
You must click Exit to come back and resume your
lab.

Reset If you reset a lab, all its virtual machines (VMs) are
restored to their original state. You are not able to
recover any work you have done. The Reset option is
displayed only if your admin has enabled it.

Keyboard options for console

To view the keyboard options for the lab console, click the icon. Use the slider button to
activate the options you want to use. After you select the keyboard options, you can view the
options under the keyboard icon in the console toolbar.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Figure 7-1. Keyboard settings for the lab console

Console Options Descriptions

Keyboard Layout Select your keyboard layout to adjust any incorrect keys
being sent to the console.

Intercept Paste Intercept the paste shortcut keys and send the text
copied from your browser (or elsewhere) to the console.
This option could interfere with the console's own copy
and paste commands.

Remap iOS Key to CTRL Key If you are using iOS operating system, the VMware
Lab Platform automatically remaps the iOS keyboard
shortcuts equivalent to the Windows shortcut keys. You
can remap the system keyboard shortcuts from the
Settings menu.

Manual Shortcuts If enabled, you can change the page in the manual
with Ctrl key combinations even when the console has
focus. See the gear menu for key combinations for your
environment.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Console Options Descriptions

Fix non-ANSI US keyboard layouts Remap the keys pressed on your keyboard to send US
ANSI key code equivalents to the console. If you are using
a non-US keyboard or have the keyboard set a non-US
language in your operating system, enabling this option
could help send the correct keys to the console.

Reverse Vertical Scroll Direction Change the mouse scrolling direction sent to the console.
This setting can help with mice or track pads that have
the scroll direction reversed (sometimes called "natural").

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Using the lab manual in VMware
Lab Platform 8
You can choose the lab manual's display, either docking or floating the manual, or displaying the
manual on a second device using the lab manual options in the interface.

General options
To display the instructional manual panel, click Manual in the top-right corner..

Manual Options Descriptions

X The X icon closes the panel.

Arrow-on-Screen The Arrow-on-Screen icon makes the manual panel a

floating window. Once you make the panel a floating
window, you can click the X to dock the panel on the
previous side and close it.

Arrow Use the Arrow icon to toggle between a left dock or right
dock of the manual panel.

Table of Contents To display the links to each module of the manual, click
Table of Contents. Manuals are typically comprised of
modules which you complete sequentially.

Network Topology Your lab comprises virtual machines. If your administrator

has included a network topology image in your account,
then your lab console includes a Network Topology
option. To display an image that shows the network
topology of the virtual machines that are used in your lab,
click Network Topology.

Split Screen Displays the Use a Second Screen or Device screen that
includes links to open the manual in a new window and
email a link to open the manual with another device such
as an iPad or a second window on your desktop.
Thus, you can go full screen on your console and have
the lab’s manual on another desktop screen or on your
iPad. VMware Lab Platform keeps the manual steps on
the second screen in sync with the main screen. When
you change to the next step on one of your screens, it
changes on your other screen. In order to get to that
second screen, you can email yourself a link, scan a QR
code or copy and paste a special key.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

Drag-and-drop option
The Drag and Drop feature lets you to drag text from the lab’s instructional manual, and drop it
into a field in the lab console. To use the Drag and Drop feature:

1 Select some text in the manual.

2 Drop the text into the appropriate area on the lab console.

Copy and paste option

You can copy the text from your browser or elsewhere, including a lab manual to the console. To
enable the feature, go the gear icon on the ribbon on the top of the console and select Intercept
Paste. For MAC OS users, the system automatically remaps the user's system OS shortcut keys
for the copy and the paste operation to the labs OS shortcut keys.

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Taking an instructor-led lab in
VMware Lab Platform 9
An instructor-led lab is a specified lab taken at a specified time with an instructor present. There
are a few differences between what you see on your lab console in instructor-led labs and what
you see in on-demand labs.

Classes
n You can check for whether you have been added to a class.

n Your instructor can use the Instructor Console to monitor your progress while the class is in
session.

Impact on the lab console

When you start the lab, your lab console does the following:

n Alert you if your lab is being monitored.

n Provide a button to send a message to the instructor console.

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Additional user features for
VMware Lab Platform 10
VMware Lab Platform includes additional features to help users as they complete labs.

Detection of closed browsers

VMware Lab Platform can detect when you have walked away from a lab. For example, if
you quit the browser without clicking End Lab, then VMware Lab Platform pauses the lab
and bookmarks where you left in the manual. When you return to the lab, VMware Lab
Platformreturns you back to where you left off.

Detection of inactive browsers

VMware Lab Platform can detect if you have not moved the mouse or pressed a key on your
keyboard for a period of time (the default is 10 minutes). If you have left the browser inactive,
then VMware Lab Platform pauses the your lab and bookmarks where you left in the manual.
When you return to the lab, VMware Lab Platform returns you back to where you left off.

Lab time running out

When the time is nearly out for a lab, VMware Lab Platform flashes the timer in yellow. When the
remaining lab time is low, VMware Lab Platform flashes the whole screen in red.

To add more time to the lab, you can click Extend in the warning box or on the console frame.

Email transcript
Transcript pages include the Email Transcript option. If you want VMware Lab Platform to send
your lab transcript to the email address you have provided, Click Email Full Transcript.

How to check connection speed and strength

A speed test helps diagnose a slow or intermittent connection from your browser to VMware Lab
Platform.

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Using and Managing the VMware Lab Platform User Interface

To run a speed test, open a browser with the lab URL,http://www.labplatform.vmware.com/

<account_name>/speed-test/ where account_name is the unique name given to your
organization or account and click Run Test.

The speed test screen displays information about VMware Lab Platform and Cloud speed and
VMware Lab Platform and Cloud network latency.

n A good speed score is 1.5 MB/s or greater.

n A good latency score is 300 ms or less.

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