Integration of physical equipment and simulators for on-campus and online delivery of practical networking labs

TL;DR

This paper describes a hybrid networking lab platform combining physical equipment and GNS3 simulators, enabling simultaneous on-campus and online practical classes with increased capacity and real-world experience.

Contribution

It introduces an integrated platform for networking labs that enhances capacity and flexibility by combining real equipment with open source simulators for hybrid delivery.

Findings

Increased laboratory capacity and reduced class repetitions.

Enhanced student experience with real equipment and easy reconfiguration.

Successful implementation of integrated platform for practical networking exercises.

Abstract

This paper presents the design and development of a networking laboratory that integrates physical networking equipment with the open source GNS3 network simulators for delivery of practical networking classes simultaneously to both on-campus and online students. This transformation work has resulted in significant increase in laboratory capacity, reducing repeating classes. The integrated platform offers students the real world experience of using real equipment, and the convenience of easy setup and reconfiguration by using simulators. A practical exercise in setting up an OSPF/BGP network is presented as an example to illustrate the experimental design before and after the integration of GNS3 simulators. In summary, we report our experiences with the integrated platform, from infrastructure, network design to experiment design; and the learning and teaching experiences of using GNS3 in classes.