Virtual training

How to Evaluate and Compare Virtual IT Labs

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Jul 24, 2024 - 3 min read
How to Evaluate and Compare Virtual IT Labs

So, you’re looking for a hands-on training platform? We can help with that. Your best bet is probably going to be a cloud-based virtual training lab — better known as a virtual training platform

Not only are cloud-based virtual IT labs more flexible and cost-effective than traditional virtual labs, they can also do a lot more, too. Instead of being restricted to a few predefined environments, most Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) virtual labs let you configure and spin up whatever simulations you need. The best virtual IT labs are also intuitive enough that you can use them without needing help from your IT department. 

But how do you know what to look for? What are the must-have features and functions for virtual lab software? How can you tell if a vendor will be a good fit for your needs?

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know — starting with the feature-set.

What Are The Most Important Features in a Virtual Lab?

Let’s break this down into two sections, starting with must-haves. These are features that every virtual IT lab solution should include. If a virtual lab is missing any of them, you might want to think about looking at a different vendor.

After that, we’ll list a few nice-to-have features; value-adds which, while neither deal-breakers nor deal-makers, can add a lot to a virtual lab solution. 

Must-Have Features for Virtual IT Labs

Support for Hands-on Training

Since virtual labs are all about hands-on learning, any solution worth its salt should support that. You’ll want to look for capabilities such as automatic grading, adaptive learning environments, real-time feedback, workflow and learning path automation, and AI integration. You may also want to check if a vendor offers sandbox environments, which learning modalities they support, and what sort of interaction they allow between instructors and students. 

Content Creation

A good virtual IT lab solution should either include its own content authoring software or be easy to integrate with a learning management system (LMS) that supports content creation. Look for a solution that lets you easily create new hands-on training environments, as well.

Reporting and Analytics

Look for a virtual IT lab with comprehensive analytics. You want to be able to track everything about how people interact with their training, from completion time and quit points to general user behavior. These analytics features should be paired with reporting tools that let you easily share information with other people in your organization.

Flexibility, Scalability, and Reliability

Since you’re evaluating a SaaS solution, you’re going to be relying entirely on the vendor’s infrastructure to keep your training up and running. You need to make sure that infrastructure is up to the task. Ask each vendor about their service-level agreement, what regions they can deliver their solution to, and their policies around resource usage. 

User Experience

How easy is the platform to use for learners? What about instructors? Does the solution include integrated communication tools? What’s involved in configuring and spinning up a new lab instance? 

A good virtual lab solution needs to be intuitive, and it needs to facilitate communication and collaboration between instructors and students at the same time. 

Support

What support does the vendor offer? Does the vendor have a good reputation among other businesses in your industry? Is the vendor willing to work with you to customize their software to your needs? 

Even the best software can be brought down by a bad vendor. That’s why it’s important to research each vendor you’re evaluating. Don’t just look at what people say about their software, look at what people say about them. 

Security

Lastly, what do each vendor’s security practices look like? What do they do to protect and secure your information, and how do they protect themselves against risks and threats? Do they hold any industry certifications, or are they compliant with any regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA or the GDPR? 

We also recommend looking for a virtual lab that supports single sign on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA). People are usually more accepting of cybersecurity if it’s convenient, and MFA is an absolute must in today’s security landscape. 

Nice-to-Have Virtual IT Lab Features

  • Custom branding and white-labeling options.
  • Pre-built templates.
  • Virtual sandboxes. 
  • Over-the-shoulder access for trainers.
  • Support for training simulations as well as hands-on environments. 
  • Certifications
  • Out-of-the-box integrations
  • A robust API

Learn More About Virtual Lab Software

You’ve learned what you need to know about evaluating virtual IT lab vendors — the rest is up to you. In the meantime, why not explore a bit more of what you can do with a virtual lab? Some examples include practice labs, cybersecurity training, and sandbox environments.Once you’re done with that, you can also check out Cyber Security Sales Training: The Future of the Industry for some insight on how security is changing sales enablement.