International Journal of Computing and Mathematics

As universities have security policies in place to safeguard the integrity of network infrastructure, computer science students who take a network programming or system administration class that includes a hands-on lab are usually not granted administrative privileges on lab computers. By implementing Virtual Machines (VM) technology such as VMware and Xen, the research community is starting to tackle this. The objective is to provide a virtualized environment so that learners have complete control over their operating system and can execute the required classroom duties. To date, most of the classroom trial deployments of VMs have been tailored to the classes of network security and system management. There may be beneficial advantages for hands-on laboratories that support networking ideas taught in lectures. A hands-on laboratory also gives students the chance to engage with' real-world' issues that involve creativity and resourcefulness. Students of computer science are introduced to networking either using the seven-layer OSI stack as the model or using a ' top-down ' strategy that begins with the implementation [a reference to Comer, Stevens, Kurose textbooks]. Virtualized designs must be able to provide an atmosphere to enable learners to operate their TCP / UDP programs and assess realistic network performance through WAN metrics such as throughput, drop rates, and packet delays to promote a deeper understanding of the content. This article uses Xen virtualization to accompany network programming courses to investigate three distinct technical designs. This article uses Xen virtualization to accompany network programming courses to investigate three distinct technical designs. Designs include a physical network lab configuration comparable to the job performed by other scientists, a method of installing a laptop and using a Live CD / DVD based on Xen. In two of the models, activities and outcomes based on a network programming class are shown and future research is suggested with Xen Live CD / DVD.