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A dedicated networking laboratory is used by students on a computer networking degree program so that they can undertake practical work without affecting the main University network. Images of the laboratory computers are maintained on a server and deployed when major updates or reconfigurations of the computers are required. Improvements can be made in the configuration and management processes. Automation can help realize some of these improvements. A server based application for automating the networking laboratory, named Remote Configuration Console, has been developed using PowerShell scripts and Microsoft Visual C#. This paper discusses the design and development of the application and its effectiveness in improving the configuration and management processes. This paper concludes that the application has been successful in improving the efficiency of processes and that the knowledge gained during development can be used to inform the curriculum of the computer networking program itself. Future work will involve investigating how this can be achieved and also validating the results of this work during the academic year.

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Two dedicated networking laboratories are used by students on a computer networking degree program to undertake practical work using a range of networking equipment and operating systems. Various challenges are faced in the running of the laboratories, particularly in configuration management, sharing the facilities between a number of modules with diverse requirements and the need to assess the practical learning outcomes of a large number of students using them. Some of the configuration management processes have been automated to alleviate some of the challenges within the laboratory environment. An application has been developed to assist with generic assessment that can generate feedback for students. A simulation system with features of assessment automation is also available. This paper will focus on the issues faced in running the laboratories, in particular using this environment to assess practical outcomes. It will evaluate some of the work done to alleviate some of the issues and analyze areas for improvement. The need for a mechanism that can be used to automate the assessment of practical outcomes using real network systems or simulators has been identified. It is proposed that the mechanism will be implemented as a software application whose requirements will be discussed.