The hardware resources on which laboratory tasks are run have their limits, and it is necessary to manage their fair sharing among users. The reservation system ensures distribution of these shared resources so that from the user’s point of view it is possible to perform the planned laboratory task in a given time. To make a reservation, you need to be a registered user. A registered user is typically a teacher. Registration is not required to work with the laboratory task itself (typically for students). Laboratory tasks are accessible to users via an Access Code and a laboratory task code. This individual access code is automatically generated in the reservation system for each virtual workplace.

The basic element of the reservation is the so-called “group”, which brings together various laboratory tasks carried out at the same time. The group determines the time and period when it is possible for students to work with the tasks (tasks are made available to users). All tasks within one group are thus carried out at the same time. In one group, it is possible to reserve x user workplaces (i.e. make a task available to x students, for example). A group can consist of different tasks.

The groups have their limitations:

• The maximum total number of groups is currently 30.
• The maximum number of groups that are scheduled for the future is 5.
• The maximum advance for booking is +3 months from the current date.
• The number of workplaces in one group is limited to a maximum of 30 or according to the remaining available HW resources at the time of the requested reservation.

Other restrictive conditions for reservations are as follows:

• The maximum duration of a single reserved session is 2 hours.
• Tasks (reservations) must be scheduled at least one day in advance. Therefore, tasks cannot be booked for the current day.
• When the reservation time is over, all virtual workplaces are deleted. It is not possible to save the status in progress and continue the task at another time (or within another reservation).
• The system is out of service for maintenance every day between 02:00 and 03:00. Tasks cannot be scheduled for this period of time.

Please do not make unnecessary reservations, as this will limit other users. The system evaluates the usage of reservations and continuously adjusts the above restrictions for a given user. For example, if a user makes repeated unused reservations, their options for further reservations will be limited.

Access to the reservation system

Access to the reservation system is provided via a web application on the website https://cybersecurityportal.eu in the “SCHEDULE A LAB” section.

Registering a new user (typically a teacher), first step:

User registration in the reservation system (registration is only required to make reservations), second step:

After completing the registration, a confirmation link is sent to the e-mail address provided.

Reservations management

After logging into the reservation system, its user has the following options: Manage groups, Add a new reservation, View task progress log, Edit profile, and Log out.

Group management (GROUPS option) allows:

• Editing and composing a group, including adding and removing a virtual workplace.
• Deleting a group.
• Changing a user’s access code.
• Temporarily pausing a workplace (blocking it and releasing it for continuation).
• Restarting individual virtual machines from which a task consists.
• Restoring virtual machines from which a task is composed to their default state.
• Listing a workplace progress log (including a live status).

Creating a new reservation (ADD NEW option) is performed in 4 steps:

1. Create a new group (the reservation time will be determined in step 3) or select an existing group (predefined reservation time).
2. Select the laboratory task, number of virtual workplaces and language version.
3. Select the date and time of the reservation (if an existing group was selected, this step is skipped).
   
The scheduled reservation time is always automatically preceded and followed by a period of 5 minutes for technical maintenance (start-up/cleaning). During these reserved times it is not possible to access the tasks. The maintenance times do not subtract time from the reservation (which is up to 120 minutes).
4. Confirm the reservation.

Reserved tasks are only available to users for the scheduled time period. They are available to users (typically students) under the lab assignment code and access code, which is unique for each user. Lab users (typically students) do not register in the reservation system!

User login details

Lab ID and Access code for individual users can be viewed and exported from the overview of created groups. These codes can be exported to PDF (XLSX export is under development). The distribution of these access codes to users (usually students) is the responsibility of the registered user who made the reservation (usually a teacher).