Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Return on Training Investment (ROTI) (24-slide PowerPoint presentation). The concept of Return on Investment (ROI) originated in the Manufacturing sector, where it's simple to measure time and output. Next to adopt the concept was the Banking industry, where it is used consistently. ROI calculation is now a common feature in every type, industry, and function of [read more]
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From enterprise IT teams to cybersecurity enthusiasts and educational institutions, virtual labs are used to create high-fidelity simulations and training programs that mirror actual working environments. In 2025, virtual labs are more sophisticated, cloud-native, and personalized than ever.
What Are Virtual Hands-on Labs?
Virtual hands-on labs are cloud-based environments where users can interact with software, tools, or IT systems in a controlled, simulated setting. These labs replicate real-world conditions, allowing learners or users to practice skills, execute experiments, or simulate business scenarios without risks to live systems.
They are particularly useful in:
- IT training and certification programs
- Sales demos and product onboarding
- Cybersecurity exercises and incident simulations
- DevOps pipelines and infrastructure testing
- Academic courses and continuing education programs
Key Features of Virtual Lab Platforms
The best virtual lab platforms combine technical flexibility with educational functionality. They are built for scalability, interactivity, and real-time insights. When evaluating a platform, consider whether it includes the following features:
- Pre-built templates and blueprints: These allow trainers or administrators to launch lab environments in minutes.
- Scenario-based learning modules: Real-world case studies and simulations help contextualize abstract concepts.
- Performance analytics and dashboards: Visual reports on learner engagement, completion rates, and assessment scores.
- Cloud-native infrastructure: Support for AWS, Azure, GCP, and hybrid environments.
- Environment resets and versioning: Let learners start over or revisit checkpoints without complications.
- Secure access management: Role-based permissions, audit trails, and isolated environments.
- Massive concurrency support: Ability to support thousands of users during large-scale training events.
- Integration-ready architecture: APIs and connectors for CRM, LMS, CI/CD tools, and other platforms.
The Best Virtual Hands-on Lab Solutions
CloudShare is an enterprise-grade virtual hands-on lab platform trusted by tech giants, training firms, and software vendors across the globe. It’s designed to make creating, managing, and scaling sophisticated IT labs easy, delivering fast and engaging hands-on experiences for training, demonstrations, cyber ranges, and beyond.
Key Features
- Prebuilt and Customizable Templates: Launch full IT stacks, from cloud servers to hybrid networks, in seconds, or customize images to exact needs.
- Collaboration and Engagement Tools: Invite users, schedule collaborative workshops, deliver instructor-led training, and manage user access from a single dashboard.
- Analytics and Reporting: Advanced tracking on participation, lab completion, and skills mastery, vital for measuring ROI of large training initiatives.
- Robust API and Integration Options: Seamlessly connect CloudShare with your LMS, CRM, helpdesk or DevOps tools to automate provisioning and reporting.
- Flexible Delivery: Use for training, live demos, proofs of concept, and cyber defense exercises.
2. Pluralsight Skills
Pluralsight is a household name in technology learning, famous for its exhaustive course library and now renowned for integrating powerful interactive hands-on labs inline with learning paths. Pluralsight’s labs blend expert instructional content with immediately accessible environments, providing truly end-to-end learning.
Key Features
- Inline Live Labs: Practice on AWS, Azure, GCP, Linux, and more, right as you learn the theory.
- Skill Paths and Benchmarks: Structured content for goal-driven progression, with skill assessments to chart growth over time.
- Skill IQ and Role IQ: Measure your expertise across tech domains and map learning to role-specific requirements.
- Reporting and Analytics: Managers can track engagement, completion, and performance at scale.
- Mobile and Offline Learning: Blend labs with on-the-go microlearning, making professional development more achievable.
3. Kodekloud
Kodekloud has rapidly gained a reputation for making DevOps and cloud practical skills approachable. Famous for its pragmatic, task-based labs, the platform is a favorite for IT pros prepping for hot certifications and those seeking job-ready DevOps skills.
Key Features
- Scenario and Project-Based Labs: Practice actual job tasks, like deploying Kubernetes clusters, orchestrating Docker containers, or troubleshooting pipelines.
- Exam Simulation and Playgrounds: Official-like exam simulations for certifications (CKA, AWS, Terraform, etc.) and free-form sandboxes for experimentation.
- Integrated Quizzes and Progress Tracking: Immediate feedback and analytics help learners focus on difficult concepts.
- Fast Provisioning: Start labs instantly, no wait, no complexity.
- Community and Mentoring: Active forums, chat, and ongoing content updates ensure you’re always learning.
4. Hack The Box
Hack The Box (HTB) stands at the leading edge of practical cybersecurity training, hosting a massive range of hacking, CTF, and penetration testing labs for learners, pros, and red/blue teams.
Key Features
- Live, Gamified Cyber Labs: New machines and challenges released weekly, simulating real-world vulnerabilities and attacks.
- Pro Labs and Skill Paths: Named, themed environments offer end-to-end penetration testing and security research exercises.
- Global Leaderboard and Community: Earn badges, compete in seasonal events, and connect with mentors and teams worldwide.
- Comprehensive Learning Modes: Both highly guided tracks for newbies and unscripted “real attack” labs for seasoned hackers.
- Team and Enterprise Features: Shared progress tracking, management dashboards, and collaborative red/blue team exercises.
5. Nuvepro
Nuvepro provides cloud-first, job-relevant labs for upskilling in IT, cloud, programming, and data science. Widely adopted by higher education, government, and Fortune 100s, it excels at providing hands-on, real-cloud environments with business-aligned learning journeys.
Key Features
- Massive Lab Catalog: Hundreds of labs covering IT, cloud engineering, DevOps, AI/ML, and business intelligence.
- Role-Centric Lab Assignments: Tailor learning to the responsibilities and outcomes needed on the job.
- True Cloud Environments: Train on actual AWS, Azure, or GCP accounts, real infra, real billing, real results.
- Integrated Assessments and Analytics: Live progress tracking, learner analytics, and automated assignment scoring.
- LMS and Classroom Integrations: Deep integration for streamlined deployment in schools or enterprises.
6. CBT Nuggets
CBT Nuggets is an industry veteran, well known for high-quality instructor-led IT training videos. Their virtual labs tightly integrate with courses, letting users apply concepts in real time without leaving the platform.
Key Features
- Integrated Video and Labs: Labs can be launched from any video lesson, reinforcing theory through direct interaction.
- Wide Tech Coverage: Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, CompTIA, and other major vendors.
- Hands-on Certification Practice: Labs specifically designed to simulate scenarios found in exams.
- Lab Challenges and Realistic Scenarios: Solve real-world IT administration and troubleshooting tasks.
- Mobile and Browser Support: Run labs from browsers or tablets, ideal for learning and practice on the go.
How to Choose the Right Virtual Lab Platform
Selecting a virtual lab solution requires a clear understanding of your training goals, technical needs, and audience type. Here’s a framework to guide your decision:
1. Define the Use Case
Is your priority internal employee training, customer enablement, cybersecurity simulations, or academic instruction? Different platforms are optimized for different use cases. Some specialize in certification prep while others are built for immersive sales demos.
2. Evaluate Content Depth and Breadth
Some platforms offer rich prebuilt content libraries, while others focus on providing sandbox environments. Choose one that aligns with your team’s learning objectives and existing content strategy. Also assess how frequently new content is added and whether it’s aligned to industry standards.
3. Assess Technical Requirements
Do you need single-VM environments, or full multi-tier systems with load balancers, databases, and microservices? Ensure the platform supports your required complexity. The more complex your infrastructure, the more robust your lab engine must be.
4. Consider Integration Capabilities
Will you need to sync progress with your LMS? Will usage data feed into your CRM or analytics tools? Ensure the platform has strong integration capabilities. Native integrations can streamline automation, tracking, and compliance workflows.
5. Check for Scalability and Uptime
Review service-level agreements (SLAs), availability metrics, and concurrency support. A good platform should maintain high performance under peak load. Look for real-world case studies that prove stability at scale.
6. Review Support and Documentation
Does the vendor provide onboarding, technical support, and user documentation? The availability of live support and self-service resources can make a huge difference. Evaluate the maturity of their knowledge base, ticketing system, and community forums.
7. Compare Pricing Models
Pricing can vary based on user count, environments spun up, storage needs, and feature tiers. Clarify what’s included in each pricing plan and whether it’s pay-as-you-go or subscription-based. Some platforms offer educational discounts or enterprise bundles.
Virtual hands-on labs have transitioned from a nice-to-have to a mission-critical component of modern technical education and enablement strategies. Whether you’re training the next generation of engineers or onboarding enterprise customers, the right lab platform can drive faster skill acquisition, better user engagement, and measurable business outcomes.
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Gain the knowledge and develop the expertise to become an expert in Human Resource Management (HRM). Our frameworks are based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. Click here for full details.
The purpose of Human Resources (HR) is to ensure our organization achieves success through our people. Without the right people in place—at all levels of the organization—we will never be able to execute our Strategy effectively.
This begs the question: Does your organization view HR as a support function or a strategic one? Research shows leading organizations leverage HR as a strategic function, one that both supports and drives the organization's Strategy. In fact, having strong HRM capabilities is a source of Competitive Advantage.
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