Institute for Knowledge Transfer

Remote Labs Portal

The Remote Labs Portal is a browser-based web application for simple and easy to use access to the Fast Lane Remote Labs Services.

System Requirements

To ensure a satisfying training experience please make sure that your system meets the following requirements.

Browser

The app requires a modern, up to date web browser that supports JavaScript and Web Sockets. For the best experience we recommend Chromium based Browser (e.g. Chrome, Edge) or Firefox regardless of your used operating system.

Security

Firewalls must allow the app to establish outbound TCP connections to:

URI IP Port (Traffic)
portal.remotelabs.io 213.203.255.58 443 (HTTPS)
sso.fastlane.live 213.203.255.57 443 (HTTPS)
ffm.remotelabs.io 217.110.100.76 443 (WSS)

Check here if you can reach the required pages and services.

Usage Guide

You need to be logged in with your Fast Lane ID to use the Remote Labs Portal. If you are not yet logged in, you will be greeted by the welcome page.

start page with welcome text and a sign-in button
portal.remotelabs.io: Welcome page

Please sign in with your Fast Land ID. If you have previously logged in to the Remote Labs Portal or to another Fast Lane service, you will be automatically redirected to the Dashboard.

Login

To log in, you will be redirected to the Fast Lane Single Sign On service, where you log in with your email and password.
Login form with input for email and password and a sign-in button and sign-up link
sso.fastlane.live: sign in
Create user account
Before using the application, you must create a Fast Lane ID user account. You can do this on Fast Lane Single Sign On service (sso.fastlane.live) by clicking on the "Sign Up" link.
Delete user account
Please send an email requesting the deletion of your account to remotelab-support@flane.de.

Dashboard

The dashboard gives you an overview of your labs.

Your Dashboard. Welcome to Remote Labs Services. A largely blank page with an icon to log out and a button to add a lab, both at the top right.
portal.remotelabs.io: Dashboard

Add Lab

You can add a lab with a Lab Access Code. Just click on the "Add Lab" button and enter your code. You will receive the access code either by mail or from your trainer.

After the lab was successfully associated with your account, an (additional) tile will then appear on the dashboard with basic information and access to your lab.

Your Dashboard. A tile with lab information such as title, start and end time, and a View Lab button. At the top right there is an Add Lab button and an icon to log out.
portal.remotelabs.io: Lab Overview

Lab Tile

The Lab tile shows you the title, the access code used (which you should always include in support requests), the time to run and a "View Lab" button. The latter takes you to the lab.

Lab tile with information about the lab.
portal.remotelabs.io: Lab Overview

In addition, there is a cross symbol in the upper right corner that you can use to remove the lab from your profile. The top left corner shows a colored provision indicator:

Provisioning time has not started yet
You can access the lab
Lab is being prepared and will be available shortly
Lab deployment has failed, please contact support

Lab View

Click on the "VIEW LAB" button and your Lab will open:

Lab view.
Lab View

The Lab View is separated in these three sections:

Lab view annotated:Right column: list of exercises. Middle column: picture of device topology. Right column: the lab guide
Lab View sections
Lab List  

The Lab List enables you to manipulate the config of your lab environment (see also Load or Reset Configuration) as well as switch between lab documents.

It is important to differentiate between the two. Selecting an entry will cause the corresponding document to be displayed in the Lab Guide section but it will not change the configuration of your lab environment!

Lab Topology  

The Lab Topology is used to show you the lab structure. It will show you how the devices in your lab environment are arranged and give you an impression on how they are interconnected.

Using the device controls it is possible to connect to the device or to manipulate the state of a device.

Lab Guide  

The Lab Guide is used to place your learning material. You can click to switch tasks and have a look at exercises and information about the lab.

This is also the place where login credentials are usually provided.

Lab Controls

There are one or more configurations for your lab environment that contain specific exercise equipment presets, appropriate to the exercise in question.

Warning!
Be aware that any configuration process for your lab environment will result in a re-initialization of all devices. Any changes made by you will be irrevocably discarded.

The Lab List offers two different ways to control which configuration is used for the lab environment:

Load configuration

If there is a loadable configuration for an exercise, this is symbolized by a triangle (play symbol) next to the exercise title. By clicking on it, you can load the configuration.

Lab view annotated:Right column: list of exercises. Middle column: picture of device topology. Right column: the lab guide
Load configuration
Reset configuration

The currently loaded configuration is indicated at the bottom of the side menu and marked by a white check mark next to the corresponding exercise. Hovering over the check mark will transform the check mark in a reset control.

Lab view annotated:Right column: list of exercises. Middle column: picture of device topology. Right column: the lab guide
Reset configuration

Device Controls

In the lab topology there are overlays for each accessible device that offers multiple options to manipulate the device:

Picture of a server device, button upper left for remote connection, two buttons upper right for power control.
Device controls

Remote
Connection 

Those devices to which you can connect remotely have a control icon in the upper left corner to open the remote connection.

There are different icons for different type of connections:
Icon for RDP connection
RDP
Icon for VNC connection
VNC
Icon for Terminal connection
Terminal

Power Controls  

In the Lab topology view, the units that you are able to switch on and off have corresponding control icons: Power on/off and Power reset.

Copy & Paste (Remote Connection Control Bar)

If you are connected to a device, an additional Remote Connection Control Bar is available. It contains several control elements for a remote connection. Depending on the connection type and the user's permissions, a different number of control items are displayed.

To display or hide the control bar you can either click on the small arrow at the left of the connection window or type Ctrl + Alt + Shift + B.

Further operating help is available in the help menu of the control bar, which you can open by clicking on the question mark symbol.

Screenshot of a remote windows desktop. An orange arrow points to a narrow bar at the left border.
Collapsed control bar
Screenshot of a remote windows desktop with the expanded control bar. It contains a text input field and various buttons for copy, paste and other actions.
Expanded control bar

Copy and Paste

Copy and Paste from your local machine to the remote desktop and vize versa:

RDP (Windows)
Use the Clipboard Control of the Control Bar.
VNC
No copy and paste supported.
Terminal
Via the browser's context menu (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V).

Lab Guide

Detach and dock Lab Guide

Above the Lab Guide you find a control icon with which you can open the Lab Guide in a separate browser window. Conversely, you can also dock the Lab Guide again later.

Screenshot of Lab Guide. On right side of the title you see a hovered icon to detach the lab guide.
Detach lab guide
Search Lab Guide

The magnifying glass symbol opens an input field with which you can search the Lab Guide.

Screenshot of Lab Guide. On right side of the title there is a search field. The search term is highlighted in the lab guide text.
Search the lab guide

Remote Help

If you need help on your training device, you can contact your trainer or our support by giving your access code. The assisting person can then connect to your device. There are two options: Only one person at a time connects to the device or several people are connected at the same time.

Takeover connection

If someone else wants to connect to the same device you are currently connected to, you will be notified. You then have a moment to decline by clicking on "Reject". After the time has expired or if you click on "Confirm", your connection will be closed in favour of the other person.

An overlay dialog, telling: 'Incoming Session Request. A request to take over your connection was sent. Should the connection be released? Confirm or Reject'.
Remote Desktop: notification about an attempt to takeover your connection.
Shared Connection

You can invite other people to work together and simultaneously on your training device. To do this, explicitly activate connection sharing by clicking on the corresponding button in the control bar and confirming it in the dialogue box that then appears by clicking on the "Activate" button. You can also deactivate connection sharing in the same way.

The opened control bar. On the top right, the first of four buttons is to activate connection sharing.
Button in the Control Bar to control connection sharing.
Dialogue box to activate connection sharing with the options to copy the share link or to deactivate sharing.
Active Connection Sharing with a Share-Link for another person.

Support

Our support team is available 6am-2am (CET* / CEST**) from Monday-Friday. Weekday nights are covered by our on-call service 2am-6am (CET* / CEST**).

Please contact us via:

Skype
Start chat
Phone Support
+49 (0)40 2533 4618
Email Support
remotelab-support@flane.de

* Central European Time (UTC+1)
** Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)