Virtual newbie - HELP!

[mulderite]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been tasked with trying to get Linux working virtually within VirtualBox so that students can do a research project. I've done a bit of reading up on this but I'm starting to wonder if the software is incapable of doing what is required. Basically, the staff have asked if it is possible for each student to have a Linux VM which will allow them to connect to their user area to save work and also the VM needs to be modifiable so that any changes they make within Linux will still be there the following lesson.

 

So far I've got VirtualBox installed on my Windows 7 test pc and I've managed to set up a new VM of Linux and configured it as an immutable disk. I now know (thanks to another EduGeek user) that I can use the Shared Folders option within VB to map to the student's H: drive, so that's not a problem. What I'm unsure about is how I can give each user logging onto the machine the ability to make changes within the VM that will be unique to them and will still be there the following lesson. I'm assuming it will involve the use of differencing disks but I'm scratching my bonce trying to work out how I can allocate unique differencing disks to each student that will be using VB.

 

Any guidance or alternate methods to achieve this would be most helpful.

 

Thanks everyone.

[cpjitservices]

Just set up different users and when that user logins in what ever changes they have made will only be changed on that user account.

[mulderite]

Thanks for your response. I should say our students use roaming profiles. Is there a way within VirtualBox where I can specify where the Differencing Disks are located? I don't really want to store the differencing disk in their roaming profile, ideally it would live in their H: drive. Edited January 25, 2016 by mulderite

[cpjitservices]

Are you running virtualbox per-machine on each user account or one virtualbox instance as a server and they log into that ?

[mulderite]

The plan is to install VirtualBox on each workstation and copy the VM (with its immutable disk) on the C: drive of each machine.

[mulderite]

I'm bumping this as I'm still a little unsure how to proceed. With help from various Edugeek members, I now have VirtualBox set up in an ICT Suite with the VM copied to each C: drive and shortcuts set up for the students to open the VM in a restricted way. At the moment the VM's are immutable and are reset after each use. The Teacher wants the students to be able to make changes to the VM and have them remembered after each use (as part of a controlled assessment).

 

Am I right in thinking that I could make the VM disk 'normal' and take a snapshot of it, then give each controlled assessment account a copy of the same differencing disk in their user area and configure VirtualBox to look at that folder when they log on?

[mulderite]

Bump!

[AXE]

I don't make the disk immutable.

I use VBoxManage to create a per-user snapshot after restoring a fixed snapshot.

This doesn't roam with the user though, they have to use the same PC each time.

Users can choose to restore the default snapshot or the per user snapshot if changes need to persist.

Then I use VBoxSDL to start the VM with options to disable virtualbox shortcuts (take snapshot, settings, etc.).

The whole thing is password protected too, with a password created for each session, no running VMs whenever they feel like it.

[3s-gtech]

We have done this by hosting the VB VMs on a central server. One per student, so they can do what they like to their own VM (which can be reset if they break it). Home drive is mapped still. Note that this needs considerable storage space and server power to work though!