Virtualização de laboratórios educacionais com distribuição eficiente de imagens de disco

Abstract

Due to the transversality of Computer Science and Engineering as an area of interdisciplinary research and to the adoption of the computer as a tool by the most diverse areas of knowledge, computer labs have become essential infrastructure for conducting various classes in educational institutions. However, just like any organization or company that has dozens or hundreds of machines, these institutions have huge problems managing their computer assets concerning maintaining, upgrading, and inventorying these systems. This project aims to contribute to solving these problems by creating a solution for computer labs that encompasses user authentication, transparent system virtualization (by passing through devices to the virtual machine), remote system management and disk image distribution using BitTorrent (to fully take advantage of the bandwidth provided by the network infrastructure). The proposed solution was installed in the computerized classrooms maintained by the Secretaria Geral de Informática at UFSCar. The proposed objectives of implementing user authentication, systems virtualization, remote management and image distribution have been achieved. It is expected that this solution will also be adopted by other universities, and that the knowledge generated by this work can be applied to the management of large machinery parks in other contexts and other areas of the industry.