25/SP ITNW 2355 3P1 Syllabus

Server Virtualization

Course Information

Course Description: An in-depth study of the installation, configuration, management

and troubleshooting of a, virtualized server environment.

Credits: 3

Contact Hours: 96

Department: Cybersecurity

Modality: PBE

CIP Code: 11.0901

Instructor Information

First Name: Andrew

Last Name: Phillips
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone Number: 346-239-3456
Office Building: 300A
Room: 226
Office Hours: Wednesday 8-10am; Friday 8am-12pm; 1pm-5pm
Prerequisites

Prerequisites: PR: Prerequisite course(s) required (ITNW 1345 or ITNW 1354) and
ITSC 1325

Corequisites

Corequisite Course(s):

Outcomes

Deploy, manage, migrate, and secure virtual machines.

Install, configure and manage virtual networking and storage.
Manage user access and resource usage.

Additional Outcomes

TSSB-B1. Gather data and analyze security requirements

TSSB-F1. Define current systems-level requirements and forecast future needs

and trends

TSSB-F5. Coordinate systems testing and integration

TSSB-F6. Audit and maintain systems performance and ensure future readiness

Competencies

CC1.1 Design a virtualization infrastructure plan

CC2.1 Configure Hyper-V and VMware ESXi environments

CC3.1 Develop a provisioning plan for virtual machine implementation

 CC4.1 Implement high availability and redundancy techniques in a virtualized
environment

CC5.1 Implement solutions for security hosts, guests, and networks in virtualized
environments

CC6.1 Implement a secure virtualized environment

Meeting Information

Meeting Times:

PBE Grading Scale

Grading Policy for Performance Based Education (PBE) General Education and
Academic Courses

Grade
Grade Percent Description
Points
Excellent/Superior Performance
A 90-100 4
Level
Above Required Performance
B 80-89 3
Level
Minimum Required Performance
C 70-79 2
Level
Failure to meet Performance
F Below 70 0
Requirements
Not Applicable
NA -- 0
(Mid-Term)
No Credit Earned - Accelerated
NE -- Courses Only 0
(End of Semester)
 Grade
Grade Percent Description
Points
W -- Withdrawal 0

PBE Grading Policy for Performance Based Education (PBE) Technical Programs

Grade Percent Description Grade Points

Excellent/Superior Performance
A 90-100 4
Level
Above Required Performance
B 80-89 3
Level
Failure to meet Performance
F Below 80 0
Requirements
Not Applicable
NA -- 0
(Mid-Term)
No Credit Earned - Accelerated
NE -- Courses Only 0
(End of Semester)
W -- Withdrawal 0

See College Catalog for complete descriptions.

TSTC Statewide Operating Standard ES 4.06 Grading System

NOTE: Course prerequisites/corequisites

 When a course is a prerequisite or corequisite and the student is a PBE student, the
PBE grading scheme is applicable. If the prerequisite was completed prior to the PBE
start term for the student, the traditional grade may be acceptable. The student should
review prior grades with the Enrollment Coach.

Schedule

Due Date Assignment Name Assignment Type Points

CYS Syllabus Quiz Quiz 0

M1 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
M2 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
M3 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
M4 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
M5 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
M6 Feedback Survey Quiz 0
Meet Your
Discussion 0
Classmates
Module 5 Evaluation Quiz 0
Pre-Course Self-
Quiz 0
Assessment
Q&A Discussion Discussion 0
Lab 1.1.2a
1/19/25 Environment Setup - Assignment 100
VMware
1/19/25 Lesson 1.1 Quiz Quiz 100
Module 1 Current
1/19/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
Due Date Assignment Name Assignment Type Points

Lab 1.1.2b
1/19/25 Environment Setup - Assignment 100
Hyper-V
Module 1 Mastery
1/20/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
Module 1 Mastery
1/20/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)
Lab 2.1.1 Hyper-V
1/26/25 Assignment 100
Management
Lab Assignment 2.1.3
vCenter User
1/26/25 Assignment 100
Permissions and
Roles
Lab Assignment 2.1.2
1/26/25 Part A ESXi Assignment 100
Configuration
Lab Assignment 2.1.2
1/26/25 Part C vCenter Assignment 100
Deployment
Module 2 Current
1/26/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
Lab Assignment 2.1.2
1/26/25 Part B vCenter Assignment 100
Installation
Module 2 Mastery
1/27/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
Module 2 Mastery
1/27/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)
Due Date Assignment Name Assignment Type Points

Lab 3.1.2a Create

2/9/25 and Configure Assignment 100
FreeNAS VM
Lab Assignment 3.1.1b
2/9/25 Assignment 100
Hyper-V Nested VM
Lab 3.1.2b iSCSI Lab
2/9/25 Add new iSCSI Assignment 100
datastore to ESXi
Module 3 Current
2/9/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
Lab Assignment 3.1.1a
2/9/25 Assignment 100
VMware Nested VM
Module 3 Mastery
2/10/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
Module 3 Mastery
2/10/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)
Lab 4.1.2a Failover
2/23/25 Assignment 100
Share Cluster Lab
Lab 4.1.2b vMotion -
2/23/25 Assignment 100
VMware
2/23/25 Lesson 4.1.3 Quiz Quiz 100
Module 4 Current
2/23/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
Lab 4.1.1 Install
2/23/25 Servers for Share Assignment 100
Cluster Lab
Module 4 Mastery
2/24/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
Due Date Assignment Name Assignment Type Points

Module 4 Mastery
2/24/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)
Lab 5.1.1 Securing
3/23/25 Assignment 100
ESXi Hosts
Lab Assignment 5.1.4
3/23/25 Network Security Assignment 100
Monitoring
3/23/25 Lesson 5.1.2 Quiz Quiz 100
Module 5 Current
3/23/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
3/23/25 Lab Assignment 5.1.3 Assignment 100
Module 5 Mastery
3/24/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
Module 5 Mastery
3/24/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)
Lab Assignment 6.1.1
5/1/25 Develop VM Server Assignment 100
Specifications
Lab Assignment 6.1.3
5/1/25 Develop Checklist for Assignment 100
Virtual Environment
Module 6 Current
5/1/25 Discussion 100
Events Forum
Lab Assignment 6.1.2
5/1/25 Develop a Secure Assignment 100
Network Diagram
Module 6 Mastery
5/2/25 Quiz 100
Assessment (Exam)
 Due Date Assignment Name Assignment Type Points

Module 6 Mastery
5/2/25 Assignment 100
Assessment (Lab)

TSTC Policies

Dress Policy:

Student Uniforms Requirement

Fully Online Students

Texas State Technical College requires all students to wear a program-specific uniform
while attending functions on and off campus. This uniform is available for purchase at the
campus bookstore. As a student in a fully online program you are required to purchase at
least two program-specific uniforms in the event you attend any in person or off campus
learning opportunities or events (i.e. Job Fairs, Resume & Interview workshops, and
media interviews).

Hybrid & F2F Students

Texas State Technical College requires all students to wear a program-specific uniform
while attending functions and labs on and off campus. This uniform is available for
purchase at the campus bookstore. As a student in a hybrid program you are required to
purchase at least two program-specific uniforms to wear to in person labs and other
learning opportunities or events held on or off campus (i.e. Job Fairs, Resume &
Interview workshops, and media interviews).

Emergency Assistance Available

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning,
such as food insecurity, housing, transportation, and childcare concerns, or you may be
unable to pay your bills. These stressful events may lead to diminished academic
performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. TSTC offers
emergency aid and services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you
may be experiencing. Please contact the TSTC Advocacy & Resource Center.

You can reach a coach here: https://sites.google.com/tstc.edu/culture-of-

caring/advocacy-resource-center-arc

Performance Based Education (PBE) Program

Competencies and Traditional Program Instruction
(Non-PBE) Curriculum Revisions
Each Program of Study, at least once a year, reviews its degree plans, courses, lesson
plans, course objectives, course outcomes and/or competencies. They do this to ensure
that each degree plan contains the most current curriculum and that it meets industry
standards and requirements.

Students who successfully complete courses by meeting the minimum standards set for
the course will complete the course outcomes and/or PBE competencies and
assessments set at the time of enrollment. Course outcomes, competencies, and
assessments can be updated at any time, especially from one academic year to another.
If a student needs to repeat a course they may need to complete different lesson plans,
course objectives, assessments and/or course competencies.

Example: A student drops or fails a course in the Spring semester. When the student
registers to retake a course, some or all of the course lesson plans and/or competencies
and assessments may be different. Therefore, the student will need to successfully
complete the newest assessment requirements for the course.

Campus Standard Policies

The Student Handbook contains valuable information on campus policies and
procedures.

Student Code of Conduct

Student Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy
Plagiarism
Student Grievances and Complaints

Access and Learning Accommodations

Formerly Disability Services

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008,
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Texas
State Technical College is committed to ensuring educational access to its students and
promotes full participation in its programs, services, and course requirements.

Qualified students with disabilities are encouraged to access these services by

contacting the Access and Learning Accommodations office to discuss their needs for
accommodations.

Students reserve the right to request services at any time during the semester, however,
instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until
appropriate verification from the Access and Learning Accommodations office has been
provided.

For information, please contact the Access and Learning Accommodations office in a
timely manner.

Statewide contact information:

Email: [email protected]
Phone #: 254.867.3842
Title IX
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) seeks to provide an environment that promotes
equal opportunity free from discrimination and harassment.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or any other form of
protected class discrimination, we encourage you to make a report. If you report to a
faculty member, she or he must notify TSTC’s Title IX Coordinator about the incident.
You may also make a confidential report to TSTC’s Counselors.

All students (including pregnant and parent students), regardless of their legal status are
entitled to protections under TSTC’s policy.

For more information about Title IX or sexual misconduct, as well as your options, please
visit the Academic Catalog section on Title IX.

For information about equal opportunity and civil rights policies, visit
https://www.tstc.edu/student-life/student-policies/student-code-of-conduct/.

Tutoring Statement
The Supplemental Instruction & Tutoring Program at TSTC offers free tutoring and
academic support services to help you achieve your academic and career goals. You can
access the Tutoring Schedule, as well as MyTSTC Video Tutor Library, by visiting:
https://www.tstc.edu/student-life/student-services/ .

For more information, please contact Norma A. Salazar@ 956-364-4557.

Career Service Department

At TSTC, we understand that finding a fulfilling career is a top priority for our students.
That's why our Career Services team is dedicated to providing you with the resources
and support you need to succeed in your job search. We are committed to helping you
develop the professional skills that will help you land your dream job after graduation.

Our team offers a range of services to assist you in your career journey, including
resume writing, interviewing and mock interviews, job search strategies, and professional
training. We also provide access to our online job portal, HireTSTC, which features
information on job postings, upcoming job fairs, and companies actively recruiting new
talent.

With the guidance and expertise of our Career Services team, you can be confident that
you are well-prepared to achieve your career goals. So when you cross the stage at
graduation, you'll do so with the knowledge and skills to excel in your chosen profession.
Let us help you launch your career and take the first steps toward a bright future. The
Career Services offices at TSTC are available to all students from Monday through
Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information on the services we offer, please
visit our website at https://www.tstc.edu/career-services.

On Campus Resources
To find what resources are available on your local TSTC campus, please visit
https://sites.google.com/tstc.edu/culture-of-caring/advocacy-resource-center-
arc/community-connections

Library Resources

TSTC Virtual Library Support

The TSTC Virtual Library is your destination for information specialists and services. Visit
tstc.libguides.com for assistance with assignments, projects, and papers. Click the
Student tab to find resources, homework help, tutorials, and real time chat to answer
your questions. For more resources relevant to your program go to Cybersecurity.

Your TSTC OneID unlocks digital library content including: databases, ebooks, streaming
video & audiobooks, workshops & events, and scheduling online consultations with
library staff. For more information, please contact your Library Staff Monday through
Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, text 254-332-2968, or send an email to [email protected].

Statewide Departmental Policies

GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

This course is primarily delivered as PBE in both a self-guided online and a hybrid
modality. Performance Based Education (PBE) is the name of TSTC’s course-based
Competency-Based Education (CBE) initiative, designed to focus on mastery of specified
industry skills/ competencies. Students can enroll in one of 2 course delivery options. An
Online option PBE students complete all coursework at their own pace, within scheduled
course timeframe. In the Hybrid environment, online education and traditional face-to-
face learning is combined. Students attend/review lecture content online and must
perform lab activities in a physical on-campus classroom/lab environment.

Course content and activities are delivered via the TSTC Learning Management System
(LMS). The LMS can be accessed using TSTC user login credentials. Access to a
computer that meets the department technology standard, and a reliable Internet
connection, is required for online course participation. Expect the same variety of work
and time required for self-guided online and hybrid activities as a face-to-face course. In
all cases, students are expected to: (1) Communicate regularly with course Instructor; (2)
Perform course work in a timely manner to ensure course completion; (3) Be an active
course participant; (4) Be equipped with required technologies and tools.

COURSE RECORDING
In cases where participation for specific course sessions are required, video
conferencing/applications may be used to record course lectures/discussions. The
instructor will notify students that course recording will be occurring during the course
session. These recordings are solely for educational use by students enrolled in the
course for review/individual study, or for those who missed a live session. Recordings
may not be distributed to any other person or posted on the internet, without the express
written permission of the course instructor.
REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY – CYBERSECURITY
PROGRAM COURSES
It is important to understand that the right tools/equipment/software is available for
successful execution of course labs/assignments. The following Technical Specifications
apply to all Cybersecurity program courses:

Reliable Internet Access [1]

Computer Hardware Specifications [1] [2]
Processor [1]: i7 Processor 64 Bit 2.5GHz dual core minimum - 3.0GHz quad
core or higher preferred. [Processors must support AMD-V for AMD, or VT-x
for Intel]
Memory: 24 GB minimum - 32 GB or more preferred
Internal Storage: Internal - 1 TB or higher (SSD Preferred)
Operating System [1]
Windows 10/11 Pro [Required] [1]
External Storage: USB 3.0 hard drive 750 GB to 2 TB or SSD Drive; USB 3.0 flash
drive(s) - 64GB minimum recommended
Computer Peripherals [Required]: Headphones with Microphone (Noise-canceling
headset is recommended); Web Camera
Application Software: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); PDF Reader
(Adobe or FoxIt); Compression utility (WinZip or 7Zip)
Dual Monitors (Optional)
Course Specific Technology/Software: Additional/course specific requirements will
be listed under the Resources section of this syllabus or may be provided as part of
course content.

[1] Provided for on-site [hybrid] courses

[2] Some courses may require higher specs. Refer to resources section of this syllabi for any additional or course specific

requirements.

ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION
Federal regulations require that students enrolled in a course establish attendance/
participation each term to be eligible for federal financial aid. Failure to engage in
academically related activities prior to the census date will require a submission of a “No
Show” status. This may result in student federal financial aid eligibility adjustments or
revocation. To maintain active participation, students must submit weekly assignments,
may interact in class discussions/forums/group work, and participate in other course
related activities, as specified by the instructor. Excessive missing/failing assignments or
lack of course participation will result in a notification to the Progress Pathways (Early
Alert) System, a college-wide collaborative effort to engage in outreach and intervention
with students who are at risk of failing a course due to academic difficulties or personal
hardships.

PROFESSIONALISM
This institution is training future employees. Instructor expectations, like that of an
Employer, are simple - Students are expected to: (1) Participate in all required activities;
(2) Complete work that needs to be accomplished in a timely manner, and/or within the
allotted time window; (3) Communicate regularly with the course Instructor for
questions/clarification of course content/assignments, assistance in resolving issues as
they arise, or for progress status updates [Check-in periodically via email/message/chat
session with Instructor like you would your Employer]; (4) When communicating with
Instructor(s) or other course participants, students are expected to behave in a
professional manner at all times. Positive contributions to the learning environment and
participation in classroom/online learning activities are expected. Students who are
discourteous, use course/offensive language, or behave in a disruptive manner may be
asked to leave the classroom/session.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY/STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Students are responsible for reading and adhering to TSTC's student code of conduct.
This includes Acts of Academic Dishonesty, and Acts Affecting Computer Resources or
Technology. To review TSTC's code of conduct regarding academic integrity and the
process for handling academic dishonesty, please refer to the Texas State Technical
College (TSTC) Code of Conduct, located on the TSTC
website: https://www.tstc.edu/student-life/student-policies/student-code-of-conduct/
The use of language models such as ChatGPT for Mastery Assessments is strictly
prohibited. Any submission that is found to be generated by a language model will be
considered a violation of academic integrity and will result in academic and disciplinary
sanctions as warranted in accordance with the student handbook. Students are expected
to submit original work that is solely their own.

The use of professional or other hired outside resources for diagnostics, configuration or
other assistance for any course work is strictly prohibited. Any submission that is found to
contain solutions generated by professional or hired outside resources will be considered
a violation of academic integrity and will result in academic and disciplinary sanctions as
warranted in accordance with the student handbook. Students are expected to submit
original work that is solely their own.

LATE/MAKE-UP WORK
Students are expected to log into the course on a regular basis and keep up with
assignments in the course. PBE required or recommended/target due dates for
assignments will be provided by the instructor and posted on the course Learning
Management System (LMS).

COMMUNICATING WITH INSTRUCTOR

When communicating with instructors and/or employees of the college, students
are required to use the official student email system (mymail). Since email is the
primary way of communicating at TSTC, check email daily for class and campus
announcements. When communicating with the course Instructor, use the email
address posted in syllabus, LMS, or Course Link (Web conferencing, chat links)
provided by the instructor.
Course Issues/Errors. If experiencing issues/errors or require assistance (related to
course labs/materials) outside of normal business hours (9 AM – 5 PM, Monday -
Friday) contact Instructor via email [State your name, course, and section, as well
as the specific assignment you need help with]
Document the issue in detail, including course, module, and associated lab title.
[Include screenshots of error(s) or issue(s), etc. Provide as much detail as possible!
Note. The turnaround time for responding to emails is 24 hours (1 business day)]
 Non-Course Issues/Errors. For technical difficulties not related to course
labs/conduct, Contact the TSTC Helpdesk at 1-800-592-8784, or send email to
[email protected]
Student Resources. A link for helpful program announcements and resources,
Cyber Student Resource Website can be found at the top of each course home
page.

CHANGES TO SYLLABUS
Any changes to this syllabus will be provided in writing to the student, updated/reposted
(HB 2504) on TSTC website, and updated in the course LMS site, building offices, etc.,
as required.

ENROLLMENT COACH INFORMATION

TSTC is here to help you succeed and to aid you through your journey with us. An
Enrollment Coach will be assigned to you to assist with scheduling classes, guidance
towards completing classes on time, and to let you know about all the services TSTC has
to offer. To help you stay on track to your great paying job, we ask that you meet with
your enrollment coach weekly, whether in person, on the computer, or through a phone
call. These meetings won’t take long and we want to make sure you know how you are
doing and how to get where you are going! To schedule a meeting with your enrollment
coach you can click on this link: http://tstc.edu/meetwithcoach.

PBE Mastery Assessment Guidelines

PERFORMANCE BASED EDUCATION [PBE] COURSE

INFORMATION/OVERVIEW
PBE Mastery assessments have been built to align with industry reviewed course
competencies and you will have multiple attempts to reach this mastery level as outlined
in the Departmental Multiple Mastery Attempt Policy below :

Mastery Assessment Policy - Technical Courses [Cybersecurity]

In Performance Based Education (PBE) courses, you are required to show mastery of
course competencies through assessments. At TSTC, mastery assessments in technical
courses have the mastery level set at 80% or better. You will need to complete ALL
Mastery Assessments with at or above the required mastery level in order to complete
the course. The benefit of PBE is that in the event you do not finish the course, Mastery
Assessment scores will carry over to the next semester and you can pick up where you
left off in the course.

For Cybersecurity, you may attempt each Mastery Assessment 3 times.

Before Your First Mastery Assessment Attempt.

Students may attempt the Mastery Assessment once without completing any of the
module lessons, with Instructor approval. Failure to successfully show mastery will
require the student to complete all module lessons and activities and require Instructor
approval for a second attempt.

Before attempting a Mastery Assessment, complete formative assessments (typically

labeled “Practice and Apply” or “Activity” or “Lab”) included in the module. These
formative assessments are designed to help gauge your understanding of the content
and help you prepare for the Mastery Assessment. You MUST also complete Check for
Understanding activities in the Module. The Check for Understandings are usually
automatically graded and designed to make sure you are ready BEFORE you move on
to the mastery assessment. For Cybersecurity, you must score at least 80% before you
will be able to move on to the Mastery Assessment. You may attempt each Check for
Understanding multiple times, but it is strongly suggested that if you are not successful
on the Check for Understanding, you return to the module and review all content before
attempting it again.

After Your First Mastery Assessment Attempt.

Instructors will grade your Mastery Assessment within 2 business days. While waiting for
feedback on the assessment, continue working on your other course(s).In the event that
you do not meet the predetermined score to indicate mastery of the content, you will be
given another assessment opportunity. If your first attempt score is between 70 and 79%
on a technical course Mastery Assessment, you can self-direct your module review or
meet with an instructor to close the gaps in your knowledge, skills, or abilities. If you
scored below 70% on a technical course Mastery Assessment, you will need to return to
the corresponding module(s), review all instructional materials, and attempt/reattempt all
formative assessments.

After Your Second Mastery Assessment Attempt.

If you fail to demonstrate mastery on the second or any subsequent Mastery Assessment
attempt, you MUST schedule a time to meet with your instructor to review the first two
attempts. The instructor may assign mandatory tasks for you to complete before the next
attempt.

Mastery Assessments in the Gradebook.

The highest score from all attempts will be recorded for each Mastery Assessment. If you
desire an additional attempt to raise your score, you must complete all Mastery
Assessments in the course first and then contact your instructor for directions. Note: You
cannot request an attempt to raise a score after the semester has ended. It is your
responsibility to plan your coursework so that adequate time remains at the end of the
semester to administer any additional assessment(s).Deadline for Submitting Final
Mastery Assessment Attempts. Your final Mastery Assessment attempt for the semester
is due Wednesday at 5:00 pm CST the last week of the semester. This will allow your
instructor the 2 business days to grade your assessment. Assessments that can be
computer graded will close at 5:00 pm CST on the last Friday of the semester.

Deadline for Submitting Final Mastery Assessment Attempts.

Your final Mastery Assessment attempt for the semester is due Wednesday at 5:00 pm
CST the last week of the semester. This will allow your instructor the 2 business days to
grade your assessment. Assessments that can be computer graded will close at 5:00 pm
CST on the last Friday of the semester.

Mastery Assessment Grade Carry Over.

If you do not master an assessment before the end of the semester, you will pick up with
that assessment the next semester. Any attempts on that assessment from the previous
semester will reset and start over with the first attempt in the new semester. (Note:
Failure to complete all Mastery Assessments in a course with the required score will
result in an ‘F’ in the course. You will need to register and pay for the course again to
continue.) Mastery Assessment scores are good for one calendar year. In other words,
you have three semesters after the initial semester ends to complete the course. For
example, if a student masters assessments for modules 1 and 2 in a course but not the
third module in Fall 2022 semester, they will need to finish the course the next Spring
2023, Summer 2023 or Fall 2023 semester to carry over the scores for Mastery
Assessments 1 and 2. The student will need to repeat the entire course if they wait until
the Spring 2024 semester.

Course Policies

Students need a more powerful PC for this course than most other courses. The specs
below work much better for this course than the typical specs other courses require.

MINIMUM Hardware Specifications for creating home lab:

Each cybersecurity student is expected to have a home lab PC for performing labs. If you
do not have one, use the specs below when building or buying one. The specs shown
below are for a Professional Workstation, not a typical PC for home use, and are
MINIMUM specs.

O.S. should be Win10 Pro, or Win11 Pro. Any other version of Windows is not
recommended.

A 2.8 GHz quad core Processor or higher (Xeon quad core or more is preferred). CPU
must support VT-X for Intel processors or AMD-V for AMD processors.

32 GB RAM is minimum (64GB or more preferred). The more the better.

You can use hard drives or SSDs for storage. SSDs offer much better performance, but
hard drives are fine. A single 1TB hard drive is bare minimum. Your performance with
just one drive will be reduced. Two or more - 1 TB drives - or larger are preferred). A
512GB SSD for the OS is a good option. If you have a 512GB SSD for the OS you still
need a minimum of one 1TB drive (two - 1 TB drives or larger are preferred) for lab
storage. The more storage space you have the better off you are.
DVD-ROM.

10/100 Ethernet network card.

A refurbished Professional Workstation PC is a great option for getting a lot of power for
a reasonable price. To find one, Google a phrase similar to Dell refurbished workstations
to see a manufacturers Web site. Replace the name Dell with whatever brand name you
choose, such as HP. Buying direct from a manufacture will typically be a little more
expensive than buying from reseller sites like eBay, NewEgg, Amazon, etc.