Ghost – IT Living Lab

The goal of this project was to push fresh images out to two labs. The student pushed and pulled images to and from the machines in these labs to ensure they were clean images with the most recent updates. The student also had the privilege of preparing a Special Events build for a not-for-profit event. When it was time for the event, the student pushed the build to the computers in both labs. After the event the student then pushed the original lab build back to those machines. Toward the end of the semester two other students were added to the ghost team and needed training by the existing member.

Student Team Members: Madjed Alsaadoun, Mousa Jari, Oliver Wilson

Testimonials

My Living Lab experience has been really challenging and a life-learning, real-world experience. James Lamar Willis

As a non-traditional student who has 25 years experience in the working world, I value Living Lab because it teaches soft skills in addition to furthering our understanding of technology. The projects we work on are computer based, but the most important lessons are work ethic, initiative, self-sufficiency, dealing with work-related frustrations, teamwork, and time management. Vicky Smith

The Living Lab provided me with a unique, real-world experience that other classes cannot. This class enabled me to use the skills that I have acquired from my previous classes and apply them to a real-world setting. Kris Westermann

The Living Lab has provided a great learning environment to improve my technical skills, build my ability to work in a team, and establish my communication skills. Lindsay Hamstra

My time in Living Lab was really beneficial because the software we learned about is used in the real world. I learned additional skills, such as being disciplined on arrival time, trying different methods to solve problems, and asking help from peers. I really enjoyed working with Snort, and using it to solve problems will help me with future projects. I look forward to what the future holds after adding this class to my resume! Mohammed S. Iftikhar

I have definitely determined that this class could be just like a real life IT position. You never know how long a project might take, even a simple task. I’ve had some tasks take only a couple of hours, and I worked on one project for 36 hours straight. But I feel that Living Lab is helping to prepare me for what will come in the professional world. Eugene Gephart

The Living Lab helped me gain experience, knowledge, motivation, and communication skills in the networking systems field. I learned about configuring switches, from the beginning to the end, to run a secured and productive networking environment. Khaled Salh Alwasel

The work is challenging and exercises a broad set of soft skills as well as technical skills. In working as a webmaster, the Living Lab challenges your ability to communicate, delegate, and prioritize your projects as new issues occur. Definitely a valuable set of skills for any kind of work. Michael Thomas Draper

The Living Lab was a life-changing experience, because this is how I got my first IT job. I gained knowledge and hands-on experience through contributions on a variety of projects for Simon Property Group. You never know all the solutions for all the problems, which makes it challenging and interesting. I went for another semester in the Living Lab, because I enjoy learning new techniques that will be valuable in the future. Yan Grishin

The Living Lab has been very educational for me this semester. I gained experience in collaborating with a client in order to install a Polycom Videoconferencing system, to provide a new way of communication for the client. Paul D. Bailey