General Instructions

1. Register/Login - Access the MentorLabs Web site and register to setup your account. View the catalog and track pack pages to decide which labs you want to take.

2. Purchase Labs - Purchase labs Online using our eCommerce engine. You have the choice of adding purchased labs directly into your locker, or having electronic keys (used to redeem labs from the Locker) sent via email.

3. Use the Locker - If you have received an electronic key(s), enter it into the box on your locker page to redeem your lab(s). Then you can preview the lab, plan it, and schedule when you want to take it. Start the lab at the scheduled time.

4. Take a Lab - From the console page, view the Lab Information selections, perform the lab, and use the Mentoring selections to get expert help.

5. After the Lab - After you complete the lab, go to your locker page and use the Debrief selection. Then Archive your lab results.

Detailed Instructions:

Register/Login

1. Access the MentorLabs Web site at http://www.mentorlabs.com.

2. If you have not registered, click Register toset up a new account and choose your Username and Password. After registering, the Welcome to MentorLabs page appears. From this page, you can click on LAB CATALOG to view the list of available labs and Track Packs.

3. If you have already registered on a previous visit, login by typing your Username and Password, then click Submit. The locker page appears. From here, access the Lab Catalog from the main menu.

Purchase Labs

1. View our selection of labs from the Lab Catalog and review our recommended Track Packs (link from the left-hand column).

(Note: in order to purchase labs, you must first register.)

2. You can customize the Lab Catalog by using our Sort By selections at the top of the page. Lab details can be viewed by clicking on a Lab title.

3. To purchase labs, simply click on the checkbox next to the Pricing information and click Submit. This will bring up your Shopping Cart, from which you can change quantities, and remove/add new labs or track packs.

4. During purchase, you have the choice of adding purchased labs directly into your locker, or having electronic keys (used to redeem labs from the Locker) sent via email.

Use the Locker

1. The locker page shows all of the labs that you have purchased, scheduled, or archived. Before a lab appears on the locker page, you must first purchase a lab and have it directly added to the locker or enter the electronic key for that lab into the Electronic Keys box and click Submit. The vLab software will check the key, match it with the lab that you purchased, and update the locker page to display the purchased lab.

If you have more than one key, you must enter in the key and click Submit for each one.

2. For each purchased lab, a drop-down list allows you to select each step that is involved in taking a lab. These steps are:

Preview Scenario

• Plan

• Schedule

• Start Lab

3. To perform any step, select the item from the drop-down list box next to the lab title, then click the Go! button.

4. Select Preview Scenario from the locker page to invoke the scenario page. The Assignment, Story, Conditions, and Notes sections of the scenario page describe the lab scenario you will be asked to perform. Reviewing the scenario prior to starting or planning a lab allows you to make maximum use of your lab time. Use this page to view the summary of the lab.

5. Select Plan from the locker page to invoke the plan page. Before you try to solve a lab problem you should plan how you are going to approach it. To help you in the planning process, answer the questions on this page. Effective use of the planning feature improves your thought process when tackling any network problem. Use this page to plan how you will do your lab.

6. Select Schedule from the locker page to invoke the scheduler page. Use this page to reserve a time slot for the lab. To reserve time for a lab, point to an open time slot and click on it. You may also ‘instant schedule’ a lab by using Start Lab from your locker. Instant scheduling is only available if the necessary hardware is available for the full duration of the selected lab.

7. To start a lab, at the scheduled time go to your locker page, select Start Lab from the list next to the lab title, then click the Go! button.

The console page appears.

Take a Lab

1. The console page provides all of the controls that you need to proceed with the lab.

2. Use the Lab Information selections to get lab instructions: Instructions - Provides instructions on how to use the console.

Scenario & Assignment - Each lab has a story and you are given an assignment to create or fix the network within that story. Each lab is different. You will have the opportunity to learn router configuration skills and practice those skills in different situations.

3. Use the Mentoring selections to get expert advice about the lab: View Plan - Planning how to handle a network configuration or troubleshooting task is important in an operational network. To help you think through the process, answer the questions under 'View Plan'. You will find that taking the time to think about the scenario and what you have to do will help you be successful in completing the lab within the allotted time. If you already planned the lab from your locker, your answers will appear here.

Suggested Approach - Obviously, the best solution is one that you work out for yourself. But sometimes it is useful to have some suggestions on how to tackle the assignment. This item shows you some high-level steps that should get you started and help if you’re stuck.

Sample Solution - For help in those cases where you get terribly stuck, you can view a sample solution. Remember that the solution provided is not necessarily the only solution to the assignment. Each solution is organized into Tasks. Each Task is reduced to a set of Steps, and each Step is composed of an Action, Result, and Explanation.

Check Results - Even if you've done the lab without referring to the Suggested Approach or the Sample Solution, you will likely want to know if you've done it correctly. Selecting Check Results will show you the final configurations of the devices if you had followed the Sample Solution.

Further Challenges - This selection provides a set of further tasks that you might want to attempt if there is additional lab time remaining. Further Challenges is an optional selection that is only available on selected labs.

4. To communicate with lab equipment, click on the device graphic on the console diagram to open a Telnet session.

5. Use the RESET selection to reset one or all devices to the lab starting configuration.

6. Use the SAVE and LOAD selections to save and reload the configurations of one or all devices.

7. Use the CYCLE BREAK selection to interrupt a device and force it into the low-level diagnostic user interface.

8. Use the Exit Console selection to exit the lab and free the devices for someone else to use.

(Note: A warning pop-up appears when three minutes of lab time is remaining. When your lab time expires, access to the devices will be closed. If you have not saved any device configurations, the system will perform a Save operation on all devices for you.)

After the Lab

1. After the lab is complete, return to the locker page. From here you can select Debrief – which allows you to record a personal summary of what was learned,

and you can select Archive – to save a record of the entire lab.

2. When you are finished, click Logout.

(Note: If you accidentally close the console window or experience a network problem during an active lab, login again, return to your locker, and select the Return to Console selection for the lab you were performing.

Need Help? MentorLabs provides several ways to get assistance:

Check out our FAQ for answers to frequently asked lab content questions at http://www.faqtory.com/vlab.

For Technical Support email our technical support team at support@mentorlabs.com or call 1.877.GET.VLAB (Available M-F, 9-5 EST).

For Learning Support email our CCIE-level instructors at mentor@mentorlabs.com or submit a question to our FAQ (see above). Our instructors will answer your questions about lab content and solutions within two business days.

For Customer Service you can speak to a customer service representative at 1.877.GET.VLAB. (Available M-F, 9-5 EST).

If you have general comments or questions, contact MentorLabs at info@mentorlabs.com.

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