What are Fresh-Start, Trainer, Participant and Standalone Machines ?
DaDesktop is an advanced training platform that delivers accessible cloud machines for training courses, along with admin tools to effortlessly manage the desktop machines on each course.
To make this possible, DaDesktop uses several similar but distinct desktop machine types to support such courses.
Below are descriptions of the different machine types used.
Fresh-Start Machine
A 'Fresh-Start' machine is the one the trainer uses to create and develop their course material on. Once complete, this Fresh-Start is copied to all participants' desktops, ready for the course they're about to undertake. A Fresh-Start is similar to a 'golden image' – it can be reverted to if problems occur on either the trainer's or participants' machines.
Trainer Machine
A 'Trainer' machine is used to present the course material to participants during the session. Unlike the Fresh-Start, this machine's state changes as the trainer installs, configures, and runs software applications and libraries relevant to the course subject throughout the training.
If more than one trainer is leading a course, there will be multiple trainer machines.
Participant Machine
Each participant uses a 'Participant' machine throughout the course to install, configure, and complete exercises under the trainer's oversight.
Fresh-Start, Trainer and Participant machines are normally automatically deleted shortly after the course finishes. So, there's one more machine type available that isn't tied to a course and can be kept for as long as needed — the 'Standalone'.
Standalone Machine
A 'Standalone' machine isn't necessarily used during a course. As the name suggests, it stands alone – a separate machine that can be used before or after a course, or entirely on its own without any course link. This makes the Standalone particularly flexible.
Typical reasons for creating standalone desktops include:
- Preparing training course material that can be reused repeatedly outside of a course, or kept for future use as needed.
- When you need a flexible machine, perhaps running a different operating system (Linux, Windows), to safely test out ideas.