AUTOMATED LAB PROVISIONING WITH VOCAREUM
OVERVIEW
A global cloud career training program needed a way to automate the creation of hands-on labs for their cloud courses, eliminating manual setup. Previously, lab creation occurred when a Canvas course was manually created, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. Our solution automates the provisioning of Vocareum labs when a course is created, ensuring immediate access for learners and accurate tracking for instructors.
THE CHALLENGE
Before automation, lab creation was manual and linked to individual course setup. This process often led to errors in lab naming, misalignment with course content, and delays in learner access. Coordinating lab creation for multiple learner groups added administrative burden and increased the risk of inconsistencies.
OUR SOLUTION
We implemented a Salesforce-driven automation that provisions a Vocareum lab whenever a course is created in Canvas. Once an instructor commits to teaching a course, backend code automatically configures the lab with the correct settings, links it to the Canvas course, and assigns a unique course ID. A batch job runs every four hours to check for new courses and create corresponding labs. The system then sends an email to the instructor confirming lab creation. This ensures labs are ready when the course content is available, with no manual intervention.
KEY FEATURES
- • Automatic Vocareum lab creation tied to Canvas courses.
• Unique lab identifiers ensure accurate course-lab mapping.
• Seamless backend integration with Salesforce for instructor-driven triggers.
• Batch processing completes lab setup efficiently.
• Email notifications alert instructors when labs are ready.
GLOBAL IMPACT/RESULTS
- • Labs are provisioned instantly with course creation, reducing setup time.
• Eliminated errors in lab configuration and naming.
• Streamlined course-to-lab alignment across multiple learner groups.
• Improved scalability and consistency in delivering hands-on training globally.
TECHNOLOGIES & SERVICES
Salesforce — triggers lab creation and manages learner groups.
Canvas — course hosting and management.
Vocareum — lab and assignment hosting.
Batch Jobs — automated lab provisioning
Email notifications — automatic alerts to instructors and directors.
CONCLUSION
Automating Vocareum lab provisioning ensures learners have immediate access to practical exercises while maintaining operational efficiency and data accuracy. This solution enables scalable, consistent, and error-free delivery of cloud course labs across multiple groups and locations.