If you spend more time building labs than actually training people or running demos, you’re not alone. Anyone who’s managed virtual environments knows how much time gets burned setting up the same stack, over and over. This guide is for instructors, IT admins, or anyone running repeated labs in Cloudshare—and you just want to stop reinventing the wheel.
Here’s how to actually clone and reuse your virtual lab templates, what works, what’s worth skipping, and some pitfalls you can dodge.
Why Bother Cloning Lab Templates?
Let’s be real: setting up a lab from scratch every time is a waste. Templates save you from repetitive manual work, but cloning templates is how you really get efficient. Here’s why:
- Consistency: Every user gets the same base setup—no more “it worked on my lab” problems.
- Speed: Spin up new labs in minutes, not hours.
- Scalability: Useful whether you’re training 2 people or 200.
- Easy tweaking: Clone, modify, and test new ideas without breaking your “golden image.”
But don’t expect templates to fix every pain point. If your base template is messy, you’ll just clone your problems.
What You Need Before You Start
Before you get cloning, do a quick check:
- Admin access in Cloudshare: You need permission to create/edit templates and environments.
- A working “base” environment: This should have all the software, settings, and files you want every lab to start with.
- A rough plan: Know what lab scenarios you’ll need. It’s tempting to make a mega-template with everything, but don’t—keep templates focused.
Step 1: Build (or Clean Up) Your Base Environment
This is the lab you’ll clone. Don’t rush this part; junk in, junk out.
- Install only what you need. Avoid “just in case” software—bloat slows things down.
- Document inside the VM. Drop a README on the desktop or in a common folder with login info and basic instructions.
- Clean up leftovers. Clear browser histories, temp files, and old logs. You don’t want last week’s test data in every new lab.
- Test your setup. Try creating a new lab from this environment and walk through the main tasks. Fix anything that’s broken or confusing.
Pro tip: If you’re building a Windows lab, run sysprep before you capture the template. For Linux, clean up SSH keys and logs.
Step 2: Save as a Template in Cloudshare
Cloudshare calls these “Snapshots” or “Environment Templates,” depending on your account type. The process is straightforward, but here’s what matters:
- Navigate to your environment dashboard.
- Find the environment you want to turn into a template.
- Look for options like “Save as Template,” “Create Snapshot,” or “Capture.” The exact wording can vary.
- Name your template clearly. Don’t just call it “Lab Template.” Use something like “WinServer2022-Base-v1” so you know what you’re cloning later.
- Add a description. Mention installed software, OS version, and any quirks.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time making the template “perfect” for every scenario. It’s easier to keep a few focused templates than one monster image.
Step 3: Clone Your Template to Create New Labs
Here’s where you save real time.
- Go to your list of templates.
- Find the one you want and choose “Create Environment” or “Clone.”
- Set the name for your new lab. Use a convention if you’re managing a lot (e.g., “SalesTraining-May2024-JSmith”).
- Adjust resources as needed: CPU, RAM, storage, etc. More isn’t always better—extra resources can cost you.
- Launch the environment. Cloudshare handles the heavy lifting.
Heads up: The first boot after cloning can take longer. Don’t panic if it’s a bit slow—this is normal.
Step 4: Make Changes & Save New Versions (The Smart Way)
You’re going to want tweaks—maybe a new app, a config change, or a bug fix. Don’t just overwrite your base template.
- Clone from the original, make changes, and save as a new template.
- Use version numbers or dates in your template names.
- Keep a short changelog in the template description field.
What works: Small, incremental updates are easier to manage and roll back.
What doesn’t: Don’t delete old templates until you’re sure nobody’s using them. Archive instead.
Step 5: Share or Assign Labs to Users
Once your lab is cloned, get it into users’ hands:
- Assign directly: If you know who needs it, assign it via Cloudshare’s user management.
- Share links: For self-service, generate invite links (if your plan allows).
- Automate assignments: Some plans let you bulk-import users or sync with your LMS/CRM. Test this before rolling out—sometimes integrations are more hassle than help.
Reality check: Most problems happen at this step—wrong permissions, expired links, or users not knowing what to do. Keep instructions simple and include a “who to contact if stuck” note.
Pro Tips & Pitfalls
- Test, then test again. What worked last month might break after an OS update or software patch.
- Don’t template everything. Keep your templates lean. Specialty add-ons can be installed post-clone.
- Document quirks. If your image needs a weird workaround (e.g., “Network drives need to be reconnected after first boot”), write it down somewhere obvious.
- Watch your costs. More templates and environments mean more storage and runtime costs.
- Automate cleanup. Use Cloudshare’s auto-suspend or auto-delete features to avoid zombie labs eating your budget.
What to Skip
- Don’t chase “one template to rule them all.” It’s tempting, but you’ll end up with bloated, brittle labs.
- Skip heavy customization unless necessary. The more tweaks you make, the less reusable your template becomes.
- Don’t ignore user feedback. If folks are always getting stuck at the same step, fix it in the next template version.
Wrapping Up
Cloning and reusing virtual lab templates in Cloudshare isn’t magic, but it’ll save you a ton of time if you keep things simple. Focus on clean, minimal base templates, don’t be afraid to make new versions, and keep your documentation close at hand. Start small, iterate, and you’ll spend less time fixing labs—and more time actually getting work done.