Design of web-based virtual lab to deploy cloud computing platform and software as a service

Cloud computing is a growing trend, particularly in higher education, currently most of computer labs in many universities using different types of hardware and software that need to be physically installed and configured ,These types of labs will be very costly because of the need for servers, high performance computers and software licenses (MATLAB, SPSS, AutoCAD etc) , besides that students that need to use such kind of software?s should come to the lab because their personal computers doesn?t have the features to run these programs. So, cloud computing platform and software as a service technology is a solution for these kinds of problems because students can access necessary software?s and applications from their personal computers without need high performance and configuration. In this study, the application being developed to contribute users and departments which are need computers labs in Gazi University. The application was developed to ensure the use of cloud computing platform and software as a service is Web-based Virtual Lab (WVL) application. Cloud computing and virtualization are used as methods in the development of Web-based Virtual Lab application. WVL providing platform as a service by web page based on Oracle database, VB.NET codes and Remote Desktop Protocol as technologies through the Oracle SPARC M5 server. Users can use (Microsoft, Linux and Mac) different operating systems remotely as platform as a service via Webpage through local network. Also WVL offer to users use (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) Microsoft office applications as software as a service through Webpage application. From the financial perspective WVL in term of both hardware and software provides a positive contribution to reduce the cost.