IT Services is moving forward with an innovative new pilot program called Remote Lab, a virtualization service that allows students to access computer lab resources anytime, anywhere and on any device. 

In today's academic environment, mobility is key. With Remote Lab, a student can run any application virtually without ever going to the computer lab or downloading the software. This new freedom frees students from traditional laptops and desktops to run powerful apps such as SAS or Adobe Illustrator on a tablet or smartphone.

"We believe the future is opening an app without needing a full desktop to get work done," Jon Kelley, associate director of enterprise systems, said. "With Remote Lab, users can start Photoshop or MATLAB without loading Windows. It's a new way of working, but it's similar to how you start Google Maps on your smartphone."

The campus community is invited to participate in this pilot by visiting the Virtual Desktops page and submitting a request. 

Built on VMware technology, the new Remote Lab is a national model for innovation. Unlike remote access systems of the past, the new Remote Lab features graphics acceleration for a smooth, consistent experience that mimics physically being at a high-end computer.  

"We want to empower our students to connect to our campus and their coursework regardless of their personal location or device of choice. Our end goal is meeting the students where they are," Paige Francis, associate CIO, said.  

The campus community is invited to participate in this pilot by visiting the Virtual Desktops page and submitting a request.

Notice anything different? IT Services now offers a Service Catalog that makes it easy to search our services, find instructions or request help: its.uark.edu/services