List of Papers - Technologies

Number. Authors. Paper.

1 Sengupta Souvik, Dasgupta Ranjan

Paper Title: Identifying, Analysing and Testing of Software Requirements in Learning Management System

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2 Sorin Ionitescu

Paper Title: On Using Augmented Reality Technologies to Improve the Interaction between Real and Virtual Spaces

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3 Sorin Ionitescu

Paper Title: COLLADA Based Interoperability Assurance for Virtual Reality Assets

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4 Iuliana Dobre

Paper Title: An Overview of the Web-Based Communication Tools Used for Increasing the Web-Based Education Efficiency

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5 Iuliana Dobre

Paper Title: Web-Based Training Systems – Evaluation and Measurement of their Quality Component

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6 Constantin Lucian Aldea, Gheorghe-Cosmin Spîrchez

Paper Title: Administering Computer Networks Using Windows Management Instrumentation Technology

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7 Daniela Şchiopu

Paper Title: Speech Recognition Neural Methods in E-learning Environments .

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8

Gheorghe-Cosmin Spîrchez Loredana Anne-Marie Bǎdescu Costel Aldea Sergiu Rǎcǎşan

Paper Title: Research on size fasteners of wooden structures for construction with programming software Heco Schrauben

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9

Calin Neamtu, Radu Comes, Razvan Mateescu, Rares Ghinea,

Filip Daniel

Paper Title: Using virtual reality to teach history

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10 Lecic Dusanka Paper Title: Distance Learning for GIS in Serbia

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11 Veselina Nedeva, Snejana Dineva

Paper Title: New learning innovations with Web 4.0

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12 Veselina Nedeva, Zlatin Zlatev, Svetoslav Atanasov

Paper Title: Effective Resources Use for Virtual Laboratories through Cloud Computing ans Services

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13 Eftimie Simona Georgiana, Mărgăriţoiu Alina

Paper Title: Distance counselling needs. Study case – south zone, Romania

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14 Petru Todos, Nicolae Secrieru, Stela Guvir

Paper Title: Tempus Project «Creating Digital Network Universities in Applied Science Themes and Economics in Moldova (CRUNT)»

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15 Lecic Dusanka

Paper Title: E-learning for information systems for human resource management business systems

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16 Alexis Daj

Paper Title: New Technologies and Requirements for Marketing Education in the Era of Internet of Things (Iot): The Need for University-Industry Linkages in Romania

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List of Papers - Models & Methodologies

Number. Authors. Paper.

1 Marin Vlada Paper Title: 2012 The Alan Turing Year

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2 Grigore Albeanu

Paper Title: Generative Techniques for Building Virtual Objects

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3 Mihaela Oprea

Paper Title: On the Use of Educational Ontologies as Support Tools for Didactical Activities

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4 Indika Perera, Colin Allison, Alan Miller

Paper Title: Effective Training for Policy Based Management of 3D Multi User Learning Environments

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5 Alina-Gabriela Tunea

Paper Title: Tabu Search in Genetic Algorithm for Protein Folding Simulations in the 2D HP model

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6 Olimpius Istrate, Simona Velea

Paper Title: Learning Through Projects in Virtual Environments Designed for Adult Training

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7

Antoniu Ştefan Ioana Andreea Stănescu, Ion Roceanu, Theo Lim

Paper Title: Applying Interoperability in Serious Games Environments

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8

Giovanni Fulantelli, Davide Taibi, Valentina Dal Grande,Manuel Gentile, Mario Allegra

Paper Title: E-learning strategies for VET teachers based on active cooperation with labour market operators

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9 Eniko Elisabeta Tolea Paper Title: From Course Management to Workflows

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10 Alin Zamfiroiu

Paper Title: Means of Data Introduction for Mobile Learning Applications

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11 Corina Silvia Micu, Raluca Sinu

Paper Title: Web-Based Methods and Tools in Teaching Translation and Interpreting

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12

Maria Magdalena Popescu, Margarida Romero, Mireia Usart

Paper Title: Using Serious Games in adult education Serious Business for Serious People-the MetaVals game case study .

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13 Ramona Henter, Ecaterina Maria Unianu

Paper Title: Metacognition In On-Line Foreign Language Learning

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14 Loyola y Blanco José A.

Paper Title: Ontological Framework in in Integrated SOI (Structure of Intellect)-Touring Machine-Kant Knowledge System

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15 Loyola y Blanco José A.

Paper Title: Modeling a Virtual Learning Environment as States of a Touring Machine

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16 M. Mahdi Barati Jozan, Fattaneh Taghiyareh, Hesham Faili

Paper Title: An Inversion-based Genetic Algorithm for Grouping of students

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17 Süleyman Yaldiz, Ulvi Şeker, Nicoleta Alina Andreescu

Paper Title: Curriculum Evaluation of Machinery Training Department

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18 Dineva S., Nedeva V. Paper Title: Cloud Computing And High Education

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19 Ducheva Z, Dineva S, Pehlivanova M.

Paper Title: Evaluation of Certain Aspects of Electronic and Blended Learning (Teachers Opinion)

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20 Krastev Kr. Yorgova R., Dineva S.

Paper Title: Analyzing Factors That Made E-Learning Successful .

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21 Silviu Dumitrescu

Paper Title: Usage of Modern Technologies to Improve Web Based E-Learning Applications .

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22 Elena Railean

Paper Title: An overview of open, free and affordable textbooks .

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23 Evgeniya Budenkova

Paper Title: Methodology of Computer-Assisted Cooperative Learning Based on the Materials of the Multicultural Collaborative Programme “STEP into the Global Classroom”.

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24 Aileni Raluca Maria

Paper Title: The 3D representation for learning used in the garment development .

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25 Oana Popa, Felicia Bucur

Paper Title: ICT in the Romanian Compulsory Educational System. Expectations vs Reality .

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26 Mărgăriţoiu Alina, Eftimie Simona Georgiana

Paper Title: Teachers’ perception concerning their technology competencies .

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27 Margarida M. Pinheiro, Dora Simões

Paper Title: Collaborative E-learning Methodologies: an Experience of Active Knowledge in ICT Classrooms .

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28 Georgeta-Bianca Spîrchez

Paper Title: Free Access to Legal Resources on the Internet .

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29 Laura Poţincu (Mureşan), Cristian-Romeo Poţincu

Paper Title: The analysis of corporate social responsibility for the education of consumers .

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30 Laura Poţincu (Mureşan), Cristian-Romeo Poţincu

Paper Title: The education of banking services consumers, a requirement of corporate social responsibility .

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Authors Index

Aileni Raluca Maria, 209,410

Alan Miller, 74

Albeanu Grigore, 62

Aldea Constantin Lucian, 287, 299

Allegra Mario, 100

Andreescu Nicoleta Alina, 162

Atanasov Svetoslav, 322

Bǎdescu Loredana Anne-Marie, 299

Băicoianu Alexandra, 373

Balica A.N., 413

Banu Simona Maria, 380

Becheru Petru-Ioan, 401

Bogdan Crenguta M., 28

Buche Cédric, 39

Bucur Felicia, 213

Budenkova Evgeniya, 202

Butnariu Silviu, 46

Ciobanu (Iacob) Nicoleta Magdalena, 387

Colin Allison, 74

Coman Mihaela, 423, 429

Comes Radu, 303

Daj Alexis, 345

Dal Grande Valentina, 100

Dimitriu Sebastian, 373

Dinescu Luminita, 447

Dineva Snejana, 171, 177, 183, 316

Dinica Maria, 447

Dobre Iuliana, 273, 280

Drobotă Florin-Robert, 394

Ducheva Z., 177

Dumitrescu Silviu, 190

Eftimie Simona Georgiana, 220, 329

Fauvel Caroline, 39

Filip Daniel, 303

Florea Monica, 423, 429

Fulantelli Giovanni, 100

Gentile Manuel, 100

Ghinea Rares, 303

Gîrbacia Florin, 46

Guvir Stela, 333

Hamza-Lup Felix G., 27, 34

Henter Ramona, 135

Hesham Faili, 152

Hoareau Charlotte, 39

Ionitescu Sorin, 262, 267

Istrate Olimpius, 88

JozanM. Mahdi Barati, 152

Krastev Kr., 183

Le Corre Frédéric, 39

Lecic Dusanka, 311, 339

Lim Theo, 93

Loyola y Blanco José A., 140, 147

Mărgăriţoiu Alina, 220, 329

Marinescu Daniela, 373

Mateescu Razvan, 303

Micu Corina Silvia, 118

Miron Cristina, 447

Neamtu Calin, 303

Nedeva Veselina, 171, 316, 322

Nurgalieva Gul K., 433

Oprea Mihaela, 67

Orman Alex, 46

Page Benjamin, 34

Pehlivanova M., 177

Perera Indika, 74

Pinheiro Margarida M., 226

Pop Anisoara, 453, 459

Popa Oana, 213

Popescu Maria Magdalena, 125

Popovici Dorin M., 27

Poţincu (Mureşan) Laura, 237, 244

Poţincu Cristian-Romeo, 237, 244

Pupezescu Valentin, 360

Querrec Ronan, 39

Rǎcǎşan Sergiu, 299

Rădescu Radu, 353, 360

Railean Elena, 195

Ranjan Dasgupta, 253

Robu D.N., 413

Roceanu Ion, 93

Romero Margarida, 125

Sandu F., 413

Şchiopu Daniela, 293

Secrieru Nicolae, 333

Seitan Adrian, 27

Şeker Ulvi, 162

Simões Dora, 226

Sinu Raluca, 118

Souvik Sengupta, 253

Spîrchez Georgeta-Bianca, 234

Spîrchez Gheorghe-Cosmin, 287, 299

Stănescu Ioana Andreea, 93

Ştefan Antoniu, 93

Stoica Ioana, 441

Svab S.R., 413

Taghiyareh Fattaneh, 152

Taibi Davide, 100

Todos Petru, 333

Tolea Eniko Elisabeta, 107

Tudorica Daniela, 367

Tunea Alina-Gabriela, 81

Unianu Ecaterina Maria, 135

Usart Mireia, 125

Vasilescu Anca, 394

Velea Simona, 88

Vlada Marin, 55

Yaldiz Süleyman, 162

Yorgova R. , 183

Zamfiroiu Alin, 112

Zlatev Zlatin, 322

Effective Resources Use for Virtual Laboratories through Cloud Computing ans Services

Veselina Nedeva1, Zlatin Zlatev1, Svetoslav Atanasov1

(1) Trakia University - Stara Zagora

Faculty of Engineering and Technology 38 Graf Ignatiev Str., 8600 Yambol, BULGARIA

E-mail: veselina.nedeva@gmail.com

Abstract This report analyzes the opportunities for implementing cloud computing and services for building virtual laboratories. The report includes the following chapters: Introduction; Cloud computing and services; Building virtual lab with cloud services; Advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratories using Cloud services; Conclusion. In "Cloud computing and services" we have covered some basic concepts, their application in various fields and their role in the process of conducting exercises with the virtual labs. In "Building virtual lab with cloud services" we have listed some of the most popular companies offering these services and the capabilities to create virtual laboratories through technology, services and software products. The "Advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratories using Cloud services" we have compared the advantages and disadvantages of using these virtual labs. Keywords: Virtual Laboratories, Cloud Computing and Services, Virtual Learning Systems

1. Introduction Laboratory classes are an important part in the engineering and technical training. By systematically conducted practical exercises students gain experience, improve their way of learning and develop their professional interests. The conduct of traditional laboratory is often limited for various reasons such as cost of implementation, problems with the schedule of classes, limitation of space in school laboratories. For these and other reasons, many researchers are turning their attention to virtual laboratories as an effective tool to conduct laboratory classes.

In the last years, the Cloud Computing technology due to its rapid development is an adequate solution in virtual or remote laboratories. This type of laboratory conducting, greatly reduces the cost of the classes, increases equipment accessibility and reduces the workload of teachers.

2. Cloud Computing and Services The rapid development of information technology dramatically affects the engineering training and facilitates the introduction of modern courses and training tools. Research shows ( Allen, I. E.; Seaman J.,2010) that over 5.6 million students attend an online course, after 2009 this number has increased by at least one million. Finding of ways to conduct traditional laboratory via the Internet has been seen by many researchers (Bell, J. T.; Fogler, H. S., 2001; Bell, J. T.; Fogler, H. S., 2001; Valera, A.; Diez, J. L.; Valles, M.; Albertos, P., 2005). Basically online laboratories can be divided into two major groups. Basically online laboratories can be divided into two groups - a simulation in a virtual environment and remote management of virtual laboratories. In this way can be reduced the costs and to be increased comfort of work.

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In the last years Cloud Computing draws attention of industrial companies and academics (Creeger, M., 2009; Vouk, M.A, 200)). As a complex structure, Cloud Computing offers individual computing resources within each network connection using third party services (Web service). Its advantage consists in the fact that there is accessibility to data and applications anywhere, anytime from any device connected to the Internet. This feature of the cloud eliminates the cost and complexity related to integration and maintenance of an information infrastructure. Cloud Computing offers flexible and able to be upgrated computing resources, which are available in a shared resource center - physical or virtual. Because of these characteristics Cloud Computing is developed as a successful business model.

By achieving of previously set cloud infrastructure, the authors examine methods to update the engineering laboratory practice through the integration of Cloud Computing, to optimize the use of laboratory equipment and to increase the effectiveness of training.

The expansion of the capabilities of Cloud Computing is taken into account by researchers, students, business and government organizations. Enormous amount of data one of the reasons for the appearance of Cloud Computing, for example every day data in sizes from pentabite are uploaded, which requires a huge amount of disk storage space and large computational resources. Cloud Computing is a marketing term which is also known as the provision of computing services such as software, platform and infrastructure, service "pay for what you use" model for consumers. The report of this service of the University of Berkeley, say that Cloud Computing has the potential to occupy a large part of the IT industry, making this software even more attractive as a service. The education progressively expands and the object of education is slowly expanding and gaining popularity among various social groups. E-learning and online solutions are what is recommended in the education of the contemporary stage. With increasing number of people wanting to get an education, are received a large number of previously unknown problems such as - changing teaching methods, the available methods of training are not adequate to modern requirements, needs constant to be build training facilities. The appearance of Cloud Computing offers a new solution for establishment of a new uniform and flexible training platform and reducing of the hardware (Zhang Tao and Jiao Long, 2011). Internet is the resource where can be transformed Cloud Computing, this can provide the most advanced software and educational materials, hardware resources and services for students and teachers even in the poorest and most remote areas without the need to have advanced expertise knowledge in IT. This makes it preferred, providing needed relief to strained budgets currently of education (IBM, 2010).

Cloud Computing is one of the major changes in information technology since the creation of the Internet. This is the fifth generation of computing technology after mainframe computers, personal computers, client-server model and the Web. This term can be defined in three ways: Virtualization where applications are separated from infrastructure; Utilities are split packages computer services at affordable prices and software as a service in which applications are available on demand. According to the Institute for Standardization Cloud Computing is defined as "a model that allows convenient, on demand network access to a common base of configurable computing resources (eg networks, servers, storage, applications and services) that can be called up quickly and with a minimum need for management from the service provider"( Mell P., and Grance T.,2009). Cloud Computing refers to both applications offered as a service over the Internet and the hardware and system software in data centers from where this service is provided. Many real software projects are related to the combination of computing, communications and requirements associated with data storage. Projects may require processing of large amounts of data, which will require the use of computing resources of hundreds of thousands of computers.

Laboratory and practical classes play an important role in the preparation of engineers. Through exercises students can see the nature of studied science, to see the live dynamics of systems, to verify hypotheses and to develop problems solving skills related to engineering

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practice. Traditionally laboratory classes are conducted in laboratories, classrooms or as seminars. However, the constraints resulting from the cost of equipment, ordering of laboratory and training schedule, often impede the normal conduct of laboratory classes. Therefore, the seeking a method for effective laboratory activities and improve the use of scarce resources becomes a key to deal with these problems.

3. Bulding Virtual Lab with Cloud Services Building virtual laboratories can be achieved through the services offered by various companies including which the most famous one: VMWare, Citrix Systems, Citrix Systems, Google App Engine and Amazon Web Services.

3.1 VMWare VMware provides a wide range of virtualization solutions. Its virtualization platform products include VMware Player that enables individuals to run virtual machines on their desktops; Workstation for software developers and enterprise IT professionals; Server, which enables virtual partitioning of a server; ESX Server, an enterprise-class virtualization platform that runs directly on the hardware; Virtual SMP that enables a virtual machine to use four physical processors simultaneously; and VMFS, which allows multiple ESX Servers to share block-based storage. The company also offers VirtualCenter that provides a central point of control to manage a virtualized IT environment; VMotion, which allows users to move virtual machines; DRS that creates resource pools from physical servers; HA, which provides automated recovery from hardware failure; Consolidated Backup that enables LAN-free automated backup of virtual machines; Lab Manager to automate the setup, capture, storage, and sharing of multi-machine software configurations; ACE that allows desktop administrators to protect company resources against the risks presented by unmanaged desktops; Virtual Desktop Infrastructure to host individual desktops inside virtual machines running on centralized servers; Virtual Desktop Manager, a desktop management server that connects users to virtual desktops in the data center; and VMware Lifecycle Manager that provides control over the virtual environment (CrunchBase, 2011e).

VMware Academic Program enables access to cutting edge virtualization technology by giving free licenses to faculty and student (VMware, 2011). Participating universities include Harvard, MIT, CMU, Georgia Tech, etc.

3.2 Citrix Systems Citrix desktop virtualization, application virtualization, server virtualization, application networking, cloud computing and Software as a Service offerings are designed to simplify computing for millions of users, delivering applications as an on-demand service to any user, in any location on any device.

Citrix Education Licensing program offers 40% discount for individual purchases or a flat rate for campus-wide purchases (Citrix, 2011; CrunchBase, 2011b).

3.3 Microsoft Azure The Windows Azure platform offers a flexible, familiar environment for developers to create cloud applications and services. With Windows Azure, they can shorten your time to market and adapt as demand for your service grows (CrunchBase, 2011a, 2011d).

Windows Azure offers a platform that is easily implemented alongside your current environment.

- Windows Azure: operating system as a service - Microsoft SQL Azure: fully relational database in the cloud

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- Windows Azure platform AppFabric: makes it simpler to connect cloud and onpremises applications

Microsoft and National Science Foundation teamed up in a collaborative project where Microsoft will offer NSF researchers free access to their cloud computing infrastructure powered by Azure platform (Microsoft, 2010).

3.4 Google App Engine Google App Engine offers a full-stack, hosted, automatically scalable web application platform.

The service allows developers to build applications in Python, Java and use Google services such as the Datastore (built on BigTable) and XMPP. The service allows developers to create complete web application that run entirely on Google’s computing infrastructure and scale automatically as the application’s load changes over time. Google also provides an SDK for local development and site monitoring tools for measuring traffic and machine usage (CrunchBase, 2011c).

3.5 Amazon Web Services Amazon Web Services allow users to build businesses, not just applications. Strictly following Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), Amazon took advantage of its experience in building scalable ecommerce infrastructure and offers them to others. It offers Amazon Associates Web Service that exposes Amazon’s product data and e-commerce functionality; Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), a Web service that provides elastic scalable compute capacity in the cloud; Amazon Flexible Payments Service, which allows the movement of money between any two entities, humans, or computers; Amazon Mechanical Turk that provides a Web services API for computers to integrate crowdsourcing (or artificial intelligence) directly into their processing; and Amazon Simple Storage Service, which provides a Web services interface to store and retrieve data. It also provides Amazon Simple Queue Service that offers a hosted queue for storing messages as they travel between computers and Amazon Relational Database Service, a Web service that allows user to set up, operate, and scale relational databases in the cloud (CrunchBase, 2011a).

3.6. IBM The Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) The Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) is a cloud computing solution optimized for the educational and research needs of the academic community. It operates as a cloud management stack with a self-service portal that supports a number of custom or commercial cloud services and solutions, including IBM SmartCloud Provisioning. The VCL began in 2002 by North Carolina State University, with support from IBM, and in 2009 it became available as a free, hardware-agnostic Apache open source project. There are now similar education clouds based on the VCL in California, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and other US states, as well as within the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) community.

4. Advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratories using Cloud services Cloud computing has some unique advantages for universities and business organizations, but requires a good understanding of the topic to be able to specify the exact benefits (Table 1). The specific needs of a user and a good understanding of the service provider will make a specific choice of subscription services more accurate. Some vendors say that the user can change the requirements for each service at any time.

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Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of virtual laboratories using Cloud services Key benefits of Cloud computing

Lower price Pay for what you use as a service, no hardware investment and software licenses

Greater performance Time to use the service is determined by user request Less necessity of maintenance Servers and basic software are handled by the service provider Greater Security Easy maintenance of policies, centralized data management Unlimited disk space It is used depending on user needs

The most frequently pointed disadvantagesDepending on the connection to the Internet

Requires a permanent connection

Loss of control The task is given to the supplier who host hardware, software and data, that affects the security

Unpredictable price While enjoying Pay (Pay as you go) means that the price will be different each month

Cloud computing has been universally recognized as a critical component in the field of

education. This is more so in the higher education sector where more advanced tools are necessary for data sharing, teaching, and protection, as well as for advanced instruction.

Generally, most countries in the world experience a decline in higher education budgets. Because of this, and because of the fact that universities need to be able to continue to deliver quality services in spite of the limited budget, the role of IT has tremendously arisen to a whole new level (Mircea, 2011). Of course, IT is a complicated technology to operate and maintain by itself. With cloud computing, however, things become more easily manageable (Tout, 2009).

Furthermore, cloud computing remarkably boosts the learning ability of the students. With this technology, learning approaches and strategies unheard of before, or, at the very least, thought to be undoable, are now being used on a large scale. The University of Washington, to name one in a harem of many, normally uses the cloud to effectively implement collaborative learning approaches where the students are able to work alongside students from other locations in order to achieve a common goal. The said university, too, has greatly enhanced the e-learning capability which has made distant learning more effective and more efficient (Pocatilu et al., 2009).

According to IBM, cloud computing services are categorized to three: infrastructure, platform, and software. Basically, these three are the foundations with which universities and colleges implement cloud computing.

First, let us briefly discuss how cloud computing becomes useful as an ‘infrastructure.’ Basically, the cloud can be used as a digital place where data, even servers, can be stored and protected. Indeed, cloud computing will allow university administrators to actually control much of their resources with more efficiency and with less cost.

The second important application of cloud computing in the higher education sector is the PaaS, or Platform as Service. Basically, cloud computing will allow universities to use it as a platform where they will be able to access other services and more advanced and more dedicated applications. As a matter of fact, PaaS will not merely allow one to access advanced services, it will also allow creation of unique services. This is, in fact, why cloud computing is very efficient: it, basically, allows users to use cloud computing as a jump off point where users can either use it to access other services, create that application or service, or both.

Last is the SaaS, or Software as Service. Basically, cloud computing allows users – in this case, universities and the learners in those universities – to actually utilize a wide range of applications and software online. As we all know, there are literally thousands of these useful applications in the internet, some of which are free while the others are not. At any rate, SaaS will allow users to access all of these.

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Of course, most of the cloud computing structures used by universities are hybrids. In other words, they are eclectically modified to serve the institution in the most efficient way possible. And, provided that some minor details are resolved, cloud computing will definitely redefine the whole educational process itself (University of California at Berkeley, 2009).

5. Conclusion The current report reviewed the possibilities for application of technology Cloud computing for increasing the efficiency of resource use for virtual laboratories. Examined are the risks and benefits associated with the adaptation of simulation laboratories to this architecture. Successful applications of patterns of this technology in schools and different ways of implementing are assessed.

Cloud computing is one of the latest technologies used in many universities and colleges. Despite some shortcomings in the use of this technology, but it is not the best choice. This paper presents the possibilities, advantages and disadvantages of the technology and the choices that Cloud computing is suitable or not for a specific college or university.

Interactive presentation systems are an effective tool for disctance education respectively. e-learning, as the possibility to create and record in appropriate materials, which may then be saved in the virtual library of the university and used by students to theoretical and practical self at a convenient time and place convenient for them (Stoykova, V., A. Smrikarov, Zl. Kazlacheva, K. Georgieva, 2012). Video records of thiese systems could also apply the technology cloud services combuning the benefits of interactive presentation systems and virtual laboratories.

6. References Chen, X.; Song, G.; and Zhang, Y., (2010) “Virtual and Remote Laboratory Development: A Review,”

Proceedings of Earth and Space 2010, Honolulu, HI, pp. 3843-3852, March 2010 Creeger, M., (2009) “Cloud Computing: An Overview”, ACM Queue Distributed Computing, vol. 7, no. 5 Pocatilu, P., Alecu, F. & Vetrici, M., (2009). “Using Cloud Computing for E-Learning Systems,” Recent

Advances on Data Networks, Communications, Computers, ISBN: 978-960-474-134-2, http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2009/baltimore/DNCOCO/DNCOCO-06.pdf

Valera, A.; Diez, J. L.; Valles, M.; Albertos, P., (2005) “Virtual and Remote Control Laboratory Development”, IEEE Control Systems Magazine, pp. 35- 39, February 2005.

Zhang Tao and Jiao Long, (2011) The Research and Application of Network Teaching Platform Based on Cloud Computing, International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 1, No. 3, August 2011

Bell, J. T.; Fogler, H. S., (2001) “Virtual Reality Laboratory Accidents”, Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition, Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 2001

Stoykova, V., A. Smrikarov, Zl. Kazlacheva, K. Georgieva, (2012) Some applications of interactive presentation systems in the learning process, Fourth National Conference on E-Learning in Higher Education, Svishtov, 2012

Vouk, M.A, (2008) “Cloud computing - Issues, research and implementations”, Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Information Technology Interfaces, pp.31-40, June 2008

Above the Clouds: A Berkeley View of Cloud Computing, (2009) Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2009-28 http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2009/EECS-2009-28.pdf

Allen, I. E.; Seaman J.,(2010) “Class Difference: Online Education in the United States, 2010”, Sloan Consortium of Individual, Institution and Organizations Committed to Quality Online Education, http://www.sloanc.org/publications/survey/staying_course, 2010

Citrix. (2011). Citrix Launches New Education Licensing to Jumpstart Campus-wide Adoption of Desktop Virtualization, from http://www.citrix.com/English/ne/news/news.asp?newsID=1860966

CrunchBase. (2011a). Amazon Web Services, from http://www.crunchbase.com/product/amazon-web-services

CrunchBase. (2011b). Citrix Systems, from http://www.crunchbase.com/company/citrixsystems

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CrunchBase. (2011c). Google App Engine from http://www.crunchbase.com/product/googleapp-engine CrunchBase. (2011d). Microsoft Azure, from http://www.crunchbase.com/product/microsoftazur CrunchBase. (2011e). VMware, from http://www.crunchbase.com/company/vmware Desktop Virtualization, from http://www.citrix.com/English/ne/news/news.asp?newsID=1860966 IBM Cloud Academy, (2010),The Transformation of Education through State Education Clouds,

www.ibm.com/ibm/files/N734393J24929X18/EBW03002-USEN-00.pdf Mell P., and Grance T. (2009). Effectively and Securely Using the Cloud Computing Paradigm, National

Institute of Standards and Technology, Information Technology Laboratory. Microsoft. (2010). Microsoft and NSF Announce Client + Cloud Computing Project to Accelerate Scientific

Discovery and Foster Collaborative Research, from http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsazure/archive/2010/02/04/microsoft-and-nsfannouncecli-ent-cloud-computing-project-to-accelerate-scientific-discovery-and-fostercollaborative-research.aspx

VMware. (2011). VMware Academic Program, from http://www.vmware.com/partners/academic/program-overview.html