A
computer lab, also known as a
computer suite or
computer cluster (a term also used for
server clustersA computer cluster is a group of linked computers, working together closely thus in many respects forming a single computer. The components of a cluster are commonly, but not always, connected to each other through fast local area networks...
) is typically a room which contains many networked
computerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s for public use. Computer labs can be found in
librariesIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
,
schoolA school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s,
governmentGovernment refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
buildings,
science labsA laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
, community centers, companies with IT departments that requires such a place for their employees to do their jobs, and research centers. They are distinct from
Internet cafeAn Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
s in that the usage of the computer lab is typically free for those with access.
PrinterIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a text or graphics of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most new printers, a...
s, scanners, and other peripherals may augment the lab setup.
IT safety specification and IT security measures
Because they are shared by multiple users, computers in typical labs often have
security softwareSecurity software is a generic term referring to any computer program or library whose purpose is to secure a computer system or computer network. Types of security software include:* Antivirus software* Anti keylogger* Cryptographic software...
installed. This
softwareComputer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
may limit, trace, or block certain activities, or may quickly restore computers back to their original configurations.
MacintoshThe Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computers may have software such as the older
At EaseAt Ease was an alternative to the Macintosh desktop developed by Apple Computer in the early 1990s. It provided a simple environment for new Macintosh users and young children to help them to work without supervision...
, the newer MacAdministrator or
Deep FreezeDeep Freeze, by Faronics, is an application available for the Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and SUSE Linux operating systems which allows system administrators to protect the core operating system and configuration files on a workstation or server by restoring a computer back to its original...
Mac.
Windows computersMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
may have protection software such as Fortres,
Faronics- Company Profile :Faronics Corporation is a privately held software company with offices in Vancouver, BC, Canada, San Ramon, CA, USA, and Bracknell, UK. Faronics develops computer software for multi-user IT environments...
Deep FreezeDeep Freeze, by Faronics, is an application available for the Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and SUSE Linux operating systems which allows system administrators to protect the core operating system and configuration files on a workstation or server by restoring a computer back to its original...
or
Windows SteadyStateWindows SteadyState is a discontinued freeware tool developed by Microsoft that gives administrators enhanced options for configuring shared computers, such as hard drive protection and advanced user management...
, and often contain network applications, like
Novell NetWareNetWare is a network operating system developed by Novell, Inc. It initially used cooperative multitasking to run various services on a personal computer, with network protocols based on the archetypal Xerox Network Systems stack....
for network security and administration. Due to the high number of computers in a lab, many lab administrators choose to use
remote administrationRemote administration refers to any method of controlling a computer from a remote location.Software that allows remote administration is becoming increasingly common and is often used when it is difficult or impractical to be physically near a system in order to use it, or in order to access web...
software such as
VNCIn computing, Virtual Network Computing is a graphical desktop sharing system that uses the RFB protocol to remotely control another computer...
.
Computer labs in schools often have classroom management software, such as Impero Software, LanSchool, Netop Vision, Netsupport etc, installed to manage and control student computer activity from the teacher’s computer, to monitor or prevent web browsing and to remotely control student computers.
The computers are often in a
computer networkA computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
. The computers may also be
thin clientA thin client is a computer or a computer program which depends heavily on some other computer to fulfill its traditional computational roles. This stands in contrast to the traditional fat client, a computer designed to take on these roles by itself...
s.A computer is a programmable machine that stores and process data and outputs information.
See also
- Computer networking
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
- Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
- Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...