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Test your connection to the SAS Virtual Lab

SAS' virtual lab allows you to access the software used in class through your Web browser. With the virtual lab, you don't need SAS software on your local machine to complete the course exercises.

When you connect to the virtual lab, you are connecting to a hardware and software environment over the Internet. As such, the virtual lab is subject to Internet-related issues, including bandwidth and firewall issues.

Complete the following steps before you schedule a SAS training course at your organization's site that uses the virtual lab. These tests will help identify any potential problems that you may experience during the course.

  1. Test your bandwidth from the room you intend to use for the training event. We recommend running this test from more than one computer if possible. After you run the test, send the results to SAS Live Web support and to your organization's IT contact using the Web form provided.
  2. Confirm the accuracy of the bandwidth test results with your IT department. (Note: The test results could be skewed depending on the traffic on your organization's network or on the Internet at the time of running the test.)
  3. Verify that client machines meet the following requirements.
    1. Standard PC architecture, 80386 processor or greater as required for the operating system
    2. Windows NT 4.0 or later, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
    3. Available memory as recommended by Microsoft for the operating system
    4. Internet Explorer Version 5.0 or later; Netscape Navigator or Communicator Version 4.78, 6.2, or later; Mozilla Firefox 1.0 or later
    5. A broadband Internet connection of at least 130 Kbps per user. Users need to be able to open a random high outbound port and use ports 80 and 443.
  4. The virtual lab uses Citrix XenApp to provide remote access to virtual machines and applications. You must install the Citrix client on every machine that students will use to access the virtual lab. To ensure a successful learning experience for your students, please install the Citrix client before the start date of the course.
  5. Test your ability to connect to the virtual lab through your organization's firewall. Be sure to run this test from the room and computer that you intend to use for the training event. When running this test, be sure to complete all of the instructions as noted, including:
    1. Select the Log In button
    2. Select the application labeled Custom Virtual Lab Test
    3. Select Yes or Grant to any security dialog boxes that may appear. There may be 5 or 6 dialog boxes. You must respond "Yes" or "Grant" to all of them or this test will fail.
    4. If you are able to connect, you will see the message: "You have successfully entered the SAS Virtual Lab!"
  6. Contact SAS Live Web support at (919) 531-9338 if you experience problems running these tests.