RECoNE: A Remote Environment for Computer Networks Education

The experimental component of a computer networks online course usually brings challenges in its implementation, because of the limitations imposed by computer resources, use of physical devices and automatic assessment. This work presents the implementation of a remote laboratory that is part of a Massive Open Online Course, and allows multiple simultaneous students to run computer networks applications in programmable network simulators and in real network equipment, without the need for installing any specific software. This platform also enables the possibility of automatic assessment, thus easing the evaluation of the particular parameters defined during the course.