Virtual Student Computing Lab

Overview

IMPORTANT: Effective Aug. 17, 2024, the Virtual Computing Lab upgrades to Windows 11. You continue to access the service as you always have. However, you may need to recreate any desktop shortcuts to the Virtual Computing Lab after the upgrade. Remote Desktop Client users may also want to remove the previous service from their client.

The Pitt IT Virtual Lab enables you to remotely access lab software and resources that you use while sitting in a Pitt IT Student Computing Lab on campus. The convenience of the Virtual Lab is that you can access it from any location, using almost any computer or mobile device, at any time of day. It's your personal 24/7, on-the-go lab.

Detail

Benefits of the Virtual Lab

  • Connect from a web browser or app on nearly any Windows, MacOS, Android or iOS device
  • Access the most popular lab software, without having to load it on your devices
  • Secure your work with cloud-based services and storage behind Pitt Passport sign-on and Duo multifactor authentication
  • Work online, with no need to use PittNet VPN

Available Software

For a complete list of software available in the Virtual Computing Lab, visit the Student Computing Labs Software page.

To request additional software titles for the Virtual Computing Lab, please fill out and submit the New Software Title Request form. You will be contacted by Pitt IT about your request.

 

Use the Web Client

Note: The web client requires HTML 5. The latest version of most browsers supports HTML 5.

  1. Navigate to pi.tt/vlab (https://client.wvd.microsoft.com/arm/webclient/index.html).
  2. Enter your University email address. You are redirected to the Pitt Passport login screen.
  3. Log in using your University Computing Account username and password.
  4. Double click Virtual Labs under the heading Pitt IT – Virtual Labs.
  5. Enter your University Computing Account username and password to complete the login process.

Important: You will be saving your files to your OneDrive account. You cannot save files to your local computer or device when using the web interface.

 

Use the Remote Desktop Client

Download the Client

Following are general steps for downloading the client:

  1. Navigate to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop.
  2. From the Connect to Windows Virtual Desktop section, click on the link for the type of device you are using.
  3. Follow the directions on the page to install the client and connect to the Virtual Lab.
  4. To add a workspace, in the Remote Desktop client select the Workspaces tab. Click the "+" sign and choose Add Workspace.screenshot of adding a workspace
  5. Enter your <username @ pitt.edu> University email address, and click Add. (Alternatively, you can enter https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/api/arm/feeddiscovery as the workspace URL, and then click Add.)

Specific instructions for each operating system are listed below:

Windows Client
MacOS Client
iOS Client
Android Client

 

Launch the Client

  1. Launch Remote Desktop by navigating to the web client or opening the desktop client (e.g., double-click on the Remote Desktop icon or search for the program from the Start menu.)
  2. Enter your University email address when prompted, and click Next. You will be redirected to the Pitt Passport login screen.
  3. Log in using your University Computing Account username and password.
  4. Double click Virtual Labs under the heading Pitt IT – Virtual Labs.
  5. Enter your University Computing Account username and password to complete the login process.
  6. Once you've logged in, the Virtual Lab remote desktop functions almost identically to the machines in the Student Computing Labs.
  7. To disconnect from the Virtual Lab, simply close the web client browser window or the desktop client.

 

Save and Access Files

  • You are automatically logged into OneDrive upon connecting to the Virtual Lab.
  • Files saved to the Virtual Lab’s Desktop or in its Documents or Pictures folders will be saved to your OneDrive Account.
  • If you are using the desktop client, you can also save files to your local device.
  • Files saved in OneDrive will automatically sync with any device you use to connect to the Virtual Lab, via the web or desktop client.
  • If you connect to OneDrive directly—at portal.office.com—the Desktop folder contains the files saved to the Virtual Lab.
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