CloudLab

CloudLab is an open-source virtual workspace platform that provides seamless access to remote desktop environments and applications. Designed for businesses, teams, and individuals, CloudLab enables secure, high-performance remote collaboration, eliminating the need for complex local setups.

Contents

• Demo
• Features
• Architecture Overview
• Installation Guide
• The Problem CloudLab Solves
• Contributing
• License

Demo

demo.mp4

Features

• Remote Collaboration – Share workspaces in real-time for efficient team collaboration.
• Cross-Platform Access – Access your workspace from any device, anytime.
• Pre-Configured Environments – Includes tools like Ubuntu, OnlyOffice, and Blender.
• Secure and Scalable – Ensures data privacy with strong security measures.
• Easy Admin Control – Monitor active users, manage accounts, and terminate sessions.

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Architecture Overview

CloudLab follows a MERN stack architecture, fully containerized and orchestrated by Kubernetes. It uses Minikube with the QEMU driver for local development and an Nginx Ingress Controller for handling external traffic.

Frontend (React)

• Built with React to provide a seamless user experience.
• Connects to the backend via REST APIs.
• Manages user authentication and workspace interactions.

Backend (Node.js & Express)

• Handles user authentication, file management, and workspace allocation.
• Interacts with the Kubernetes API to create and manage workspace pods dynamically.
• Secured using JWT-based authentication.

Database (MongoDB)

• Stores user information, session details, and workspace configurations.
• Ensures data persistence for ongoing sessions.

Orchestration (Kubernetes & Minikube)

• Workspaces are deployed as isolated Kubernetes Pods.
• Ingress Controller manages routing and access to specific workspaces.
• Uses Minikube with QEMU for a lightweight local cluster.

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Installation Guide

Follow these steps to set up CloudLab on your local machine using Kubernetes.

Prerequisites

• Docker
• Minikube
• Kubectl
• QEMU (required driver for Minikube)

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/iqbalcodes6602/cloudlab.git
cd cloudlab

2. Start Minikube

Start the Minikube cluster using the QEMU driver:

minikube start --driver=qemu

3. Enable Ingress Controller

Enable the Nginx Ingress addon for traffic routing:

minikube addons enable ingress

4. Configure Docker Environment & Pull Images

4.1 Setup the env

minikube ip

Paste the given ip in server -> .env

4.2 Download the images (can skip)

Configure your shell to use Minikube's Docker daemon, then pull the required images directly into the cluster.

SSH into minikube instance

minikube ssh

Pull images

# Pull images
docker pull kasmweb/chrome:1.14.0
docker pull kasmweb/vs-code:1.14.0
docker pull kasmweb/pinta:1.14.0
docker pull kasmweb/blender:1.14.0
docker pull kasmweb/ubuntu-bionic-desktop:1.10.0-rolling

5. Install Client Dependencies

cd client
npm install

6. Install Server Dependencies

cd server
npm install

7. Start the Frontend

Runs on http://localhost:3000/

cd client
npm start

8. Start the Backend

Runs on http://localhost:5000/. Ensure your kubectl context is set to Minikube.

cd server
nodemon index.js

9. Login & Start Using

Create an account or log in as an admin to manage users and workspaces.

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The Problem CloudLab Solves

CloudLab is built to address the need for accessible, scalable, and secure virtual work environments. It provides:

• Remote Collaboration: Ideal for teams working on shared projects.
• Cross-Platform Accessibility: No dependency on local hardware.
• Productivity Boost: Comes with pre-configured development tools.
• Security-Focused: Protects user data and sessions.
• Administrative Control: Manage users and services effortlessly.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! If you’d like to help improve CloudLab:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch (feature-xyz).
3. Commit your changes.
4. Open a Pull Request.

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License

CloudLab is licensed under the MIT License – feel free to use and modify it!