International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Haritha Bhuvaneswari Illa
Abstract: The study investigates the integration of Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a virtual laboratory environment in computer science education, aiming to enhance practical learning through scalable, cloud-based infrastructure. Traditional hardware-dependent laboratories often restrict accessibility, increase maintenance costs, and limit real-world exposure. By leveraging AWS services Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Simple Storage Service (S3), Relational Database Service (RDS), and Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) the research evaluates the pedagogical, technical, and economic outcomes of cloud-enabled academic laboratories. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining quantitative system performance metrics with qualitative student and instructor feedback. Comparative analysis included AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), VMware vSphere, and conventional labs. Results show that AWS outperformed all alternatives, achieving a 92% task completion rate, less than 1% system downtime, and the highest student satisfaction score (4.6/5). The implementation reduced per-student cost by approximately 30% while improving accessibility and scalability. Students reported increased autonomy, engagement, and understanding of distributed systems through direct configuration and management of cloud instances. Findings demonstrate that AWS-based laboratories provide a sustainable, cost-effective, and pedagogically superior framework for computer science education. The cloud model enhances experiential learning by merging academic theory with practical application, aligning educational practices with contemporary industry environments. The transition to AWS not only optimizes institutional resources but also cultivates critical cloud computing competencies essential for modern IT professions.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17532777
