March 2020 lab update for Learning Partners and MCTs

Our monthly update addresses questions about lab hosting and whether it’s needed for specific courses. In addition, we’ve included a practical reference table.

Hosted environments

We often receive inquiries regarding whether a hosted environment is required for a particular course or whether the labs can be run locally in the classroom.

Hosting may not be required for some courses, as shown in the following table. For courses that require provisioning of a tenant, we have enabled our Authorized Lab Hosters (ALHs) to provide them. If you decide not to go with a hosted solution for these courses, you will have to provide your own tenants to the students. This is typically done through trials (if available). In the past, we have had issues with using trial tenants in classroom environments. Although it may be possible, it is not supported or recommended. If your courses require an Azure Pass, Learning Partners can request them in Courseware Marketplace, and Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) can request them through the MCT Azure Pass distribution tool.

NOTE: Even if the labs for a specific course could be run locally, the current ALHs may provide hosted solutions for a Learning Partner’s convenience (for example to avoid blocking issues using trial tenants). Plus, with a hosted solution, Learning Partners and students don’t need to download, install, and configure applications, like Visual Studio.

March 2020 update: Lab requirements for select ILT courses