Introducing Helix Software-Defined Labs

Hands-on learning has always been at the heart of XtremeLabs. Today, we're expanding what hands-on can mean with Helix Software-Defined Labs: interactive, browser-based learning environments designed to bring complex systems, devices, and workflows to life.

Software-defined labs open an exciting new category of practice. Learners can explore realistic interfaces, complete guided tasks, receive immediate feedback, and build confidence through repetition, all from a web browser.

A new way to create hands-on experiences

A Helix Software-Defined Lab recreates the interface, state, and behavior of a technology experience in software. It responds to each click and keystroke, tracks progress, and validates the learner's work step by step.

Because each environment is purpose-built for learning, we can create focused experiences around the exact skills a course or certification objective calls for. That includes familiar cloud consoles as well as hardware, mobile devices, support workflows, and multi-system scenarios.

Bringing hardware and mobile-device skills to the browser

Consider CompTIA A+. Core 1 (220-1201) places significant emphasis on hardware, mobile devices, and troubleshooting. Learners need opportunities to recognize components, understand how they fit together, configure device features, and work through common issues.

With software-defined labs, those objectives can become interactive experiences: a laptop that learners open and explore on screen; a motherboard with sockets, slots, and headers; an Android or iOS settings flow for Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, and mobile device management; or a printer with a toner cartridge, fuser, and paper path.

The response has already been encouraging: since launch, more than 2,000 learners have used our A+ software-defined labs to build and practice these essential skills.

These experiences make it possible to practice device-centered skills from nearly any computer, extending hands-on learning to classrooms, libraries, training programs, and individual learners wherever they are.

Interactive practice for cloud and business platforms

Software-defined labs also create new ways to learn cloud and business platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Defender, AWS, and other console-based technologies.

Each learner can follow a consistent click path, see the impact of their choices, and practice workflows as often as needed. Labs can also connect multiple tools in a single scenario. For example, investigating and responding to a compromised account across identity, security, and device-management systems.

This gives course designers the freedom to build focused, repeatable learning experiences around administration, security, AI, automation, and governance.

Available now: 12 Microsoft labs

The first 12 Helix Software-Defined Labs are available now:

• AZ-900: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure
• AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator
• AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure
• AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions
• AZ-500: Secure Cloud Resources with Microsoft Security Technologies
• DP-700: Implement Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric
• MS-4018: Draft, Analyze, and Present with Microsoft 365 Copilot
• MS-4019: Transform Your Everyday Business Processes with Agents
• MS-4022: Extend Microsoft 365 Copilot in Copilot Studio
• PL-7008: Create Agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio
• AB-6007: Secure and Govern Your AI Agent Workforce
• AB-6008: Delegate Work with AI

These are in addition to the CompTIA A+ labs which were launched earlier.

What comes next

These first releases are just the beginning. Software-defined labs create opportunities across a wide range of certifications, technologies, and job roles.

Whenever a learning objective asks someone to perform a task with a device, in an interface, or across a workflow, software-defined labs give us a powerful new way to turn that objective into active practice.

Expanding the Helix learning portfolio

Helix Software-Defined Labs join the broader range of hands-on learning experiences available from XtremeLabs. Publishers, schools, and training organizations can select the lab format that best fits each course, skill, and audience, and combine formats to create a richer learning journey.

Explore Helix Software-Defined Labs

Explore the first 12 labs at xtremelabs.io/collections/helix-software-defined-labs.

If you publish courseware or are looking to create hands on learning experiences or customer demonstration experiences, the Helix SDL will be a great fit.