Virtual machine computing is used throughout the Whiting School of Engineering for a variety of reasons including software testing on multiple operating systems, security and remote access to the Hopkins network without the need to use a VPN. This article provides a brief overview of common options including Hopkins MyCloud, VirtualBox, and VMWare.
Hopkins MyCloud Desktop
MyCloud provides every JHU user with a fresh Windows 10 virtual desktop, which is ideal for most tasks which are not resource intensive. The Hopkins MyCloud virtual desktop also allows remote users to access systems which are restricted to the Hopkins network.
How to Access MyCloud
You can access MyCloud by going directly to https://mycloud.jh.edu/ or from the Cloud menu option on my.JHU:
Support
To report a problem, or for assistance accessing Hopkins MyCloud, please contact the IT@JH Help Desk at 5-HELP (410-955-4357) or submit a self-service help desk ticket. More information about the MyCloud system can be found on the IT@JH MyCloud Website.
Virtualbox
VirtualBox is a free and mostly open source virtualization software that works the same (for most purposes) as VMWare Fusion.
You can download VirtualBox from the official website: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Support
VirtualBox is not supported by the Whiting School of Engineering, but there are a variety of free resources for using VirtualBox. We recommend starting with the official manual: https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch01.html
VMWare
VMWare is a powerful proprietary virtualization suite which may be required for certain applications as directed by your instructor. VMWare is available to WSE Faculty and Students through the WSE IT Software Catalog: VMWare for Mac and Windows
Support
WSE students and faculty who need assistance with VMWare installation and acquisition issues may contact the WSE IT department at https://wseit.engineering.jhu.edu/get-help/