CloudLabs to showcase VM Labs at EDUCAUSE 2026

CloudLabs by Spektra Systems will demo its VM Labs platform at EDUCAUSE 2026 in Denver as higher education institutions prepare for Microsoft’s June 28, 2027 retirement of Azure Lab Services. The company is positioning VM Labs as a migration path for schools that need to preserve hands-on learning without rebuilding lab environments from scratch.

Why it matters: - Higher education institutions using Azure Lab Services have a hard deadline to move before Microsoft retires the service on June 28, 2027. - CloudLabs is pitching VM Labs as a lower-friction alternative that can preserve existing lab workflows while adding management, monitoring and cost controls. - The transition affects lab environments, course requirements, student access, faculty workflows, infrastructure and cloud spending.

What happened: - CloudLabs by Spektra Systems will showcase its VM Labs platform at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2026 from September 29 to October 2 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. - CloudLabs will exhibit at Booth #2015. - The company will meet with higher education institutions to discuss Azure Lab Services migration requirements, demonstrate VM Labs and help teams build transition plans. - Microsoft’s Azure Lab Services retirement guide lists CloudLabs by Spektra Systems among its recommended partner solutions for organizations moving off Azure Lab Services. - Microsoft has advised existing customers to begin planning ahead of the June 2027 retirement date. - Over the past year, more than 47,000 students across 85+ institutions have migrated from Azure Lab Services to CloudLabs VM Labs.

The details: - CloudLabs VM Labs supports Windows and Linux lab environments. - Institutions can build and deploy customized virtual machines based on course and curriculum requirements. - Students can access labs through a web browser without additional client software. - Faculty and administrators can use Shadow VM to connect to learner environments for real-time monitoring, guidance and troubleshooting. - The platform includes integrated lab guides with step-by-step instructions inside the lab environment. - VM Labs supports LMS integration using LTI 1.1 and 1.3. - Automated cost controls can set usage limits, schedule operating hours and shut down idle virtual machines. - Institutions can use dedicated and shared VMs for different instructional and cost models. - CloudLabs is offering $0 migration fees and a waived first year of platform fees to eligible institutions that commit to migrating by October 31, 2026. - EDUCAUSE attendees can request a guided evaluation or proof of concept before choosing a broader migration path. - CloudLabs Cosmos, the company’s AI-powered lab builder, will also be shown at EDUCAUSE 2026. - Cosmos uses natural language prompts to help educators and technical teams create lab environments, guides and validation workflows. - CloudLabs says the goal is to make it easier for institutions to adapt hands-on learning as curriculum and technology requirements change. - CloudLabs also says its platform includes 1,000+ ready-to-deploy labs across cloud, AI, cybersecurity, data, programming and other technology domains. - The platform includes monitoring and reporting for lab usage, learner activity and cloud consumption. - CloudLabs supports browser-based access across devices without local software dependencies. - The platform provides real-time instructor support through Shadow VM. - CloudLabs offers custom lab environments and learning paths for specific courses, programs and institutional requirements. - The platform supports multi-cloud environments across Azure, AWS, GCP and other supported environments. - CloudLabs currently serves institutions, enterprises, training providers and technology organizations delivering hands-on learning at scale. - EDUCAUSE attendees can visit Booth #2015 to discuss migration plans, see a live demo, explore labs across multiple technology domains and learn about CloudLabs Cosmos.

Between the lines: - CloudLabs is using the Azure Lab Services retirement as a timely sales moment with a clear migration deadline. - The messaging is aimed at institutions that want continuity in teaching, but also want a chance to modernize lab delivery and cut manual overhead. - The Cosmos launch suggests CloudLabs is trying to move beyond migration tooling and position itself as a broader lab-creation platform.

What's next: - Institutions that start planning now can pilot new environments, validate faculty and student workflows and phase migration around academic calendars. - EDUCAUSE 2026 will be a key venue for CloudLabs to convert migration interest into evaluations and proof-of-concept requests. - The October 31, 2026 incentive deadline gives eligible institutions a near-term reason to act before the Microsoft retirement clock gets closer. - CloudLabs will continue to promote VM Labs as a replacement path for organizations leaving Azure Lab Services.