Trainer's Guide

Harnessing DaDesktop Virtual Desktops for Hassle-Free Course Training

With DaDesktop virtual desktops, setting up online courses is a breeze—anywhere across the globe.

It's worth noting that DaDesktop (DD) can now accommodate one or more trainers per course.

Each trainer gets their own DaDesktop login and can operate the ‘Trainer Desktop’ just like a personal computer.

The concept is that trainers join the audio conference and take turns leading, while each can step in to control the Trainer Desktop whenever needed. This setup shines during extended sessions, or when the course simply benefits from having two subject‑matter experts interacting with participants.

Before creating a new course

• Trainers should reach out to the course organizer and supply the following:

1. Course information (title, schedule, and participant count)
2. Location for trainers and delegates (so we can advise on the best data centre in Italy)
3. Trainer email addresses

• Browsers we recommend for training

1. Chrome
2. Firefox
3. Microsoft Edge

• Network

1. DaDesktop users need a reliable internet connection
2. Avoid using café WiFi, as it tends to be unreliable
3. One more reminder: DaDesktop is a web-based training portal
4. Your internet speed needs to be greater than 10 Mbps download & 1 Mbps upload
5. A dual‑screen setup and a camera are recommended when possible
    

First, getting your course set up                                                                                

1. Course coordinators will assist you in building the course
2. Add trainers by sending them the registration invitation link
3. Trainers will get an email containing course details and a login link
4. The Trainer(s) can login with their account via https://dd4t.dadesktop.com
5. Then, dispatch the pink course invitations to your participants
6. Note: Even with multiple trainers, only one trainer machine is used at a time
    

Second, preparing your DaDesktop within the course                                                    

1. Click "Create from OS template" for the Fresh Start desktop. This Fresh Start machine is where you develop all your course content, and once ready, you clone it to your Trainer desktop and each Participant desktop. If you already have a Standalone machine with your course materials set up, simply use the dropdown arrow to select that Standalone.
2. Pick the OS template, choose the data centre nearest to your location, and specify the configuration you need. Then hit ‘Create Desktop’.
3. Connect to the desktop and set up your course right inside the DaDesktop VM

• Should you need more than one machine for your course, install Virt Manager (preferred on Linux) or VirtualBox inside DaDesktop. That lets you configure multiple desktops simultaneously, and the entire setup gets cloned to every participant and your trainer machine.
• If you plan to use Windows 10 Pro, we suggest converting documents to PDF, since DaDesktop does not include MS Office
• Download and prepare files just as you would on your own computer
• Always rely on the automatically assigned DHCP IP addresses for Fresh-Start machines. Do not set static IPs, or modify MAC addresses or DNS settings—doing so will lead to issues when cloning to Course Desktop VMs. Also avoid changing the computer name, as that can cause problems within DaDesktop.
  
  Reach out to Tech Support if you need assistance with any of this.
   

Third, cloning the desktop for all participants

1. Complete your work on the 'Fresh Start' desktop, then exit and stop that desktop
2. In the Trainer section, click "Create from Fresh Start desktop" to clone a machine identical to your Fresh Start setup
3. If your attendees are in different regions, use the dropdown on ‘Create from Fresh-Start Trainer desktop’ to clone a desktop in their respective region
4. The dropdown also offers other choices, such as Clone from Standalone and Create from OS Template
    

Final step: Entering the Training Room

1. Trainers and participants alike should click ‘Training Room’ to join the session
2. As you enter the Training Room, the system automatically clones the FreshStart desktop for all participants
3. Within the Training Room, both audio and video recordings can be captured automatically
4. Each delegate sees two desktops—the trainer’s and their own—so screen sharing isn’t necessary
5. Inside the Training Room, the trainer can view every participant’s machine alongside their own and can take over any individual desktop to assist. Participants, meanwhile, see only their own machine and the trainer’s desktop.