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Technical Support Guide: Resolving Common Lab Environment Issues in DevSecOps Courses

Last updated on Jan 06, 2026

Technical Support Guide: Resolving Common Lab Environment Issues in DevSecOps Courses

Whether you’re preparing for a DevSecOps certification exam or working through hands‑on labs, a smooth lab environment is essential. This guide consolidates the most frequently reported problems—such as 404 errors, lost internet connectivity, and file‑download hurdles—and provides clear, step‑by‑step solutions so you can stay focused on learning rather than troubleshooting.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding the “404 – Not Found” Message on CASP‑PM Machines

  2. What to Do When Your Internet Connection Drops During an Exam

  3. Downloading Files from the DevSecOps‑Box Instance

  4. Downloading Files from the Control‑Plane Instance

  5. Quick Tips & Best Practices

1. Understanding the “404 – Not Found” Message on CASP‑PM Machines

Why the 404 Error Appears

A 404 status code does not indicate that the CASP‑PM machine is missing. Instead, it confirms that the machine is reachable but the specific URL you requested does not exist.

How to Access CASP‑PM Correctly

Use the predefined entry points that are guaranteed to be available:

Path Full URL Example
Home https://casp-pm-<MACHINE_ID>.lab.practical-devsecops.training/home
Login https://casp-pm-<MACHINE_ID>.lab.practical-devsecops.training/login

Steps to Reach the Home Page

  1. Locate your unique <MACHINE_ID> (displayed on the lab dashboard or in the welcome email).

  2. Replace <MACHINE_ID> in the URL pattern above.

  3. Open the URL in a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox).

If you still encounter a 404, double‑check the machine ID for typos and ensure you are using HTTPS for the /home and /login endpoints.

2. What to Do When Your Internet Connection Drops During an Exam

Immediate Impact

  • Disconnection: Your browser session is terminated, and you lose real‑time access to the lab machines.

  • Machine State: The virtual machines retain their current state—no automatic reset occurs.

Re‑connection Procedure

  1. Restore Connectivity – Switch back to a stable network (Wi‑Fi, wired Ethernet, or a stronger mobile data signal).

  2. Return to the Cloud Lab Portal – Navigate to the same exam URL you used before.

  3. Authenticate Again – Log in with your exam credentials when prompted.

  4. Resume Work – You will be redirected to the same lab environment, and all previous changes remain intact.

Inactivity Timeout

  • 30‑minute rule: If the disconnection lasts longer than 30 minutes, the platform may automatically terminate the instance to free resources.

  • Result: The machine will be reset, and you will need to restart the exercise from the beginning.

Recommendations to Minimize Disruptions

  • Prefer Wi‑Fi or wired connections over mobile data when possible.

  • Close bandwidth‑heavy applications (e.g., video streaming) while the exam is active.

  • Keep a backup power source (portable charger or UPS) for laptops.

  • Test your connection a few minutes before the exam by loading a non‑critical web page.

3. Downloading Files from the DevSecOps‑Box Instance

The DevSecOps‑Box is a pre‑configured Ubuntu VM that hosts course materials, scripts, and sample data. To retrieve files quickly, you can spin up a temporary HTTP server.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

  1. Open a terminal inside the DevSecOps‑Box machine.

  2. Start the HTTP server on port 80:

    python3 -m http.server 80

    Tip: If port 80 is already in use, you can select another port (e.g., 8080) and adjust the URL accordingly.

  3. Find your Machine ID (if you don’t already know it). Ask the support bot or check the lab dashboard; the ID appears in the instance name, e.g., devsecops-box-5f2a3c.

  4. Access the file list from any browser on your local computer:

    https://devsecops-box-<MACHINE_ID>.lab.practical-devsecops.training

  5. Download the required files by clicking the links or using wget/curl:

    wget https://devsecops-box-<MACHINE_ID>.lab.practical-devsecops.training/<filename>

Security Note

  • The temporary server runs without authentication; only share the URL with yourself and close the server (Ctrl+C) once downloads are complete.

4. Downloading Files from the Control‑Plane Instance

The Control‑Plane VM often hosts configuration files, logs, or additional tooling. Because it uses a public IP address, you’ll need to retrieve that IP first.

Procedure

  1. Open a terminal on the Control‑Plane machine.

  2. Launch the HTTP server (same command as above):

    python3 -m http.server 80

  3. Obtain the public IP by running:

    curl ifconfig.me

    Example output: 13.215.226.108

  4. Navigate to the server from your local browser:

    http://13.215.226.108/

  5. Download needed files as you would from any web directory, or use command‑line tools:

    wget http://13.215.226.108/<filename>

Important Considerations

  • The server runs on HTTP, not HTTPS, because it is bound to a raw IP address.

  • As with the DevSecOps‑Box, shut down the server (Ctrl+C) after you finish downloading to avoid unnecessary exposure.

5. Quick Tips & Best Practices

  • Bookmark Frequently Used URLs – Save the /home and /login URLs for each lab machine to avoid typing errors.

  • Use a Dedicated Browser Profile – Isolate your exam session from personal browsing to reduce cookie or cache conflicts.

  • Document Your Machine IDs – Keep a simple text file with all IDs and IPs; copy‑paste reduces mistakes.

  • Test the HTTP Server Before the Exam – Run python3 -m http.server a few minutes early to verify firewall rules and network reachability.

  • Monitor Inactivity – Set a timer on your workstation to remind you to stay active if you must step away briefly.

  • Know the Reset Policy – If you’re forced to restart a lab, you can usually request a fresh instance from the lab dashboard; the process is automated and takes less than a minute.

Need More Help?

If you encounter a problem that isn’t covered here, reach out to the DevSecOps support team through the Live Chat button in the lab portal, or submit a ticket with the following details:

  • Course name and module

  • Machine ID(s) involved

  • Exact error messages or screenshots

  • Timezone and approximate time of the issue

Prompt, detailed information enables the support engineers to resolve your case faster, keeping your learning momentum on track. Good luck, and happy hacking!