Home Lab Access & Prerequisites Managing Course and Lab Access: Timelines, Pausing, Resuming, and Resetting

Managing Course and Lab Access: Timelines, Pausing, Resuming, and Resetting

Last updated on Aug 30, 2026

Managing Course and Lab Access: Timelines, Pausing, Resuming, and Resetting

Understanding how and when you can access your Practical DevSecOps training material is essential for staying on track and getting the most out of your investment. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about course start deadlines, lab countdowns, pausing and resuming labs, and resetting lab environments. Whether you’re a new learner or returning after a break, the step‑by‑step instructions below will help you manage your learning experience with confidence.

Table of Contents

  1. When Does the Lab Countdown Begin?
  2. Course Start Deadline – What’s the Time Limit?
  3. Pausing a Lab: How and When
  4. Resuming a Paused Lab
  5. Resetting Your Lab Environment
  6. Practical Scenarios & Tips
  7. Frequently Asked Questions

When Does the Lab Countdown Begin?

  • Activation Upon Scheduling/Reactivation – When you schedule your course or purchase an extension, the system provisions and starts your lab countdown.
  • Continuous Day-Based Counter – The lab access timer counts down in calendar days for the duration of your access period.

Course Start Deadline – What’s the Time Limit?

  • One‑Year Rule – You must schedule and start the course within 12 months of your enrollment date.
  • Why It Matters – This policy ensures course content remains current with evolving DevSecOps tools and industry practices.

Pausing a Lab: How and When

Sometimes life gets in the way, and you need a break from hands‑on work. Our platform allows a single pause per enrollment.

How Pausing Works

  • Fixed Duration: You do not need to select a pause duration. Initiating a pause puts your lab on hold for 2 months (60 days).
  • Automatic Resumption: After 2 months, the system automatically resumes your lab access.
  • Early Manual Resumption: You can manually resume earlier at any time from the member portal if you are ready to continue before the 2 months are up.
  • One-Time Limit: Pausing can be done only once per enrollment. Once resumed, the pause option will no longer be available.

Steps to Pause

  1. Log in to the Members Portal: https://members.practical-devsecops.training/pause-course
  2. Wait for the status to show Started.
  3. Click the Pause The Lab button and confirm.

Resuming a Paused Lab

When you’re ready to get back to work before the 2-month window ends, resuming is straightforward.

Resumption Process

  1. Return to the member portal: https://members.practical-devsecops.training/pause-course
  2. The Resume button will be visible. Click it and confirm.
  3. Your lab timer restarts from where it was frozen.

Resetting Your Lab Environment

Resetting gives you a clean slate—useful when you want to start an exercise over or troubleshoot an environment. Warning: Resetting wipes temporary progress in that specific sandbox exercise, so save any notes or scripts first.

Reset Procedure

  1. Navigate to the lab’s exercise page.
  2. Click the Reset my environment button.
  3. Confirm in the dialog: Yes, Reset my environment.
  4. The system re-provisions a fresh sandbox instance within a few minutes.

Practical Scenarios & Tips

Situation Recommended Action
Work or personal commitments interrupt study Pause the lab. It will remain on hold for up to 2 months (auto-resumes after 60 days or resume manually earlier).
Your lab VM crashes or configuration breaks Use the Reset my environment feature on the exercise page.
You need more lab time beyond the original period Purchase a 30, 60, or 90-day lab extension at https://portal.practical-devsecops.training/pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I need to choose how many days to pause my lab?
A: No. Pausing automatically sets a 2-month (60-day) hold window. You can resume anytime during that period, or it will auto-resume after 2 months.

Q2: Can I pause a lab more than once?
A: No. Each enrollment allows only one pause.

Q3: What happens to my remaining lab days during a pause?
A: The countdown clock freezes while paused, preserving all remaining days.

Q4: Can I extend lab access if I need more time?
A: Yes. Lab extensions (30, 60, or 90 days) can be purchased via https://portal.practical-devsecops.training/pricing. Extensions also extend your exam voucher validity accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Managing your course and lab access efficiently ensures you stay on schedule and make the most of your DevSecOps training. Use the one-time 2-month pause strategically when necessary, and reach out to support via the chat widget if you need assistance. Happy learning!