Hardware Resource Sizing & Parallel VM Execution Calculator
Compare host CPU cores, RAM, and Disk storage. Calculate exactly how many virtual machines your rig can run concurrently for GreatCoder Cyber Security labs without tab switching or memory paging.
16 GB RAM with 8 CPU cores provides the optimal baseline: 4 GB Kali Linux + 4 GB Target Server + 8 GB Host OS with zero memory contention.
| Lab Machine Appliance | Role in Cyber Security | Minimum vRAM | Recommended vRAM | vCPUs | VDI Storage | Parallel Run Capability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kali Linux 2024.x | Attacker / Security Operator (Nmap, Burp, Metasploit, Wireshark) | 2048 MB (2 GB) | 4096 MB (4 GB) | 2 Cores | 20–40 GB VDI | Always Active (Base) |
| Ubuntu Server 22.04 / Debian | Defensive Target / Web App / Docker Containers / LAMP Stack | 1024 MB (1 GB) | 2048 MB (2 GB) | 1–2 Cores | 15–25 GB VDI | ✓ Parallel with Kali (16GB+) |
| Metasploitable 2 / 3 | Vulnerable Exploitation & Vulnerability Assessment Target | 512 MB (0.5 GB) | 1024 MB (1 GB) | 1 Core | 8–15 GB VDI | ✓ Parallel with Kali (8GB+) |
| Windows 10 / 11 Enterprise | Endpoint Hardening / Malware Triage / AD Domain Member | 4096 MB (4 GB) | 8192 MB (8 GB) | 2–4 Cores | 50–80 GB VDI | ⚠ Requires 24GB+ for Parallel |
| Windows Server 2022 (AD DC) | Active Directory Domain Controller / Kerberos / Group Policy | 2048 MB (2 GB) | 4096 MB (4 GB) | 2 Cores | 40–60 GB VDI | ⚠ Requires 24GB–32GB RAM |
| Splunk / Security Onion (SIEM) | SOC Log Ingestion, Alerting & Incident Triage Engine | 4096 MB (4 GB) | 8192 MB (8 GB) | 4 Cores | 40–100 GB VDI | ⚠ Requires 32GB+ RAM |
CPU Virtualization Pipeline (VT-x & AMD-V)
Toggle hardware virtualization below. Observe how breaking the CPU virtualization path disables 64-bit hypervisor execution.
| Manufacturer | Key | BIOS Section |
|---|---|---|
| Dell | F2 / F12 | Advanced → Virtualization Support → Enable Intel Virtualization Technology |
| HP | F10 / Esc | Advanced → System Options → Virtualization Technology (VTx/VTd) |
| Lenovo | F1 / F2 | Security → Virtualization → Intel Virtualization Technology |
| ASUS / MSI | Del / F2 | Advanced Mode → CPU Configuration → SVM Mode / Intel Virtualization |
Virtual Machine Builder & Power Engine
Assemble your virtual machine components below, configure hardware resources, and trigger the simulated boot sequence.
VirtualBox Network Mode Interactive Workspace
Select any mode below. Watch the actual connection paths, packet routes, and isolation boundaries change dynamically.
Cisco Packet Tracer Educational Simulation
Click "SEND ICMP PING". Watch the packet traverse each device, inspect headers, and observe protocol translation.
Wireshark Protocol Dissector Simulator
Click any packet in the captured trace below to dissect its Layer 2 (Ethernet), Layer 3 (IP), and Layer 4 (TCP/UDP/ICMP) headers.
| No. | Time | Source | Destination | Protocol | Length | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.000000 | 192.168.1.10 | 192.168.1.1 | ARP | 42 | Who has 192.168.1.1? Tell 192.168.1.10 |
| 2 | 0.001420 | 192.168.1.1 | 192.168.1.10 | ARP | 42 | 192.168.1.1 is at 08:00:27:5a:32:bc |
| 3 | 0.002810 | 192.168.1.10 | 10.10.14.1 | ICMP | 74 | Echo (ping) request id=0x0001, seq=1/256, ttl=64 |
| 4 | 0.024190 | 10.10.14.1 | 192.168.1.10 | ICMP | 74 | Echo (ping) reply id=0x0001, seq=1/256, ttl=63 |
| 5 | 0.035120 | 192.168.1.10 | 10.10.14.1 | TCP | 66 | 49152 → 80 [SYN] Seq=0 Win=64240 Len=0 MSS=1460 |
VM Snapshot State Machine
Interact with the snapshot engine below. Simulate breaking the VM during an exploit lab, then restore to the clean baseline snapshot.
Workstation Dependency & Propagation Model
GreatCoder Cyber Security enforces strict prerequisites. If an upstream foundation fails (e.g. CPU virtualization), downstream virtual appliances automatically block.
Integrated Software Toolchain
Click any tool in the pipeline to see where it fits into your workflow and why GreatCoder Cyber Security utilizes it.
Oracle VirtualBox 7.x
Cross-platform Type-2 hypervisor for guest OS isolation.
Cisco Packet Tracer
Layer 2-4 enterprise topology simulation and protocol analysis.
Kali Linux 2024.x
Pre-packaged security appliance with hundreds of testing utilities.
Wireshark
Deep packet inspection and pcap capture analysis.
VS Code
Configuration editor for Python scripts, Bash, and JSON telemetry.
7-Zip 64-bit
Multi-part OVA and 7z appliance decompression engine.
Knowledge Checkpoints: Prerequisite Validation
Confirm your understanding of the lab architecture before advancing.
Official Download Links & Documentation Directory
Always verify download URLs to prevent downloading trojanized hypervisors or malicious ISO images from third-party sites.
| Resource | Publisher | Official Verified Link | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Networking Academy | Cisco Systems | netacad.com ↗ | Free Educational Account |
| Cisco Packet Tracer 8.2+ | Cisco Systems | netacad.com/.../packet-tracer ↗ | Free Student License |
| Oracle VM VirtualBox 7.x | Oracle Corporation | virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads ↗ | GPLv2 / Free PUEL |
| Kali Linux (VirtualBox Image) | OffSec (Offensive Security) | kali.org/get-kali ↗ | Open Source (GPL) |
| Visual Studio Code | Microsoft | code.visualstudio.com ↗ | MIT License |
| Wireshark Network Analyzer | Wireshark Foundation | wireshark.org ↗ | GPLv2 |
| 7-Zip 64-bit | Igor Pavlov | 7-zip.org ↗ | GNU LGPL |
Module 00 Readiness Gate
Complete the prerequisite readiness check to verify your workstation is primed for Module 01.
Workstation Readiness Verification
Hardware & System Validation
- CPU Virtualization (VT-x / AMD-V) enabled in BIOS
- At least 16 GB RAM & 100 GB+ SSD free space verified
- 7-Zip & VS Code installed on Host OS
Academy & Hypervisor Validation
- Cisco NetAcad profile created & active
- Cisco Packet Tracer installed and logged in
- Oracle VirtualBox 7.x & Extension Pack installed
- Kali Linux VM imported with clean snapshot taken