Prism School Pilot Quick Start Guide¶

Last Updated: March 2026

🎯 For Educational Institutions & School Pilots¶

This guide is specifically designed for educational institutions evaluating Prism for their computing curriculum, research programs, and student projects. Prism enables schools to provide students with professional-grade development environments without the complexity of traditional IT infrastructure.

📚 What is Prism?¶

Prism is an academic research platform that provides pre-configured cloud environments for students and educators. Access professional development tools, research environments, and collaborative workspaces through a simple interface - no IT expertise required.

Perfect for: - Computer science courses and labs - Data science and research projects - Student coding assignments and portfolios - Faculty research collaboration - Cross-curricular technology integration

⚡ 5-Minute School Setup¶

Step 1: Install Prism¶

# macOS
brew install scttfrdmn/tap/prism

# Windows
scoop bucket add scttfrdmn https://github.com/scttfrdmn/scoop-bucket
scoop install prism

See the Installation guide for all platforms and the desktop app.

Step 2: AWS Account Setup (One-time per School)¶

Prism uses AWS for cloud resources. Most schools can use AWS Educate for credits:

Get AWS Account:
Apply for AWS Educate (free credits for schools)
Or use existing institutional AWS account
Individual educators can use personal AWS accounts for pilot testing

Configure Credentials (IT Admin):

# Install AWS CLI
brew install awscli  # or: pip install awscli

# Configure institutional credentials
aws login
# AWS Access Key ID: [Your school's access key]
# AWS Secret Access Key: [Your school's secret key]
# Default region: us-west-2 (or closest to your location)
# Output format: json

Step 3: Launch Your First Environment¶

For Students/Educators (Web Interface):

# Start the GUI application
prism gui

For Command Line Users:

# View available templates
prism templates

# Launch a Python environment for data science
prism workspace launch python-ml my-first-project

# Launch an R environment for statistics
prism workspace launch r-rstudio-server statistics-project

# Launch basic Ubuntu for general computing
prism workspace launch basic-ubuntu cs-assignment

🎓 Educational Templates¶

Prism includes pre-configured environments designed for educational use:

Python Machine Learning (`python-ml`)¶

Best for: Data science courses, AI/ML projects, research
Includes: TensorFlow, PyTorch, Jupyter notebooks, pandas, scikit-learn
Launch time: ~5 minutes
Cost: ~$0.042/hour (AWS t3.medium)

R + RStudio Server (`r-rstudio-server`)¶

Best for: Statistics courses, data analysis, research projects
Includes: RStudio, tidyverse, R 4.4+, statistical packages
Launch time: ~8 minutes
Cost: ~$0.042/hour (AWS t3.medium)

Basic Ubuntu (APT)¶

Best for: Computer science fundamentals, programming courses
Includes: Ubuntu Linux, development tools, package management
Launch time: ~1 minute
Cost: ~$0.12/hour (AWS t3.micro)

Web Development¶

Best for: Web design courses, full-stack development
Includes: Node.js, Python, development tools, web servers
Launch time: ~2 minutes
Cost: ~$0.36/hour (AWS t3.small)

💰 Cost Management for Schools¶

Budget-Friendly Features¶

Automatic Hibernation: Environments automatically pause when idle (preserves student work, minimal cost)
Spot Instances: Use spare AWS capacity for 60-90% cost savings
Right-sizing: Templates automatically choose cost-effective instance types
Usage Tracking: Monitor spending across classes and projects

Example Monthly Costs (30 hours of use per student):¶

Basic Ubuntu: ~$3.60/student/month
Python ML Environment: ~$14.40/student/month
R Research Environment: ~$7.20/student/month

Cost Optimization Tips:¶

# Enable hibernation for classes (preserves student work)
prism workspace hibernate my-project  # Pause when not in use
prism workspace resume my-project     # Resume with all work intact

# Use spot instances for assignments
prism workspace launch python-ml assignment --spot

# Set up automatic hibernation policies
prism idle profile create classroom --idle-minutes 30 --action hibernate

👥 Classroom Management¶

Multi-Student Support¶

# Launch environments for entire class
prism workspace launch python-ml alice-ml-project
prism workspace launch python-ml bob-ml-project
prism workspace launch python-ml carol-ml-project

# Share files between students using EFS volumes
prism volume create class-shared-data
prism volume attach class-shared-data alice-ml-project
prism volume attach class-shared-data bob-ml-project

Student Collaboration¶

Shared Storage: Students can collaborate on projects through shared EFS volumes
Template Consistency: All students use identical, professional environments
Easy Access: Students connect via SSH or web-based tools (Jupyter, RStudio)

🔧 Common Educational Workflows¶

Computer Science Course¶

# Launch basic Ubuntu environment for each student
prism workspace launch basic-ubuntu student-cs101

# Students get full Linux environment with:
# - GCC compiler, Python, Node.js, Git
# - File system access and admin privileges
# - Pre-configured development tools
# - SSH access for remote development

Data Science Class¶

# Launch Python ML environment with Jupyter
prism workspace launch python-ml student-datascience

# Students access via web browser:
# - Jupyter notebooks at http://[instance-ip]:8888
# - Pre-installed ML libraries and datasets
# - GPU acceleration available for advanced projects
# - Collaborative notebooks through shared storage

Research Project¶

# Create shared research environment
prism volume create research-project-data
prism workspace launch r-rstudio-server professor-research
prism workspace launch python-ml student-researcher

# Attach shared storage for collaboration
prism volume attach research-project-data professor-research
prism volume attach research-project-data student-researcher

# Both can access shared data and collaborate in real-time

🔒 Security & Privacy for Schools¶

Student Data Protection¶

Isolated Environments: Each student gets private, isolated cloud environment
No Shared Infrastructure: Students cannot access each other's work unless explicitly shared
Automatic Cleanup: Environments can be automatically terminated at semester end
Backup Integration: Student work automatically backed up to AWS EBS volumes

FERPA Compliance¶

Private by Default: Student environments are private and encrypted
Access Controls: Only authorized faculty can manage student environments
Audit Logging: Complete logs of all environment access and changes
Data Retention: Configurable data retention policies for academic records

🚀 Advanced Features for Educators¶

Professional GUI Interface¶

Visual Management: Point-and-click interface for non-technical staff
Real-time Monitoring: See all student environments and their status
Cost Dashboard: Track usage and spending across classes
Template Marketplace: Access community-contributed educational templates

Automated Management¶

Templates include built-in idle detection that automatically hibernates instances after a configurable period of inactivity (default: 60 minutes). This preserves student work while reducing costs — no manual setup required.

To hibernate all student environments manually:

prism workspace hibernate student-name-project

Integration with LMS¶

API Access: Integrate with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle via REST API
Single Sign-On: Connect with school authentication systems (future)
Grade Integration: Link projects with grading systems (future)

📋 Pilot Program Checklist¶

Week 1: Setup & Testing¶

Install Prism on faculty machine
Configure AWS account with educational credits
Test launch of all relevant templates
Verify cost monitoring and hibernation
Document any issues or questions

Week 2: Small Class Pilot¶

Launch environments for 3-5 students
Test collaboration features (shared volumes)
Monitor costs and usage patterns
Gather student feedback on usability
Document workflow improvements

Week 3: Full Class Deployment¶

Scale to full class size (20-30 students)
Implement automated policies (hibernation, cost controls)
Integration testing with existing curriculum
Staff training for ongoing management
Prepare expansion plan for other courses

Week 4: Evaluation & Planning¶

Cost analysis vs traditional lab infrastructure
Student learning outcome assessment
Faculty productivity improvements
Technical support requirements
Plan for full institutional adoption

🆘 Quick Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

"Cannot connect to environment"

# Check if environment is running
prism workspace list

# Resume if stopped
prism workspace resume my-project

"High costs"

# Check running instances
prism workspace list

# Hibernate unused environments
prism workspace hibernate unused-project

"Student cannot access Jupyter/RStudio"

# Get connection info
prism workspace connect my-ml-project
# Follow the provided URL and SSH instructions

Getting Help¶

Documentation: Full documentation
GitHub Issues: Report problems
Educational Support: Email support@prism.dev with "SCHOOL PILOT" in subject
Community Forum: Join educator discussions (coming soon)

📈 Success Metrics¶

Track these metrics during your pilot:

Student Engagement¶

Time spent in development environments
Number of projects completed
Code commits and collaboration activity
Student satisfaction surveys

Educational Outcomes¶

Project complexity and quality improvements
Reduced setup time (from hours to minutes)
Increased focus on learning vs troubleshooting
Cross-platform consistency (all students same environment)

Operational Efficiency¶

IT support ticket reduction
Faculty time saved on environment setup
Cost savings vs traditional computer labs
Scalability to other courses and departments

Cost Analysis¶

AWS costs per student per course
Comparison to hardware lab costs
ROI calculation including faculty time savings
Hibernation effectiveness (cost reduction)

🌟 Next Steps After Pilot¶

Successful Pilot Outcomes¶

Expand to More Courses: Roll out to additional CS, data science, and research courses
Faculty Training: Train more educators on Prism management
Student Onboarding: Create student-facing documentation and tutorials
Integration Planning: Connect with school's LMS and authentication systems

Institutional Adoption¶

IT Policy Integration: Align with school's cloud and security policies
Budget Planning: Include Prism in annual IT budget planning
Curriculum Integration: Update course syllabi to leverage cloud environments
Research Enhancement: Expand to faculty research projects and collaborations

📞 Pilot Program Support¶

Ready to start your pilot? Contact our education team:

Email: education@prism.dev
Subject: School Pilot Program - [Your Institution]
Include: School name, course details, expected student count, timeline

We provide: - ✅ Free 30-day pilot support - ✅ AWS credit guidance and optimization - ✅ Custom template development for your curriculum - ✅ Faculty training and documentation - ✅ Student onboarding materials - ✅ Success metrics and reporting

Transform your computing education with Prism - professional development environments for every student, managed with simplicity.