What is the best Azure Lab Services alternative?

CloudLabs VM Labs is the Microsoft-recommended Azure Lab Services alternative, named in Microsoft's official retirement guide among recommended partner solutions. 100+ institutions already trust CloudLabs VM Labs, which builds on the ALS experience your teams know, offers browser-based access, self-service setup, and preconfigured Windows and Linux VMs, and adds what ALS never had: VM Shadow instructor monitoring and detailed cost reporting.

Can we migrate our existing labs and VM images?

Yes. You can move VM images and labs from your existing Lab Accounts and Lab Plans using the CloudLabs Migration Tool. Our experts offer end-to-end assistance, helping you migrate complex custom images and multiple labs in batches.

How long does migration from Azure Lab Services take?

It depends on your labs and custom images, which is why every migration starts with an environment assessment. Our experts review your setup and share a transition timeline for your institution, structured so no course ever moves mid-term.

How do the $2,000 Azure credits work?

Qualified ALS migrations receive up to $2,000 in Azure credits applied to CloudLabs VM Labs usage, so evaluation and early migration start without upfront cost. Our team confirms eligibility during your environment assessment.

Azure Lab Services Migration Hub

Azure Lab Services Retires Soon! Plan Your Migration Now

Everything you love about Azure Lab Services is available in CloudLabs VM Labs, and we have added more. Migrate now!

Talk to a Migration Expert Download the Migration Playbook

Get up to $2,000 in Azure credits, available for qualified ALS users.

100+

Leading institutions trust CloudLabs VM Labs
10,000+

Lab deployments powered every month
Microsoft Recommended

Azure Lab Services alternative

100+ Leading Institutions Worldwide Have Already Migrated

Client Stories

Why Organizations Choose CloudLabs

Discover how CloudLabs helps organizations streamline lab operations, reduce manual effort, and deliver impactful hands-on experiences at scale.

"We are incredibly pleased with our experience using CloudLabs by Spektra Systems. Their responsiveness and support have been nothing short of outstanding. They demonstrated remarkable flexibility in accommodating our unique processes, resulting in a seamless and highly productive collaboration. Thanks to CloudLabs, we have successfully delivered Azure-related courses to a substantial number of students."

"I partnered with Spektra Systems to host a large-scale virtual hackathon with an aggressive timeline and nothing more than an idea. They immediately structured the event, created marketing content, a detailed website, and teams that utilised every participant's skills. The week-long event was an enormous success — they absolutely exceeded my expectations by going above and beyond what was asked."

View all success stories

Azure Lab Services Alternative: Free Download

The Azure Lab Services Migration Playbook, 2026 Edition

Assess > Evaluate > Pilot > Migrate > Optimize

An end-to-end guide to help existing users migrate to CloudLabs VM Labs without disrupting a single class.

The retirement in facts

Cited to Microsoft's official Azure Lab Services retirement guide
Environment assessment checklist

For your labs, VM images, and cost baseline
Evaluation scorecard

To compare and choose the right platform
Your Azure migration plan

Explained step by step
Cost optimization after ALS

Including how colleges cut operational costs by up to 70%
A 30-day action plan

To start this month

Download the Migration Playbook

Fill in the short form and your copy is on its way.

Compare

Azure Lab Services vs CloudLabs VM Labs

Compare Azure Lab Services and CloudLabs VM Labs across critical features that impact scalability, flexibility, and operational efficiency.

CloudLabs VM Labs

Azure Lab Services

Lab creation time

Instant

Up to 20 min

Lab publishing required

Instant. No publishing step. Labs are live immediately upon creation

Publish required. Admins must publish labs before users can access them, a process that can take up to 1 hour

Lab type

Flexible. Persistent and non-persistent labs

Limited. Persistent only

VMs per lab

Up to 5. Each with unique configurations

1 only

VM SKU flexibility

Customizable. Custom vCPU, RAM, GPU, and disk

Restricted. Curated list only

User identity

Any identity. Azure AD, Google, LinkedIn, and more

Limited. Azure AD / Microsoft accounts only

Instructor monitoring

VM Shadow. Real-time session overview

Not supported

Lab lifecycle tracking

Full control. Filter by Active, Expired, or Deleted

Not supported

Cost reporting

Detailed. Power BI reports per user and lab

Basic. Azure Billing only

Webinars & Events

Watch the Migration, Live and On Demand

New sign-ups are already closed, and every semester you wait shrinks your window to migrate on your own terms. See exactly what the move looks like before you commit to anything.

Presenter demonstrating software on a large screen during a live session

July 30, 2026 · Live demo + Q&A

Migrate from Azure Lab Services to CloudLabs: Live in Action in 45 Minutes

Watch our expert migrate labs, VM images, and lab plans to CloudLabs VM Labs in real time using the CloudLabs Migration Tool.

Save Your Seat

Audience watching a recorded technology presentation

Azure Lab Services Retirement: Navigating the Transition

Recorded session

A hands-on introduction to CloudLabs VM Labs and our dedicated transition support for existing Azure Lab Services users.

Watch the Recording

Team comparing options in a planning document on a desk

Evaluating Your Options for Azure Lab Services Retirement

August 2026 · Date to be announced

A practical framework for choosing your next virtual IT lab platform, with an evaluation scorecard you can apply to any alternative.

Notify Me

Resource Library

Migration Guides and Resources

Two colleagues reviewing code together on a laptop in a shared workspace

CloudLabs VM Labs for ALS Customers

Full product story, feature comparison, and example pricing for educational institutions.

Explore VM Labs

Hand pointing a pen at bar and line charts on a printed summary report

VM Labs One-Pager (PDF)

Key capabilities on a single page, ready to share with your team and leadership.

Download PDF

Overhead view of a team planning around a table of laptops, tablets, and notebooks

CloudLabs Migration Tool Guide

Official step-by-step documentation for migrating VM images and labs from existing Lab Accounts and Lab Plans.

Read the Guide

From the Blog

Plan Your Migration from Azure Lab Services with CloudLabs VM Labs

As Azure Lab Services approaches retirement, explore migration guides, best practices, cost optimization strategies, and expert insights to help you transition and scale hands-on labs with confidence.

Migrate Before the Deadline Decides for You

Migrating from Azure Lab Services doesn't have to be disruptive. Our experts work with your team to assess your environment, plan your migration, optimize costs, and prepare your faculty and students for a seamless transition.

Environment Assessment

Our experts will review your existing Azure Lab Services environment, lab inventory, VM images, and configurations to help you determine the best migration approach.
Migration Planning & Expert Guidance

CloudLabs experts define your Azure migration plan and timeline, help evaluate lab configurations, onboard faculty, and prepare for a smooth rollout.
Azure Cost Optimization Review

Evaluate your Azure infrastructure and storage usage, identify cost-saving opportunities, and build a predictable cloud cost strategy before migrating.
Hands-On Platform Introduction

Introduce CloudLabs VM Labs to your faculty and students during the September semester, giving them time to become familiar with the platform before full adoption in January.

Talk to a Migration Expert

Tell us about your labs and a CloudLabs migration expert will reach out.

FAQ's

Questions, answered.

CloudLabs VM Labs is the Microsoft-recommended Azure Lab Services alternative, named in Microsoft's official retirement guide among recommended partner solutions. 100+ institutions already trust CloudLabs VM Labs, which builds on the ALS experience your teams know, offers browser-based access, self-service setup, and preconfigured Windows and Linux VMs, and adds what ALS never had: VM Shadow instructor monitoring and detailed cost reporting.

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