Why are Team Simulations separate from Labs. What is the difference between the two?

Immersive Labs' Team Sim and Cyber Pro Labs are both effective tools for testing and developing cybersecurity skills. However, their structure and focus are slightly different.

• Individual vs Team approach: Labs are focused on growing individual hands-on skills that you can work through and learn at your own pace. Team Sim is designed to be a collaborative effort, encouraging team-based learning and knowledge sharing. There is an extra element of exercising communication with your team required. 
  
  
• Environment: In labs you, and only you, have access to the virtual machines (VMs) spun up when you open a lab. In Team Sim, an entire virtual network with multiple devices (cyber range) is created, which simulates an organisation's network- every person in your team can access the same network at the same time, meaning communication and coordination is required.
  
  
• Guided vs Open approach: A large portion of labs (except Challenge & Exercise labs) provide information or guidance as part of the lab, and focus on a particular skill or technical concept. Team Sim exercises allow the team to find out information using any means they prefer; there is no singular set method of finding the answers, and you can bring in your preferred scripts and tooling into the environment. Search engines and thinking outside the box are your friends during Team Sim exercises!
  
  
• Preparation: Labs can be accessed and spun up instantly as and when an individual person desires. With Team Sim, although the range can be launched in a couple of minutes, the event-like nature of the exercises requires more logistical organisation arranging team participants.

If you have both Labs and Team Sim, we often recommend plays complete some preparation labs prior to the Team Sim exercise for a better learning experience. Hope that answers your question!