CloudShare's Competitive Experience mode lets instructors split participants in a class into two competing squads — Red Squad and Blue Squad — each with its own dedicated environment and resources. Squads interact with each other only through the Shared Environment, a secure network bridge connecting the two sides.
This mode is designed primarily for cybersecurity red-team/blue-team style training (for example, one squad attacking systems that the other squad is defending), but it can be used for any exercise that benefits from team-based competition.
Note: Competitive Experience currently supports exactly two squads, Red Squad and Blue Squad. Squad names and colors are fixed and can't be renamed.How It Works
- Squad Blueprints – Each squad is provisioned from its own dedicated blueprint (for example, Red Squad might run an offensive toolkit, while Blue Squad runs a defensive environment). Squads can't see or access each other's VMs directly.
- Shared Environment – A separate, shared blueprint that both squads can reach. This is the only path for cross-squad interaction.
- Resource Isolation – Participants only ever see the VMs and resources that belong to their own squad.
- Squad Assignment – Instructors assign each participant to a squad before the session starts. Once an environment has been created for the experience, squad configuration can no longer be changed.
Before You Start: Blueprint Prerequisites
A Competitive Experience needs three blueprints in place before it can be created: one for Red Squad, one for Blue Squad, and the Shared Environment blueprint that connects them. The Shared Environment blueprint must be explicitly attached to both squad blueprints beforehand — via Allow Shared Blueprints on each squad blueprint's via the Blueprint Details page — with matching regions and non-overlapping networks between them. This isn't done in the wizard itself; it has to be set up on the blueprints first, or the wizard won't have a Shared Blueprint to offer.
Where You'll See Squad Features
Competitive Experience touches several parts of CloudShare:
- Experience Creation Wizard – Turn on Squads Mode and assign a dedicated blueprint to each squad.
- Experience Management Page – Assign participants to squads, filter the participant list by squad, and import squad assignments via CSV.
- Editor – Switch between each squad's blueprint (and the Shared Environment blueprint) to configure them independently.
- Instructor Console – Monitor and interact with each squad separately, or view all participants together with squad indicators.
- Participant Viewer – See your own squad identity, chat with your squad, and (if enabled) view your squad's roster.
This article set covers the Experience Creation Wizard, Experience Management Page, Editor, Instructor Console, and Participant Viewer.