This video walks through just one use-case for Vagrant and the Vagrantcloud platform, standardizing and improving development practices in the ELMS Learning Network platform.  I talk through a little bit of the vagrant packaging format, how to make a new .box and what vagrantcloud is.  All of these I think can be used to help allow for better, more diverse options in distributed development.

Most exciting about Vagrant Cloud is the prospect of sharing access to VMs on a temporary basis.  You could create an hour long share either via http, ssh or both to a VM running on your computer.  This can allow for increased transparency in development with a client or just helping troubleshoot a coworker’s problem directly on their VM via SSH.  It can also help debug potential issues with domain names shifting as it will broadcast at a throw-away address that’s different then your local development location.

I also mention a video I recorded recently describing chef and vagrant for those that don’t understand those concepts.  Here’s that video: