A New Cyber Range Comes to Winter Park, Florida
Full Sail University, based in Winter Park, Florida, has announced the upcoming launch of the Full Sail University IBM Cyber Defense Range powered by AWS and Cloud Range. The facility is scheduled to open in April 2026, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for April 16, 2026. The announcement was made on April 2, 2026.
The new on-campus environment is designed to serve students enrolled in the Cybersecurity Bachelor of Science Completion and Information Technology Bachelor of Science programs. It will give them access to live cybersecurity attack-and-defense exercises, incident response practice, and realistic simulations that reflect the kinds of threats encountered in enterprise environments today.
Bridging Academic Learning and Real-World Security Operations
The driving philosophy behind the facility is closing the gap between what students learn in the classroom and what they will face on the job. The range is designed to mirror enterprise-scale cyber environments and is aligned with frameworks established by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
"The IBM Cyber Campus is designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world cybersecurity operations. We're helping to strengthen Florida's talent pipeline and give students some hands-on experience in realistic, enterprise-scale cyber environments." — Rene Plasencia, Florida Lead Account Partner at IBM
The collaboration brings together IBM's advanced technology stack, AWS's cloud infrastructure, and Cloud Range's simulation expertise. AWS's secure, elastic cloud infrastructure enables Full Sail to deploy fully operational Security Operations Center (SOC) training environments within the space.
What the Facility Looks Like
The Cyber Defense Range is housed within Full Sail's existing Emerging Tech Wing and represents a significant expansion of the university's emerging technologies footprint. The physical specifications of the space include:
- A 1,463+ square-foot learning environment
- 107.8 square feet of Absen 136-inch screens
- 28 stations outfitted with 27-inch HP monitors, HP Elite desktops, and Thunderbolt Hubs to enable seamless connection to student laptops
- Simulated enterprise and cloud-based network environments
Curriculum and Training Capabilities
The range is not simply a showcase — it is a fully functional training ground. Students will engage in a variety of activities designed to build practical, employer-ready skills:
- Team-based exercises and attack-defense scenarios
- Malware analysis and threat hunting
- Incident response and digital forensics simulations
- Monitoring, detection, and mitigation of cyber threats using tools employed by industry professionals
Critically, all training takes place in a simulated environment, meaning students can test security tools and respond to cyber incidents without any risk to live systems.
Beyond academic coursework, the range is intended to host cybersecurity competitions, workshops, and training events for local businesses, government agencies, and partners — extending its impact beyond the student body.
Partner Perspectives on Workforce Development
Each of the three major partners behind the range offered commentary on why the collaboration matters for the broader cybersecurity industry.
"AWS proudly powers the Full Sail University IBM Cyber Defense Range, expanding access to world-class training that develops job-ready cybersecurity and IT professionals. As emerging technologies reshape our digital landscape and cyber threats grow more sophisticated, this collaboration demonstrates how strategic partnerships build the talent pipeline our industry demands." — Faisal Hanafi, Director of Education and U.S. State and Local Government at AWS
"Preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals requires more than classroom instruction. Through this collaboration with IBM, AWS, and Full Sail University, students will have the opportunity to defend against actual cyber attacks in the simulated environment to develop the practical skills that future employers require. Hands-on experience in realistic cyber range environments ensures graduates enter the workforce with more than just certifications; they are equipped with real-world skills that align with what employers need today." — Debbie Gordon, CEO of Cloud Range
Full Sail's Broader Emerging Technologies Mission
Haifa Maamar, PhD, Executive Director of Emerging Technologies at Full Sail University, described the facility as a milestone moment for the institution's Emerging Technologies programs.
"The Full Sail University IBM Cyber Defense Range powered by AWS and Cloud Range strategically connects academic instruction with real-world, industry-specific application, developing the technical expertise, critical thinking, and collaborative capabilities required in today's complex security environment. It represents a significant milestone for our Emerging Technologies programs and directly supports workforce readiness by creating clear pathways for our graduates to enter the cybersecurity industry."
Full Sail University was founded in 1979 and has grown to serve more than 100,000 graduates worldwide. The university offers both on-campus and online degree programs spanning Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. It was recently named a 2026 "Top Game Design School" by The Princeton Review and was featured in MovieMaker magazine's "30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada" list for 2025.
The launch of the IBM Cyber Defense Range marks a concrete step in the institution's effort to position its graduates as practice-ready entrants into one of the most in-demand fields in the technology sector.
Source: Dark Reading