Staying ahead of threats is imperative (yes, I know we’ve all heard that before). For discerning organizations looking for every possible cyber advantage, cyber ranges have become an essential tool for education, testing, benchmarking, and measuring the performance of security teams. These environments simulate real-world scenarios, combining virtual environments, virtualized infrastructure, and various applications to provide practical training.Gartner's Impact RadarThe Gartner Impact Radar, published on October 6, is a valuable tool for assessing impactful emerging technologies and trends that drive innovation in the security market. The report includes several key concepts for using cyber ranges, summarized below.Cyber range overviewCyber ranges are designed to create realistic environments for cybersecurity training. They typically consist of virtual machines, containers, routers, switches, and network security infrastructure. These environments are instrumented with vulnerable IT systems, operating systems, and applications, allowing practitioners to build training scenarios. These scenarios cover various security topics, from monitoring and threat detection to data breaches.Adoption and maturityAccording to Gartner, the adoption of cyber ranges is still evolving, with further maturity needed to meet the demands of modern security organizations. Basic cyber ranges have been around for some time, often focusing on academic education. However, more advanced providers are emerging, offering complex monitoring and integrated training for mature security programs.Immersive Labs is ready nowImmersive Labs recognizes that the adoption of cyber ranges and exercising is an ongoing process. In the past, basic cyber ranges offered foundational training for aspiring cybersecurity professionals. However, the dynamic nature of cybersecurity and the increasing demands of modern security organizations have pushed advancements in this field.Immersive Labs has significantly contributed to the evolution of cyber range technology, effectively addressing the need for more sophisticated and accessible training solutions. Here’s how:Cyber range overview: immersive and realistic environmentsImmersive Labs' custom cyber ranges enable users to quickly launch immersive, realistic training environments – either completely from scratch or using ready-made templates. These environments simulate real-world scenarios, offering security practitioners hands-on experience. They combine virtualized infrastructure, enterprise applications, and popular security tools to provide a comprehensive training experience.Cyber range scenarios: diverse and practical trainingImmersive Labs' Team Sim cyber range exercising scenarios cover a variety of security aspects, from monitoring and threat detection to application attacks. This diversity ensures that security professionals can develop a holistic skill set, mirroring the practical requirements of the cybersecurity field. Plus, Team Sim provides easy access to pre-configured ranges, ensuring teams can readily spin up sophisticated environments and start exercising!Adoption and maturity: advancing cybersecurity trainingImmersive Labs' platform contributes to the maturity of cybersecurity training. It focuses on team collaboration through the cyber-exercising platform to promote group learning and skill development. This aligns with the evolving landscape of cybersecurity training, where more advanced solutions are preferred to enhance the skills of security teams.As cybersecurity threats constantly evolve, the need for practical and comprehensive training is greater than ever. Immersive Labs' cyber ranges and Team Sim cyber exercising bring that level of training to life today, providing the tools and environments that organizations need to equip their security teams with the skills and knowledge necessary to defend successfully.Solutions like Immersive Labs are ready now to help organizations stay one step ahead.To learn more, visit the Immersive Labs cyber ranges page.And take a look at our Team Sim cyber range exercising page.