Each lab template has an Inactivity Timeout that can be used to specify what will happen when user activity is not detected in lab template and class lab resources. You can use this setting to automatically pause and stop resources when your students aren't active and therefore, prevent unnecessary cloud provider charges. 

This setting is available after a lab template is created and is found in Lab Template Details of the Lab Template Page. 

NOTE: This setting applies to server instances only.  Currently, RDS instances do not auto-pause. If your template contains an RDS instance, make sure you stop the RDS instances when they are not being used, to avoid any unnecessary charges.

By default, as new templates are created, the Inactivity Timeout will be ON and set to auto-pause after 60 minutes of no user activity. Unless this setting is changed, server resources in this lab template and any class labs based on this template will automatically pause after 60 minutes of inactivity. Labs that auto-pause will automatically stop after 2 days of inactivity.  

If the Inactivity Timeout is turned off, resources in this lab template and class labs based on this lab template will not automatically pause or stop and inactive resource email notifications will not be sent.  These resources will be left in a running state and will continue to incur cloud provider charges, regardless of activity.  

If the Auto Pause Lab option is turned on, you can choose one of the time threshold options ranging from 15 minutes to 5 hours.  If user activity is not detected within this time period, the lab template resources will automatically pause.  Any class labs based on this template will also pause based on this threshold.  

Labs that are set to Auto Pause will also automatically stop after 2 days of inactivity.  A new restore point is created when resources are auto-stopped and users can rollback to a previous point if necessary. The only exception to this is published lab templates. Changes to published lab templates could impact already created classes. Therefore, a copy of the template, including any changes, is made and the published template is stopped without the changes.

If you do not want template and class lab resources to automatically pause or stop, but you do want inactive resource email notifications to be sent, Notification Only can be used. If lab templates are inactive for 24 hours, the lab template owner and tenant administrator are notified. If class labs are inactive for 24 hours, the instructors and tenant administrators are notified.