The design and test of Multi-Processor System-on-Chips (MPSoCs) and development of distributed applications and/or operating systems executed on those hardware platforms is one of the biggest challenges in today's system design. This applies in particular when short time-to-market constraints impose serious limitations on the exploration of the design space. The use of virtual platforms can help in decreasing the development and test cycles. In this paper, we present a cloud-based environment supporting the user in designing heterogeneous MPSoCs and developing distributed applications. Therefore, the design environment generates virtual platforms automatically allowing fast prototyping cycles especially in the software development process, and exports the design to a hardware flow synthesizing compatible FPGA designs. The extension of the peripheral models with debug information supports the developer during test and debug cycles and avoids the need of adding special debug codes in the application. This improves the readability, portability and maintainability of produced software. Additionally, this paper presents the benefits of using cloud-based design environments in engineers' trainings and educations. Therefore, the framework supports testing the system including complex software stacks with prerecorded data or testbenches.