GNS3

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GNS3: The Graphical Network

Simulator
Who am I?

Matthew Gillespie

CTI Networks

RHCSA Redhat 7

CCNA/CCNP Route Switch

UWCA

braindeadprojects.com
What is GNS3?

GNS3 grew out of a Masters thesis by
Jeremy Grossman

It's a Python suite of tools that glue
together a Cisco emulator with
virtualization platforms in an easy to use
GUI. Emphasis is on network design.

It's an evolution from the early days when
you had to edit dyamips/dynagen text
configs by hand.
What can it run?

Cisco IOS (dyamips)

Cisco IOU (IOS on Unix)

Cisco PIX OS (Cisco ASA)

Virtualbox Machines

QEMU/KVM Machines

VMWare Machines (new in version 1.4)

VPCs, etc.
Cisco Emulation

Handled by dynamips.

Can emulate 1700, 2600, 2691, 3600,
3725, 3745, and 7200 series platforms.
GNS3 Crowdfunder

2013 Crowdfunder.com event, hoping to
earn $35,000.00 to improve the software.
GNS3 Crowdfunder Success
• They met their goal within 3.5 hours.
• They had additional rewards already
established...
• The contributions wouldn't stop.
• So... they added more rewards.
Victim of their own success?
• Goals Met:
• 11/20/13 - 04:19MST - $38,007
• 11/20/13 - 13:40MST - $90,037
• 11/21/13 - 14:26MST - $122,387
• 11/23/13 - 13:31MST - $150,023
• 11/28/13 - 14:08MST - $180,078

• At one point they stopped the event, but


were asked to keep it open...
• 11/30/13 - 12:06MST - $200,194
• 12/02/13 - 11:52MST - $221,869
• 12/06/13 - 11:38MST - $273,927
• ...

• In the end, they raised $600,000.00+


Getting Started

http://www.gns3.com

zipfile currently has 5 components

GNS3 GUI

GNS3 Server

Dynamips (Cisco emulator)

IOUYAP (Bridge utility for IOU)

VirtualPC Simulator (VPCS)

OR use Python PIP or your distro's
package manager to install
Requirements
• Python 3.3 (Python3.4 for GNS3 >=1.4)
• PyQT4 (PyQT5 for GNS3 >=1.4)
• Python SIP
• Python Setup-Tools
• Python-netifaces
• Jsonschema
• Etc, etc.... all documented in Readme.rst,
but check both server and GUI packages.
Initial Setup

Consider a “local” or “GNS3 VM” method
for IOU

The VM method supplies a VM for Virtualbox or
VMware that runs IOU appliances.

Set dynamips binary location

Set Virtualbox/VMWare wrapper locations

Set VPCs location

Set IOUYAP location

Install IOS images
GUI Layout
IOS image installation
IOS Image Setup
VirtualBox
• The VirtualBox wrapper will pull in any
guests that you have configured.
• You have to create the guest machines
outside of GNS3.
QEMU/KVM
• QEMU hosts can be configured inside
GNS3. Select system type, RAM, point to
a disk image and name the host.
High CPU utilization?

Dynamips doesn't know when
the emulated router is idle.

Idle-PC is a memory location of
an idle loop. Without a good
value, dynamips will consume
100% of the available CPU


This needs to be calculated on
each router.
Router Console Access

Each device can be accessed via serial
port by right clicking and selecting
“Console”
Router Console Access

You can also customize your own TMUX or
Screen layouts to connect to each of the
consoles.
Emulated Frame-Relay and
ATM

While they're not as common anymore,
GNS3 can emulate basic ATM and Frame
Relay networks.
Integrated Wireshark
• Traffic over each link can be viewed real-
time using Wireshark
Integrated Wireshark
Connecting GNS3 to the Real
World

The “Cloud” element provides the ability to
connect interfaces to the real world.

Generic Ethernet & Linux NIO interfaces

NAT interfaces

UDP tunnels

TAP interfaces

UNIX sockets

VDEs

NULL interface
GNS3 Jungle
• The GNS3 Jungle is the online forum with
announcements, feature requests, bug
reports, etc..
GNS3 Academy
• Online collaboration for learning and
teaching.
Router OSes
• Lots of options
• The GNS3 community has tons of
feedback and HOWTO's on integrating
various vendors.
Mikrotik

http://www.mikrotik.com/download

24 hour demo license, no dynamic routing

Level 1 free routing license

http://wiki.mikrotik.com/index.php?
title=Manual:License&redirect=no
Vyatta (VYOS)

Free Community-based version of Vyatta,
which is used behind the scenes in
Ubiquiti's EdgeRouter platform, etc

http://vyos.net/wiki/Main_Page
Juniper JUNOS

“Olive Routers”

Packages install on FreeBSD VMs
HP VSR 1000's

Another Linux based router VM

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/networking

http://lkhill.com/hp-vsr1000-getting-started/
Cisco CSR 1000v

Yet Another Linux based router VM

Runs IOS XE software

www.cisco.com
Limitations?
• Certainly Plenty of them.
• Some IOS images won't pass multicast
• Some features in IOU images will
configure, but don't actually seem to work
(Dynamic ARP inspection, Private VLANs,
etc)
Quirks

Plenty of them

You can't connect a VM device directly to a
cloud, you have to connect it to a GNS3 switch
and THEN to a cloud.

You can connect VM to VM and dyamips system to
VM directly.

Speed and duplex issues on interfaces...
usually it's best to hardcode settings.

Stoping a VirtualBox machine is a “poweroff”
command, so ensure you shut the OS down
gracefully before hitting STOP.
Questions?

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