Book Image

GNS3 Network Simulation Guide

Book Image

GNS3 Network Simulation Guide

Overview of this book

GNS3 is an open-source Graphical Network Simulator used extensively by networking professionals to simulate networking devices such as Cisco, Juniper and Vyatta routers, along with Virtual PCs. GNS3 Network Simulation Guide gives you all the information you need to run a successful GNS3 simulation. You will be guided through the tricky installation pre-requisites and procedures involved in developing a simulated topology suitable for studying for Cisco CCIE Certification. We will also cover many useful tips and tricks which will help you make the most of your GNS3 simulator application. You will begin the GNS3 journey by ensuring that you have prepared your computer with any additional files required by GNS3, to set up the simulated environment needed for a successful installation process. Once GNS3 is installed, you will get to work creating a successful simulation including routers, Ethernet switches, Virtual PCs, and capture packets using Wireshark. Next, you will learn how to master GNS3's Graphical User Interface as well as the Command Console. The inner workings of GNS3 are described in depth so that you gain an appreciation of how UDP tunnels are used to tie the many components of GNS3 together. By following the clear examples and exercises in this guide, you will learn everything that you need to know about how to use GNS3 to prepare for certifications, as well as simulate real-world network scenarios.
Table of Contents (14 chapters)
GNS3 Network Simulation Guide
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Running GNS3 in a virtual machine


Many GNS3 users like the idea of keeping the simulation environment on a separate virtual machine. This partly arose because early versions of GNS3 and even Dynamips were less stable on Windows platforms, or perhaps it was more a case of having a more detrimental effect on the underlying platform when the program crashed. Whatever the reason, running GNS3 in a virtual machine, typically Linux based, is a popular way of running GNS3.

The GNS3 WorkBench solution

GNS3 WorkBench is one such example of a packaged virtual machine running GNS3 on a Linux base. GNS3 WorkBench is a free download available from my blog site at http://rednectar.net/gns3-workbench and comes with prepackaged tutorials. In this section I will describe how I have connected multiple copies of GNS3 working together by using GNS3 WorkBench installed on Windows computers.

Scenario: You have multiple Windows computers on which you wish to run GNS3, perhaps a lab or a classroom setup. You have...