Overview
I’m building my network simulation environments with Vagrant using libvirt plugin on a Ubuntu 20.04 system… and I always hated how boring it was to set up a new topology and initial device configurations. The tools in this repository should make that task easier, and you’re most welcome to submit pull requests adding support for other environments or platforms.
- Master branch: 0.3 + python-box (read release notes)
- Latest stable release: 0.3 (read release notes)
- Latest legacy (pre-addressing-pools) release: 0.2 (read upgrade warning)
An overview of tools:
create-topology : Creates a full-blown network topology, Vagrantfile and Ansible inventory from a simple list of nodes and links. More details
config.ansible : Applies Jinja2 configuration template to network devices
initial-config.ansible : Using topology data generated by create-topology and default device configuration templates configures common device parameters, protocols that should have been enabled (LLDP), enables interfaces, and configures IP addresses on interfaces.
display-neighbors.ansible : Using Ansible fact gathering collect device neighbor data (usually LLDP neighbors) and displays them. Use YAML Ansible output callback for maximum readability.
connect.sh : SSH to a network using device names, management network IP addresses (ansible_host), SSH port, and username/passwords from Ansible inventory. Ideal when you use centralized Vagrant environments and want to connect to the devices while being in playbook development directory.
Libvirt-specific tools
enable-lldp.sh : Given libvirt network name, change group_fwd_mask for the corresponding Linux bridge to enable LLDP passthrough across the Linux bridge.
GitHub
https://github.com/ipspace/netsim-tools
netsim-tools are bringing infrastructure-as-code concepts to networking labs. You'll describe your high-level network topology and routing design in a YAML file, and the tools in this repository will
- Create Vagrantfile configuration file for virtualbox or libvirt environment
- Create containerlab configuration file
- Create Ansible inventory and configuration file
- Create IPv4 and IPv6 addressing plan and OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, and BGP routing design
- Configure IPv4, IPv6, LLDP, OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, BGP, or SR-MPLS on your lab devices.
Instead of wasting time creating lab topology in a GUI and configuring boring details, you'll start with a lab preconfigured according to your specifications.
Interested? Read the documentation and installation guidelines.
Releases
Use release_0.9 if at all possible. Release 0.8.1 does not work with python-box version 5.4.0. To use release 0.8.1 or earlier releases, manually install python-box release 5.3.0.
More details in release notes.
An overview of tools:
netlab create : Creates a full-blown network topology, Vagrantfile and Ansible inventory from a simple list of nodes and links. More details
netlab initial : Using topology data generated by netlab create and default device configuration templates configures common device parameters, protocols that should have been enabled (LLDP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, SR-MPLS), enables interfaces, and configures IP addresses on interfaces. More details
netlab config : Applies any Jinja2 configuration templates to network devices.
netlab collect : Using Ansible fact gathering or other device-specific Ansible modules, collects device configurations and saves them in specified directory (default: config).
netlab connect : Use SSH or docker exec to connect to a lab device using device names, management network IP addresses (ansible_host), SSH port, and username/passwords from Ansible inventory. Ideal when you use centralized Vagrant environments and want to connect to the devices while being in playbook development directory.
Libvirt-specific tools
enable-lldp.sh : Given libvirt network name, change group_fwd_mask for the corresponding Linux bridge to enable LLDP passthrough across the Linux bridge.
ipspace
