Synopses & Reviews
GNS3 is open source software that emulates Cisco router and switch hardware to simulate complex networks. You can use GNS3 on any computer to experiment with various router configurations, study for that next big Cisco certification, or build the ubernetwork of your wildest dreams—all without plugging in a single physical network cable.
The Book of GNS3 will teach you how to harness the powerful GNS3 software to create your own virtual networks with Cisco and Juniper devices. Hands-on tutorials throughout show you how to:
- Configure Cisco IOS and ASA devices in GNS3
- Add Juniper routers to your projects with VirtualBox and QEMU
- Connect GNS3's hub, switch, and cloud devices to physical hardware
- Integrate Cisco IOU virtual machines for advanced switching features
- Simulate a Cisco access server to practice managing devices
- Build bigger labs by distributing project resources across multiple computers
Why set up all of that expensive physical hardware before you know whether it will all work together? Learn how to build virtual networks with The Book of GNS3, and stop reconfiguring your lab every time you want to test something new.
Synopsis
GNS3 is open source software that uses emulated router and switch hardware on Windows, OS X, and Linux to create a real world environment of complex networks. GNS3 is an excellent tool for network engineers, administrators, and anyone studying for Cisco or Juniper certifications. It can also be used to experiment with new network features or to verify configurations for later deployment on real devices.
The Book of GNS3 shows network engineers and system administrators how to harness this tool. The author gently guides readers through the use of GNS3 with tutorial-based explanations, and each chapter introduces new concepts that build on skills from previous ones. You'll learn to create and manage simple to complex networks, using only a single computer or balancing the load across multiple computers.
About the Author
Jason C. Neumann is an active participant in the GNS3 project, supplying code, moderating forums, and beta testing the software on several platforms. Neumann is also a network engineer with more than 20 years of experience, and holds multiple certifications from Cisco, Juniper, Microsoft, Novell, and VMware. He is the author of Cisco Routers for the Small Business (Apress).
Table of Contents
Foreword; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Who This Book Is For; What's in This Book; Chapter 1: Introducing GNS3; 1.1 Why Use GNS3?; 1.2 Open Source Integration; 1.3 A Few Limitations; 1.4 Final Thoughts; Chapter 2: Installing a Basic GNS3 System; 2.1 General Requirements; 2.2 Installing on Microsoft Windows; 2.3 Installing on OS X; 2.4 Installing on Ubuntu Linux; 2.5 GNS3 Appliances; 2.6 Final Thoughts; Chapter 3: Configuration; 3.1 Acquiring an IOS Image; 3.2 Setting Up Your First IOS Router; 3.3 Final Thoughts; Chapter 4: Creating and Managing Projects; 4.1 Project Management Overview; 4.2 Using the GNS3 Toolbar; 4.3 Using the Devices Toolbar; 4.4 Creating Your First Project; 4.5 Ethernet Switch Nodes; 4.6 Changing Symbols and Organizing Your Devices; 4.7 Final Thoughts; Chapter 5: Integrating Hosts and Using Wireshark; 5.1 Virtual PC Simulator; 5.2 VirtualBox; 5.3 Wireshark; 5.4 Final Thoughts; Chapter 6: Juniper Olive and VSRX Firefly; 6.1 Installing QEMU on Windows and OS X; 6.2 Installing QEMU on Linux; 6.3 Introducing Juniper; 6.4 Installing Juniper; 6.5 Creating a Juniper Olive CD Image File; 6.6 Installing and Configuring FreeBSD Using QEMU; 6.7 Installing the Juniper Olive Package in FreeBSD; 6.8 Configuring a Juniper Router in GNS3; 6.9 Testing a Juniper Router; 6.10 Running Juniper vSRX Firefly; 6.11 Final Thoughts; Chapter 7: Device Nodes, Live Switches, and the Internet; 7.1 Built-in Device Nodes; 7.2 Node Configurator; 7.3 Ethernet Hub; 7.4 EtherSwitch Router; 7.5 Frame Relay Switch; 7.6 ATM Switch; 7.7 Cloud Nodes; 7.8 Connecting GNS3 Devices to Physical Hardware; 7.9 Connecting to Live Switches; 7.10 Connecting GNS3 Devices to the Internet; 7.11 Final Thoughts; Chapter 8: Cisco ASA, IDS/IPS, and IOS-XRv; 8.1 Cisco Configuration Professional; 8.2 Cisco ASA Firewall; 8.3 ASDM Installation; 8.4 Cisco IDS/IPS; 8.5 Cisco IOS-XRv; 8.6 Final Thoughts; Chapter 9: Cisco IOS On UNIX and NX-OSv; 9.1 Cisco IOU; 9.2 Setting Up IOU on a Linux PC; 9.3 Using the GNS3 IOU Virtual Machine on Windows and OS X; 9.4 NX-OSv; 9.5 Final Thoughts; Chapter 10: Cool Things To Do on a Rainy Day; 10.1 Managing Devices from an Access Server; 10.2 Deploying Configurations to Real Hardware; 10.3 Copying GNS3 Projects Between Platforms; 10.4 Exploring the GNS3 Console; 10.5 Creating Projects Using Multiple PCs; 10.6 Nerdy Labs for Fun and Profit; 10.7 Final Thoughts; Help! I've Fallen and I can't Get Up; Identifying the Problem; Sudden Problems; Feature Problems; The Nuclear Option; Overburdened Hardware; Resolving Port Number Conflicts; Troubleshooting an ASA; Conserving Resources; Backing Up Your Projects; Welcome to the Jungle; Final Thoughts; Cisco Hardware Compatible with GNS3; Supported Cisco Hardware; IOS Compatibility; NM-16ESW and IOU L2 Limitations; Unsupported NM-16ESW Features; Unsupported Features in Cisco IOU L2 Images; Glossary; Resources; Build Virtual Networks and Save Yourself Some Dough; About the Author;