INE released GNS3 config for v5 topology

A few days ago one friend on mine announced me that InternetworkExpert released a GNS3 configuration for their v5 topology.

When I had check INE’s website, I could not found the link to GNS3 topology. To be honest I was expecting INE to announce with big letters this new development, but I was quite silent (or I’m not reading carefully enough their website).

To fin GNS3 configuration, there is a small catch. You have to go to INE resources webpage, and from there to Dynamips (there is no GNS3 link). If you ever used the INE’s Dynamips config, that this page is familiar for you. Somewhere in the middle there is a link with “Click here to download the INE Topologies for Dynagen“. You download this archive file and inside you’ll find among other configuration a file called ine.routing.and.switching.topology.5.00.gns3.net:

INE V5 GNS3 topology config

This is the file which you are looking for. Of course you need to edit and adapt it to your local configuration (IOS, path location…).  What is different from Dynamips file? Almost nothing, but you have a graphical view of the topology and if you put your mouse over a link, you’ll see where is the connection pointing too. It can help you spare some time in the configuration, but there is a drawback. Don’t get used too much with this feature, as in the CCIE lab exam you don’t have where to point your mouse to show the connection and you have to figure it by your own from the paper (or lately computer screen).

If you don’t want to follow the steps above, then:

Download the INE’s v5 topology GNS3 configuration


Cisco: Use TTCP to test together with TTCPW or JPerf

In one my previous posts, I shown you how to test a connection using a hidden Cisco IOS tool called TTCP.  A few days ago I run into an issue. I had to test a TCP connection to a remote Cisco router, but I had not other router on which to initiate the TTCP connection. As explained in Testing TCP Connection post, to use TTCP you need 2 Cisco routers.

Now, I found 2 new ways to do the testing without the need of having 2 routers, but just one. Maybe you already know this methods, but for those who don’t please keep on reading.

First, there is a Windows tool called TTCPW (download here) (actually you can download also the code, and I think it’s possible to compile and run it under Linux as well). This TTCW tool have the same option like Cisco TTCP and can work together without any issue.
On Cisco router, issue the ttcp command, and keep the regular parameters (we are not interested for now in fine tuning). Below I set the Cisco router to be the receiver:

Cisco TTCP
Cisco TTCP with default settings

On PC side, you download TTCPW and use the same settings. Basically to transmit you only need to input ttcpw.exe -t or -r “ip.address” and that’s it  Of course you can tune the settings to meet your needs. Just type ttcpw.exe to see all the settings.

TTCPW
TTCPW help

The second tool that you can use with Cisco TTCP is IPerf (text mode) or JPerf (Java graphical mode). Just fill in the IP address and the port (5001 if default) and you’re ready to go:

Jperf with TTCP
Jperf with TTCP

Of course there are some limitations on JPerf to TTCP compared to JPerf to JPerf testing. One of then is that you cannot use parallel streams, if you want to stress the connection. To overcome this limitation, I do the following.
Open 2 or 3 connection to the Cisco router where TTCP will run. Start one each connection one TTCP daemon with different ports (e.g. assuming 3 connection than ports 5001, 5002 and 5003). Then on the client start 3 JPerf (Iperf) with the same IP address but different ports (you can take the one below). In this way you can stress the connection a little bit.

Converting from old to new with the PIX to ASA Migration Tool

Digging through Internet I’ve found a very good article from David Davis explaining how to make your life easier when migrating from PIX to ASA.

The important thing to note about PIX and ASA configurations are that they are different. In other words, to do one thing on a PIX requires a different command on an ASA. The ASA uses a more “IOS-like” configuration where the PIX has its own “PIX-OS” configuration. Here are just some of the differences between the two:

  • The ASA is different hardware and has different interface names.
  • The ASA uses sub-interface commands, like the Cisco IOS.
  • A PIX will use FIXUP commands for application inspection whereas the ASA will use policy maps.
  • On the PIX,outbound and conduit commands are used versus access lists on the ASA.

There are two ways to perform this conversion — manually or by using the automatic migration tool. You may want to perform the conversion manually if you want more granular control, but Cisco offers a PIX to ASA Migration Tool that can perform this automatically. Let’s look at how it works.

Read the full article at: Converting from old to new with the PIX to ASA Migration Tool


How to integrate GNS3 with Virtual PC

In this article I want to show you how to extend your posibilities to test a network in GNS3. Sure, it’s simple sometime to use a Loobpack interface on one of your edge routers to simulate an external network, but sometime is useful to have something connected to the router port. Take as an example QoS marking and classification. If you want to mark something inbound, then you need a connection to the router port where you want to mark the packets.

Additional to my example here, which include Virtual PC Simulator, you can find useful tutorial about GNS3 and VMware integration on  gns3-labs.com or how to emulate a voice lab with the same tools on blindhog.net.

Even most of you are familiar with GNS3 and maybe Virtual PC Simulator, let me begin with some short description about this 2 software.


GNS3 is a Graphical Network Simulator that allows emulation of complex networks. It allows you to run a Cisco IOS in a virtual environment on your computer (running Linux, MacOS X or Linux). GNS3 is a graphical front end to a product called Dynagen. Dynamips is the core program that allows IOS emulation.

The Virtual PC Simulator (VPCS) allow you to simulate up to 9 PCs. You can ping/traceroute them, or ping/traceroute the other hosts/routers from the virtual PCs when you study the Cisco routers in the Dynamips. VPCS is not the traditional PC, it is just a program running on the Linux or Windows, and only few network commands can be used in it. But VPCS can give you a big hand when you study the Cisco devices in the Dynamips. VPCS can replace the routers or VMware boxes which are used as PCs in the Dynamips network.

Before we start, I assume that you already have these tools installed. If not, please download and install GNS3 and VPCS.

On the following example I will show you how to configure a network topology including 2 Virtual PCs and one router and how to interconnect them in GNS3. This presentation is simulate a basic network, but after you learn how to do it, you can configure more complex one. You can have a look to the topology to understand better what I’m talking about.

Please see the video presentation below:

gns3-virtualpc