Build BGP Labs in Minutes, Not Hours with Netlab

What if I told you that all it takes to build a simple BGP lab with two eBGP peers (or even a hundred, for that matter) is a single YAML file? No need to add nodes on a GUI, connect links, or configure interface IPs manually. You just define the lab in a YAML file as shown below, and in about two minutes, you’ll have two routers of your choice fully configured with BGP and an established eBGP session.

provider: clab
defaults.device: eos
defaults.devices.eos.clab.image: ceos:4.34.2

addressing:
  mgmt:
    ipv4: 192.168.200.0/24

nodes:
  - name: r1
    module: [ bgp ]
  - name: r2
    module: [ bgp ]

bgp:
  as_list:
    100:
      members: [ r1]
    200:
      members: [ r2 ]

links:
  - r1-r2

r1#show ip bgp summary 
BGP summary information for VRF default
Router identifier 10.0.0.1, local AS number 100
Neighbor Status Codes: m - Under maintenance
  Description              Neighbor V AS           MsgRcvd   MsgSent  InQ OutQ  Up/Down State   PfxRcd PfxAcc PfxAdv
  r2                       10.1.0.2 4 200                5         5    0    0 00:00:15 Estab   1      1      1

r2#show ip bgp summary 
BGP summary information for VRF default
Router identifier 10.0.0.2,  Continue reading

Network Labs on a Budget

"Can you suggest some specs for a server for my network labs?" is probably the question I get asked the most. People reach out all the time asking for recommendations. The thing is, I never really know their exact situation or what they’re trying to do in their lab. So, I usually just share what I have and what worked best for me, and let them decide what fits their setup.

In this post, I’ll go over the cheapest way to build your own network lab without spending too much.

What We Will Cover?

• Buying a used mini PC
• Proxmox as the hypervisor (optional)
• Linux as a VM
• Containerlab/Netlab, EVE-NG, Cisco CML
• Proxmox Backup Server (optional)
• Simplest Option for Absolute Beginners

TL;DR

You don’t need expensive hardware to build a solid network lab. A used mini PC with decent specs is more than enough to run tools like Proxmox, Continue reading

Netpicker NetBox Plugin and Automation

Netpicker brings together configuration backups, security and compliance checks, and automation in one place. It supports over 150 network vendors, including Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto, Fortinet and many more. It also integrates well with other tools like Netbox, Nautobot, and Infrahub for inventory management, and Slurp’it for network discovery. All of these features, including backups, integrations, and automation, are available in the free version. The paid version adds features such as RBAC, approvals, detailed logging, support, and workflows for teams that need more control.

In our previous introductory post, we looked at what Netpicker is, how to set it up, and how it can back up configurations across multiple vendors. In this post, we'll focus on Netpicker Automation and how to use the Netpicker plugin with Netbox, so let's get to it.

Prerequisites

This post assumes you already have a functioning Netpicker and NetBox instances. If you're completely new to Netpicker, check out the introductory post first, where we covered the basics like installation and initial setup. For this example, we’re using NetBox Community version 4.3. Continue reading

How to Take Packet Captures in ContainerLab/Netlab?

If you follow my blog, you probably know that I’m a big advocate for using Containerlab and Netlab to spin up network labs. I’ve already covered both tools in detail, so I won’t go over the basics again here. You can check the links below if you’re new to them or want a quick refresher. In this post, we’ll look at how to take packet captures in Containerlab labs. So, let’s get started.

Containerlab - Creating Network Labs Can’t be Any Easier

What if I tell you that all you need is just a YAML file with just a bunch of lines to create a Network Lab that can run easily on your laptop? I’ll walk you through what Containerlab is

PacketswitchSuresh Vinasiththamby

Netlab - The Fastest Way to Build Network Labs

Netlab then takes care of creating the topology, assigning IP addresses, configuring routing protocols, and even pushing custom configs.

PacketswitchSuresh Vinasiththamby

How do I run Containerlab?

I know everyone has their own way of running Containerlab, so I thought I’d share how I set up and run my labs. My daily driver is a MacBook, but I run Containerlab on a server that’s set up as Continue reading