Network Simulator Software

[charles.e.davis]

I am looking for Cisco Network Simulator software that i can install real IOSs and full configurations for testing. Does anything like this exist, and if so what is it called (or its part #) so that it can be ordered.  Thanks.

[Jon Marshall · Accepted solution]

charles.e.davis@baesystems.com
I am looking for Cisco Network Simulator software that i can install real IOSs and full configurations for testing. Does anything like this exist, and if so what is it called (or its part #) so that it can be ordered.  Thanks.

Charles

Do a google search for "dynamips2 which is software that allows you to run real IOS's on your computer. You can use it on either Linux or windows. It can be demanding of CPU and memory but the site has recommendations of what you need.

Also google "gns3" as this is a nice graphical front-end for dynamips.

Both of the above are free although obviously they do not come with the actual IOS itself.

Jon

[charles.e.davis]

Thanks for the response.  Do these programs allow for developing a whole topology that communicates and I can track packets through it?  Thanks again for your help.

[Jon Marshall]

charles.e.davis@baesystems.com
Thanks for the response.  Do these programs allow for developing a whole topology that communicates and I can track packets through it?  Thanks again for your help.

Yes, you basically can configure a while network with multiple separate routers in it. The number of routers you can run is only limited by the CPU/memory of your PC/laptop.

One thing to note is that dynamips does not really do L3 switches because these are hardware based rather than software based.

Jon

[vmiller · Accepted solution]

http://www.wandl.com/html/index.php

this is the swiss army knife of simulation. It does not "Load IOS" but can be used for a variety of configuration sims

http://www.opnet.com/solutions/network_planning_operations/

another one.

[charles.e.davis]

Thanks to both of you.  I'm being forced to do a lot of configuring and troubleshooting of everything from routers and switches to firewalls and IPS without equipment.  So trying to set it up in a software gui environment is the only way I can see making it work.