Simulating Networks Using Cisco Modeling Labs (TechWiseTV Workshop)

Nour Abu-Sheikh

Product ManagerOct 7, 2015

Technical Overview – TechWiseTVCisco Modeling Labs

2© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential

Agenda• Problems and Challenges

• Solution

• Benefits of Cisco Modeling Labs

• Architecture and Platforms

• Steps for Creating a Simulation

• What’s New in CML 1.1

• Reference Platforms

• Cisco Modeling Labs Requirements

• Installing Cisco Modeling Labs Server

• Cisco Modeling Labs Vs VIRL PE



The Problem• Designing, building, testing and launching physical networks can be an expensive, complex and

time-consuming endeavor, and the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, the cloud, and mobile computing are putting a premium on the need to speed up the process

• Currently it can take days to build out a network before it can be tested, validated and deployed


The Challenge


• Testing new OS versions and features• Staging new deployments• Troubleshooting problems• Developing new offerings• Limited access to lab; both physically and

across network• Purchasing and maintaining non-production

hardware• Providing hands-on experience across teams

How do you test networking solutions at scale, with time and budgets constraints and without harming live networks?


A scalable software platform that enables teams to design, build, test, and deploy real-world simulations in a virtual environment

• Create models and what-if scenarios of real-world/future networks

• Visualize network topologies from protocol perspectives• Modeling of traffic patterns and network errors• Scales to 100s of virtual network and server devices*• Interact with other vendors; externally connected

and within simulation• Leverage “real” network operating systems – routers,

switches, Linux• Provide Confidence that the network is Production

Ready

The SolutionCisco Modeling Labs


6© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 6© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential

Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition is the ideal network simulation solution. It provides a virtual environment to design, build, simulate, and visualize real-world networks and operational scenarios.With its simple point-and-click interface, network engineers can design or import a network topology and turn it into a virtual network in minutes.

• Point-and-click design• Automated configuration

generation and protocol visualization

• Virtual Cisco IOS Software for router and switch simulation

• Support for other IOS devices and 3rd party images

• Multi-client support• Connectivity between

simulated and physical labs

• Lower capital and operating expenditures

• Provide on-demand access to resources

• Scale resources on demand

• Decrease deployment time of new services

• Increase uptime with what-if scenarios

• Reduce lab footprint• Save energy, go green

Why Cisco Modeling Labs? Features Benefits

Features and Benefits

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Mov09QVcz80N7M&tbnid=ideCiM2HmPRfLM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.eclipse.org/artwork/&ei=gUz0UvfKK8yHiQf04oCwDw&bvm=bv.60799247,d.aGc&psig=AFQjCNFRvxBMB8epHHxpQTZ-6Xzyf8NugA&ust=1391828480118197



Why Use Cisco Modeling Labs?

• Build, test and deploy networks – virtually• Validate and verify a range of configuration options• Rapid prototyping of new service offerings• Reduce risk and errors through improved operational and engineering hands-

on experience

Technical Opportunities


Cisco Modeling Labs – High-Level Architecture

Cisco Modeling Labs - Client

VMwareESXi

Cisco Modeling Labs - Server

OpenStack Routers Switches Servers

Ubuntu

Windows

1 ….… N


UCS Server

Windows MAC




CML Architecture – OVAO

VA ̶

Cis

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VMMaestro

Cisco VM

Hypervisor (KVM)

VIRL Service Topology Director AutoNetKit

AutoNetKitCisco

Extensions

OpenStack

Ubuntu Linux

VMWare ESXi

Hardware



CML Architecture – ISOO

VA ̶

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VMMaestro

Cisco VM

Hypervisor (KVM)

VIRL Service Topology Director AutoNetKit

AutoNetKitCisco

Extensions

OpenStack

Ubuntu Linux

Server Hardware



Steps for Creating a Simulated Environment

• Eclipse-based• Drop and click

configuration build• Import configurations

from existing environments

• Create offline, anywhere, anytime

• Automatically build simulated environments

• Supports L3 routing and user-supplied virtual machines, such as Ubuntu

• Configure for external device connection such as packet generators

• View network designs in graphical format

• Filter views by protocol type

• Easily see protocol errors

• Convert configurations between different OS-types

• Enable configurations in each virtual router

• Telnet into simulated devices

• Modify and verify configurations using standard OS command syntax

• Export configurations for use in production

Design Build LaunchVisualize


CML Architecture - Client – VM Maestro

• Available for Windows and MAC• GUI Interface to design, build, visualize topologies and launch simulations• Launch simulations and provides access to device console (telnet and SSH)• Provides template to build auto-configurations – AutoNetKit

• XML based files• General config fields include: CDP, OnePK, IP Addressing (IPv4/IPv6), Routing,

MPLS• Node configs include: ASN, IGP, iBGP, External L2TPV3, GRE Tunnel

• Ability to import Visio and Cariden Mate Configs

• Provides connectivity configuration to the external virtual and/or physical environment

• Interface to extract configs from running simulations



CML Client – VM Maestro

Console

Outline view

ProjectsTopologies &History

Drawing Tools

Type of ImagesAvailable

External ConnectivityTools

Perspectives:Design or Simulation

Node Editor

Graph View

Canvas/workspace

AutoNetKitConfig BuilderTopology Properties Problems View

CML Tool Bar




CML Architecture - AutoNetKit Network Configuration / Rendering


CML Architecture - Services Topology Director


CML Architecture – CML Workflow


What’s New in Cisco Modeling Labs – v1.1

© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential

• IOSvL2 Bundled images• Managed and unmanaged Switch

• ASAv Support• Bundled CSR1000v and XRv demo

images• ANK VLAN Support• Visio Support• L2TPv3 Tunneling• Enhanced GRE Tunneling• Phased Node Startup• Timed Simulation

• Enhanced IPv6• Enhanced External Connectivity• Enhanced Image Extraction• Server Statistics Reporting• Enhanced Jumphost

Connectivity• Projects Migration• API Support • Link up/down (what-if)• ANK MPLS LDP Support




• IPv6 Auto Config for Linux Servers• LXC Jumphost Functionality• Exclude form Simulation Launch• Visualization Engine Upgrade

• Visualization Search • Added Default Nodes Types in Palette• Nose SSH Access• Perform simulation actions on

multiple nodes• Simulation expiry function

• Linux server snapshot support• UWM Project and users export

and import • ANK - Multi-IGP support• SNAT Gateway IP address

reported in UWM• Static IP address operation• Large MTU support• IP address node display on

canvas• ANK – Parallel link support




• Full VM renaming capability• Password change support• Custom config block• GRE Tunnel support• New Jumpage menu• OpenStack Horizon Interface Enabled

by default• VNC service is enabled *• Support for ESXi 6.0

• No support for ESXi 5.0• Client support for Java 8• WebServices ports changed


What’s New in Cisco Modeling Labs – v1.1IOSvL2 - Features

• Layer-2 forwarding (auto-config’d)• Switchport (auto-config’d)• 802.1q trunk, 802.1q VLANs (auto-

config’d)• Spanning Tree (auto-config’d)• Port-Channel• 802.1x pass-through• Port-ACLs• Dynamic Arp Inspection• DHCP Snooping

• IP device tracking• Switched Virtual Interfaces• Layer-3 forwarding• VLAN Access Maps

(VACLs/Access Control Lists for VLANs

• Routing protocol support• L2 & L3 ACL Functionality• Dynamic Trunking Protocol

support• Switchport protected mode



What’s New in Cisco Modeling Labs – v1.1IOSvL2 - Features

NOT Supported• Routing protocol support• Port mirroring (SPAN) • Private VLANs



Cisco Modeling Labs v1.1 Supported Platforms


• IOSv / IOSv L2

• IOS XRv

• IOS XE (CSR1000v)

• ASAv

• Ubuntu Linux Server

• NX-OSv (can run in CML but no released image)




IOS

Virtualized in IOSv and IOSv L2

IOS XR

Virtualized in IOS XRv

IOS XE

Virtualized CSR1000v

Linux Server

• Same Control-plane code• Same Management plane code• Same memory footprint

• Different CPU performance• Different Forwarding plane code• No ASIC emulation

CML ArchitectureVirtualized Platform Operating Systems

ASA

Virtualized ASAv


Reference Platforms Bundled with CML 1.1Bundled with Cisco Modeling Labs

IOS

Virtualized in IOSv and IOSv L2

Linux Server Demo IOS XR

Virtualized in IOS XRv

Demo IOS XE

Virtualized CSR1000v


CML v1.1 – Client Requirements

Requirement Description

Memory (RAM) 500 MB

Disk Space 200 MB

Operating System • Microsoft Windows 7 or 8• Apple Mac OS X 10.8 or later




• Intel based server• Must support Intel VT-x (virtualization extension) and Extended Page

Tables (EPT)• Resources: cores - memory

• Must Use the memory calculator to determine needed resources (memory and cores)

CML v1.1 Hardware Requirements


• The key factor for determining memory is to determine the number of virtual devices (nodes) that you want to simulate. This should be based on a cumulative number of:

• Concurrently active simulations and the sizing of the topologies• Types of nodes that users can activate, for example, Cisco IOS, IOSvL2, IOS XRv, CSR

1000v…etc.

• Table shows general memory requirements for supported virtual images:

CML v1.1 Hardware RequirementsEstimating Memory Requirement

Image Memory Requirement (MB)

Cisco IOSv: 15.5(2)T image 512

Cisco IOSv Layer 2: 15.2.411 DSGS image 768

Cisco IOS XRv: 5.3.0 CCO demo image 3072

Cisco IOS XE (CSR 1000v): 3.14 demo image 3072

Cisco, ASAv 9.3.2 2048

Ubuntu 14.04.2 Cloud-init 2048


• The recommended servers for Cisco Modeling Labs are the C220-M4 and C240-M4 servers. These models are based on Intel Haswell CPU (which can be inserted in 18 cores).

• For more information, see the “Cisco UCS C220 M4 High-Density Rack Server (Small Form Factor Disk Drive Model)” spec sheet | http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/servers-unified-computing/ucs-c-series-rack-servers/c220m4-sff-spec-sheet.pdf].

CML v1.1 Recommended Hardware

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/servers-unified-computing/ucs-c-series-rack-servers/c220m4-sff-spec-sheet.pdf

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/servers-unified-computing/ucs-c-series-rack-servers/c220m4-sff-spec-sheet.pdf


• ESXi 5.1U2 (Build 1483097)• ESXi 5.5U1 (Build 1623387)• ESXi 6.0 (Build 2494585)• vSphere Client v5.5 Update 2 (Build 1993072)

CML v1.1 Hypervisor Requirements


CML Corporate Edition vs. VIRL Personal EditionCML Corporate Edition VIRL Personal Edition

User Corporate Individual

Number of Users Unlimited Users Single User

Node Limit Not Limited 15

Expandable 10, 50 and 100 PACs N/A

Support Cisco TAC Community Support Forum

Where to Purchase CCW and Cisco Partners virl.cisco.com

Purchase Methods Supported All methods supported by CCWCredit Card, PO, wire transfer- There is currently no Cisco Product ID.

Call home required for Install and Operation No Yes – weekly internet connectivity is required

Collects Usage Data No Yes – periodic internet connectivity is required

Purchase Capability with Learning Credits No No

Reference Platforms

No charge demo images are included; These include IOSv, IOS XRv, CSR1000v and Ubuntu Linux server. ASAv is supported but not included. Other Production reference platforms can be purchased

No charge demo images are included; These include IOSv, IOS XRv, CSR1000v, NxOSv and as Ubuntu Linux server.


DEMO

Thank You for Attending

For TechWiseTV episodes, TechWiseTV Workshops, Fundamentals and Networking 101’s visit http://www.Cisco.com/go/TechWiseTV.com.

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https://twitter.com/techwisetv

Date post:	16-Apr-2017
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Simulating Networks Using Cisco Modeling Labs (TechWiseTV Workshop)

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