[c-nsp] network simulator

[Ge Moua]

If I understand you correctly you prefer a s/w virtual environment (VM) 
that can simulate multiple switches; doing "trunking (802.1 ?)" and 
"switch access ports".  Maybe preferably if this was akin to a Cisco 
switch with its breadth of IOS command; which probably do exist as a 
proprietary tool for in-house Cisco developers.

Well, I've done something similar if not exact to the summary above for 
a training lab for firewall simulation.  Here is my setup:
hw:
* x86 Dual Xeon 2.6 Ghz / 4Gb RAM / 200 Gb HDD

sw:
+ (Virtualization Sw) Xen 3.3.1 running on CentOS 5.3
    + fed (1) 802.1q trunk (with 16 Vlans) from upstream Cisco3750 switch
        * (16) VMs running Ubuntu 9.04 that acts as end hosts per Vlans 
and broadcast domain
    + fed (2) "switch access ports"
        * (1) for mgmt of Host VM (CentOS 5.3)
        * (1) for another guest VM (Ubuntu 9.04)

The net effect is that the Xen environment "acts" like a switch if fed 
with 802.1q trunk.  I'm sure there are more elegant ways of doing what 
you ask, but this setup works pretty effectively for my needs.

Good luck.



Regards,
Ge Moua | Email: moua0100 at umn.edu

Network Design Engineer
University of Minnesota | Networking & Telecommunications Services



Holemans Wim wrote:
> I'm looking for a (free) network simulator that allows me to simulate a
> small network (20 switches) with different vlans on it. I want to test
> different scenario's : what happens if this switch goes down or that
> link goes down, how do the packets flow in each scenario for the
> different vlans...
>
>  
>
> Anyone has a good reference to such a product ? Free would be nice but
> is no absolute condition.
>
>  
>
> Thanks,
>
>  
>
> Wim Holemans
>
> Netwerkdienst Universiteit Antwerpen
>
>  
>
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