Tutorials

We published dozens of tutorials describing various netlab features. Choose one of these to get started:

• Build a simple network with two routers

• Run BGP labs in GitHub Codespaces

• Run netlab on Apple silicon (also applicable to other platforms)

• Run netlab examples in GitHub Codespaces

These instructions and tutorials cover some of the usual early hurdles:

• Building Vagrant boxes

• Building or installing containers

• Selecting Network Devices’ Software Release

• Add Linux Hosts to Lab Topologies

Lab Topology Tutorials

Once you want to know more, check out these lab topology tutorials:

• Link definitions

• Addressing

• netlab Custom Groups and Deployment Templates

• Simplify netlab Topologies with Link Groups

• Mix Containers and VMs in the Same Lab Topology

• Using VLAN and VRF Links

User Interface Tutorials

Want to draw graphs, create reports, or use the GUI?

• Network Topology Graphs
• Using Graphite as netlab GUI
• Using netlab Reports

VRFs, VLANs, VXLAN, and EVPN

VRFs and VLANs are particularly tricky, so we created numerous examples for simple- and complex topologies using them:

• Simple VLAN Example
• VLAN Trunk Example
• Combining VLANs with VRFs
• Creating VRF Lite Labs With netlab
• VRF Lite Topology with VLAN Trunks
• Creating MPLS/VPN Labs With netlab
• Router-on-a-Stick Example
• IRB with Anycast Gateways
• Building a Layer-2 Fabric

There are also examples describing EVPN and VXLAN features:

• Simple VXLAN Bridging
• VXLAN Leaf-and-Spine Fabric
• EVPN/VXLAN Bridging Example
• IBGP Full Mesh Between Leaf Switches
• VXLAN Router-on-a-Stick Example
• VRF Lite over VXLAN Transport
• Building Layer-3-Only EVPN Lab

Even More Examples

More practical examples:

• Creating BGP Multipath Lab with netlab (lab topology using BGP and OSPF)

• Building Unnumbered Ethernet Lab with netlab (using unnumbered interfaces)

• Anycast Works Just Fine with MPLS/LDP (custom configuration templates)

• Optimal BGP Path Selection with BGP Additional Paths (custom deployment templates)

• Building a BGP Anycast Lab (group-wide node data, auto-generated groups)

Even more tutorials…

Configuration Module Examples

Documentation of individual configuration modules includes sample lab topology files:

• OSPF example

• IS-IS example

• Multiple BGP examples

• Segment Routing example