Drag and Drop network simulator that helps candidates prepare for Extreme Certifications

[Wawa]

The command line is a daunting place for a newbie, especially if you're trying to break into the world of network administration and XOS design and configuration. A lot of effort has gone into designing user-friendly guides for the different Extreme line of hardware. Would it be possible to even take that extra step and create a network simulator that introduces candidates and engineers alike to the Extreme line of hardware, configuration and troubleshooting scenarios? Something like GNS3, but lightweight and staged for various levels of certification. Candidates are then able to design their own networks, practice various XOS commands and share their topologies with other members of the community. It not only helps make XOS more accessible, but begins building a brand loyalty and identity even among individuals that aren't necessarily network engineers

[Wawa]

So my idea is simple, users have a GUI, with extreme's line of hardware (Switches, Routers, APs, Modules, etc), each device has a description once clicked, and a stripped down and lightweight version of XOS.

Each device then has a GUI for basic configurations like IP settings, and a CLI for more advanced configs like port security, VLANs, routing, VPNs, traffic engineering, etc.

Once a devices are connected and configured, network activity can be visualized from Layer 1 through to Layer 4. And if you're thinking of introducing SDN at a certification level, a stripped down version of an application to function at the Control Plane, etc.

I believe in this kind of learning because when I first decided to adopt a particular vendors technology, they had a Simulator I used to get to know their equipment. With time I learned the commands, and everything else is history

[dflouret]

Wawa,

Here's a quick and dirty guide I prepared for Partners and Customers. It's quite basic but may come handy if you want to introduce somebody to the mysteries of building labs with EXOS-VM.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/79bvn8vzinmme70/Installing%20EXOS-VM.pdf?dl=0

[Wawa]

Hi Daniel, thanks for the setup guide, really helpful

[Paul_Russo]

Hello Wawa

Here's a link to my dropbox that also has the documentation that may help you understand how to connect the switches together. Understand this is not a CLI emulator it is the same code that runs on our switches just ported over to support the PC platform.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/93zpha81nlb5c81/AACyV1BdeyIJ9HAeVgJVHjria?dl=0

I have been able to run 6 switches as one time and do complex designs running EAPS or BGP with no issues in memory my MAC has 8G

I hope that helps

P

[Wawa]

Hi Paul. Thanks for the link and the extra configurations. I do have most of them and have been working through setting up my own rig, but my point was more in the line of an application more in the lines of Packet Tracer or Junosphere, both of which can also be setup with GNS3 if one chooses to go that route...BUT of course newbies never do until they are advanced enough to even think of setting up GNS3 with VMs. I hope you understand my angle