It does not matter if you are setting up GNS3 for the first time or if you have been using it for a while, these three options will make using GNS3 easer and add greater functionality to your labs.
In the following paragraphs we will describe the three options along with what each one can offer to enhance your lab functionality, and provide an easy more user friendly interface making GNS3 the best choice for students to practice their CCNA or CCNP labs as well as giving network engineer an excellent tool to model network concepts.
SupperPutty: If you are tired of opening and closing or minimizing Putty windows as you navigate around even a small lab topology let alone a complex topology with numerous routers and switches.
You could try implementing a terminal server but this would require additional devices and configuration and when you are done configuring the terminal server it may not function within your GNS3 installation due to firewall, antivirus and other computer issues.
So how do we resolve this issue? Well the answer is already included in the latest version of GNS3.
SupperPutty is the answer by changing the GNS3 terminal setting from Putty to SupperPutty allows the user to console to all devices within you lab topology within a single console window.
Each device will be displayed in its own tab giving the user the ability to navigate between console sessions by selecting the tab for that device.
Additionally by using the "Commands" feature, you can duplicate a single command on as many devices as possible in a single SuperPutty window.
SupperPutty is a complimentary product, and is featured in the most up to date version of GNS3 0.
8.
6.
Virtual PC Simulator: The Virtual PC Simulator (VPCS) is an application that runs within Windows or Linux.
It has limited functionality, yet crucial, it makes it possible for the user to run pings and traceroutes in their labs.
These are the most typical connectivity testing commands used during CCNA or CCNP training and are frequently the only commands required for to validate or troubleshooting connection issues.
Using VPCS you will save memory and CPU cycles.
If you do not need extra capability for the host workstations or servers within your topology, I highly recommend using VPCS.
The Virtual PC Simulator is a complimentary product, and is featured in the most up to date version of GNS3 0.
8.
6.
Microsoft Loopback Interface: Among the impressive features in GNS3 is the ability to connect your topology to the real world.
Throughout the course of your CCNA and CCNP studies you might find the need to run a real Web browser, TFTP server, or Cisco's Security Gadget Supervisor (SDM).
If you are thinking of making use of an ASA firewall in a security lab you might intend to use the ASDM GUI tool to set up ASAs devices.
You could even attach to virtual devices operating on your computer system inside VMware or Virtual computer.
I have actually seen a setup were 2 copies of Windows 7 Professional are running inside VMware virtual machines and with Cisco soft IP Phones installed it could be possibly to speak with each other by creating a small voice laboratory.
You might want to link your virtual network to a real network too.
OK enough with just what you could do, how I do it? Well the answer is you should create a Microsoft loopback interface on your computer system designate it an IP subnet then when you are developing you lab in GNS3 all you should do is add a cloud interface to your lab topology and connect your virtual devices to Microsoft loopback interface within the cloud.
There are numerous other built-in tools and plugins available to GNS3 that will add additional functionality to your lab providing you will with virtual host and ability to capture network traffic for troubleshooting and analysis but this is a subject better covered in a different article.