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CML 2.9

I've been a follower on this software for Cisco Modeling Labs for a decade. Originally called Cisco VIRL back in 2014, Cisco CML 2.9 was released in July and I've now had the chance to play around with it. Here are the main hits!

Containers:

CML 2.9 has the following containers ready to go.

  • Browsers, like Chrome and Firefox. This is helpful if you want you need a browser for in-lab.

  • Routing, Free-Range Routing (FRR) is a lightweight open-source routing device that supports OSPF and other protocols. This is helpful in simulating routing and easy on the resources if you just want to play with a routing protocol.

  • Network Services, Dnsmasq, Syslog, Netflow, Nginx, Radius, and TACACS+ all awesome tools to really get your simulation into a real world setup.

  • Utilities, just general tools like T-Shark and Nmap and ThousandEyes agent monitoring.

Cloning

A nice to have feature that allows you to clone a customized node. Perhaps you setup a node and don't want to re-configure it every time you lab, you can copy and paste that node as a new image type.

Git Integration

For me this is probably my favorite feature, you can tie your CML system to an external git repository. By tieing to an external repository the sample labs within CML are synced with that external git resource.

By default the CML Community Github is connected but you can add and remove multiple repositories. So I'm going to plug my own repository, make sure you add that into CML for labs that create so you can easily import them! 😊

You can add by going to Tools->System Administration->Lab Repositories (left-hand side), select the Add button and type in a Git URL the repository.

  • https://github.com/lewiryan/Cisco_CML
  • Specify the Labs folder its case-sensitive, submit and sync.

Once you sync you will see labs within the sample labs area of CML. Tools->Sample Labs You can have multiple repos listed so depending what you got you can search and import labs from within CML. 🥳

Lab Lab Lab

One of the things I do often is lab, to me that's the only way to learn and play around with things when it comes networking. Theory is awesome but actually configuring something with hands-on is so much better. CML makes it pretty easy to ask yourself "Hmm I wonder if that would work?" and then you lab it up to test it out. A simple sandbox for all of your curiosities!