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Usage Guide

The project is controlled primarily through a centralized automation script: run.sh. This script manages both Docker and Containerlab, ensuring project naming conventions (_vntd suffix) are maintained.

Core Logic: run.sh

To start the control menu, navigate to the project root and execute:

./run.sh

Execution

Change the scripts permissions with: chmod +x run.sh.

Automation first

Always prefer using the run.sh commands over manual Docker or Containerlab commands to ensure the environment remains consistent with the documentation and security policies.

For standard usage of the environment, follow these steps:

  1. Preparation: Ensure your vendor images (like cEOS) are in docker/import/ and run Image Control -> Create and Import to build/import required images.

  2. Deployment: Go to Topology Control -> Deploy and select your desired scenario (default scenario: topology.clab.yml).

  3. Verification: Once the deployment finishes, use status of the environment will appear on the screen along the state of all nodes.

  4. Experimentation: Access the nodes via SSH or docker exec to perform traffic generation or security analysis.

  5. Cleanup: Always run Topology Control -> Destroy before finishing your session to ensure system resources are released.

Management Modules

Access this menu to handle the lifecycle of the Docker containers. All images managed through this menu are automatically appended with the _vntd suffix to distinguish them from other images on your system.

  • Create Images: Scans the docker/build/ directory and builds every valid image found. It automates the tagging process so the images are ready for deployment.

  • Import Images (.tar.xz): Scans the docker/import/ directory for vendor-provided images (e.g., Arista cEOS). It automatically imports and tags them with the previous format.

  • Delete Images: A cleanup utility that removes all local images containing the _vntd tag. This is useful for clearing disk space or forcing a fresh rebuild.

  • Display Images: Lists all currently available images in your local Docker registry that belong to this project.

Pro-Tip: Ignore Images

Directories in docker/build/ starting with an underscore (e.g., _mls) are ignored by the automatic build process.

Orchestrate the network simulation using Containerlab.

  • Deploy Topology: Displays available topologies within the labs/ directory and allows you to select one to launch. This command handles the creation of the virtual environment.

  • Destroy Topology: Stops all running containers from a specific lab and removes the network interfaces and bridges created by Containerlab. This should always be done before closing the machine to avoid future networking issues.

  • Display Available Topologies: Lists the lab scenarios currently defined in the labs/ folder and indicates on screen the active/running ones.

Cleanup

Always destroy active topologies before shutting down the system to avoid networking or performance issues.

Connectivity

Connectivity to a node can be achieved by executing:

docker exec -it <container_name> bash

The bash element opens an interactive shell inside the container; it can be replaced with any other CLI command.

Extending the Lab

New topologies can be added into the project and may reuse components, coexist with other scenarios while keeping changes at the core of the architecture minimal.

More topologies

Additional topologies can be added to the labs/ directory. Configuration elements and machines can be reused across multiple nodes.