GNS3util Automation Walkthrough

This comprehensive walkthrough demonstrates how to automate GNS3 lab management using the gns3util tool and example scripts.

Prerequisites
Quick Start
Template-Based Exercise Creation
Class Management Automation
Advanced Automation Scenarios
Troubleshooting
Best Practices

Prerequisites

System Requirements

GNS3v3 Server: Running GNS3v3 server with API access
GNS3util CLI: Built and available in your PATH
Dependencies: jq for JSON processing, bash shell
Authentication: Valid credentials for the GNS3 server

Initial Setup

# Build gns3util
go build -o gns3util

# Make scripts executable
chmod +x scripts/examples/*.sh

# Test connection
./gns3util -s https://your-gns3-server:3080 system version

Quick Start

1. Authentication

# Interactive login
./gns3util -s https://your-gns3-server:3080 auth login

# Or use keyfile
./gns3util -s https://your-gns3-server:3080 -k ~/.gns3/gns3key

2. Test All Scripts

# Run comprehensive test suite
./scripts/examples/test-all-scripts.sh https://your-gns3-server:3080

3. Create Your First Exercise

# Create a class
./gns3util -s https://your-gns3-server:3080 class create --interactive

# Create an exercise with template
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh \
  https://your-gns3-server:3080 \
  "CS101" \
  "Lab1" \
  "NetworkTemplate"

Template-Based Exercise Creation

Understanding Templates

Templates are the foundation of automated lab deployment. They allow you to:

Standardize lab environments across all student groups
Reuse configurations for multiple exercises
Ensure consistency in network topologies and device configurations

Template Types

1. Server-Based Templates (Recommended)

Use existing projects already on the server as templates. Advantages:

Fastest deployment
No file upload required
Easy to manage and update
Interactive selection available

Example:

# List available projects
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project ls

# Use existing project as template
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh \
  https://server:3080 \
  "CS101" \
  "Lab1" \
  "NetworkTemplate"

2. File-Based Templates

Import .gns3project files as templates. Advantages:

Easy to share and version control
Can be stored in repositories
Useful for backup and restore

Example:

# Create exercise from template file
./scripts/examples/import-template-and-create-exercise.sh \
  https://server:3080 \
  "CS101" \
  "Lab1" \
  "/path/to/template.gns3project"

3. Interactive Template Selection

Use fuzzy finder to select from available templates. Advantages:

User-friendly interface
No need to remember exact names
Shows all available options

Example:

# Interactive template selection
./scripts/examples/create-exercise-interactive.sh \
  https://server:3080 \
  "CS101" \
  "Lab1"

Creating Templates

Method 1: Manual Template Creation

# Create a new project
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project new --name "NetworkTemplate" --auto-close true

# Add nodes to the template
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 node create "NetworkTemplate" \
  --name "Router1" \
  --node-type "qemu" \
  --compute-id "local"

./gns3util -s https://server:3080 node create "NetworkTemplate" \
  --name "Switch1" \
  --node-type "ethernet_switch" \
  --compute-id "local"

# Add more nodes as needed...

Method 2: Export Existing Project

# Export an existing project as template
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project export "MyProject" --file "template.gns3project"

Class Management Automation

Creating Classes Programmatically

Using JSON Files

Create a class definition file:

{
  "name": "CS101",
  "groups": [
    {
      "name": "Group1",
      "students": [
        {"username": "student1", "password": "password123"},
        {"username": "student2", "password": "password123"}
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Group2",
      "students": [
        {"username": "student3", "password": "password123"},
        {"username": "student4", "password": "password123"}
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Then create the class:

./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class create --file class.json

Using Interactive Mode

./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class create --interactive

Managing Multiple Classes

List All Classes

./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class ls

Delete Classes

./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class delete --name "CS101" --confirm=false

Bulk Class Creation

Create a script to manage multiple classes:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# create-multiple-classes.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"

# Create classes for different courses
for course in "CS101" "CS102" "CS201"; do
  echo "Creating class: $course"
  
  # Create class JSON
  cat > "/tmp/${course}.json" << EOF
{
  "name": "$course",
  "groups": [
    {
      "name": "Group1",
      "students": [
        {"username": "${course,,}student1", "password": "password123"},
        {"username": "${course,,}student2", "password": "password123"}
      ]
    }
  ]
}
EOF
  
  # Create the class
  ./gns3util -s $SERVER class create --file "/tmp/${course}.json"
  
  # Clean up
  rm "/tmp/${course}.json"
done

Advanced Automation Scenarios

Scenario 1: Semester Setup

Automate the entire semester setup process:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# semester-setup.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"
SEMESTER="Fall2024"

# Create template projects
echo "Creating template projects..."
./gns3util -s $SERVER project new --name "BasicNetworkTemplate" --auto-close true
./gns3util -s $SERVER project new --name "AdvancedNetworkTemplate" --auto-close true

# Create classes
echo "Creating classes..."
for course in "CS101" "CS102" "CS201"; do
  ./gns3util -s $SERVER class create --interactive
done

# Deploy exercises
echo "Deploying exercises..."
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh $SERVER "CS101" "Lab1" "BasicNetworkTemplate"
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh $SERVER "CS102" "Lab1" "AdvancedNetworkTemplate"

Scenario 2: Weekly Lab Rotation

Automate weekly lab rotations:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# weekly-lab-rotation.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"
CLASS="CS101"
WEEK=$1

if [ -z "$WEEK" ]; then
  echo "Usage: $0 <week_number>"
  exit 1
fi

# Clean up previous week's projects
echo "Cleaning up previous week's projects..."
./scripts/examples/cleanup-class.sh $SERVER "${CLASS}-Week$((WEEK-1))-"

# Deploy new week's lab
echo "Deploying week $WEEK lab..."
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh \
  $SERVER \
  "$CLASS" \
  "Week$WEEK" \
  "Week${WEEK}Template"

Scenario 3: Individual Student Labs

Create individual lab environments for each student:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# individual-student-labs.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"
STUDENT_COUNT=20

echo "Creating individual lab projects for $STUDENT_COUNT students..."
./scripts/examples/setup-class-lab.sh $SERVER $STUDENT_COUNT

echo "Individual labs created successfully!"
echo "Students can access their labs at: https://your-gns3-server:3080"

Scenario 4: Template Management

Automate template creation and management:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# template-management.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"
TEMPLATE_DIR="/path/to/templates"

# Create templates from files
for template_file in "$TEMPLATE_DIR"/*.gns3project; do
  if [ -f "$template_file" ]; then
    template_name=$(basename "$template_file" .gns3project)
    echo "Creating template: $template_name"
    
    # Import template
    ./gns3util -s $SERVER project import "$template_file" --name "$template_name"
  fi
done

# List all templates
echo "Available templates:"
./gns3util -s $SERVER project ls | grep "Template"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Authentication Problems

# Check authentication status
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 auth status

# Re-authenticate if needed
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 auth login

2. Template Not Found

# List available projects
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project ls

# Check if template exists
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project info "TemplateName"

3. Class Creation Failed

# Check class JSON format
cat class.json | jq .

# Validate class structure
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class create --file class.json --dry-run

4. Node Creation Issues

# Check available node types
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 node ls "ProjectName"

# Verify compute IDs
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 compute ls

Debug Commands

# Check server status
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 system version

# List all resources
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project ls
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 class ls
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 user ls

# Check project details
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 project info "ProjectName"

# Check node details
./gns3util -s https://server:3080 node ls "ProjectName"

Best Practices

1. Template Management

Use descriptive names: NetworkLabTemplate, SecurityLabTemplate
Version control: Keep template files in git repositories
Documentation: Document what each template contains
Regular updates: Keep templates up-to-date with course requirements

2. Class Organization

Consistent naming: Use consistent naming conventions for classes
Group management: Organize students into logical groups
Access control: Ensure proper ACLs are set up
Cleanup: Regular cleanup of old projects and classes

3. Automation Scripts

Error handling: Always include error checking
Logging: Log important operations
Idempotency: Scripts should be safe to run multiple times
Documentation: Document script parameters and usage

4. Security

Authentication: Use secure authentication methods
Access control: Limit student access to their assigned projects
Resource limits: Set appropriate resource limits
Regular audits: Regularly audit access and permissions

5. Performance

Batch operations: Use batch operations when possible
Resource monitoring: Monitor server resources
Cleanup: Regular cleanup of unused resources
Optimization: Optimize scripts for performance

Example Workflows

Complete Semester Setup

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# complete-semester-setup.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"

# 1. Create template projects
echo "Step 1: Creating template projects..."
./gns3util -s $SERVER project new --name "BasicNetworkTemplate" --auto-close true
./gns3util -s $SERVER project new --name "AdvancedNetworkTemplate" --auto-close true

# 2. Create classes
echo "Step 2: Creating classes..."
for course in "CS101" "CS102" "CS201"; do
  ./gns3util -s $SERVER class create --interactive
done

# 3. Deploy exercises
echo "Step 3: Deploying exercises..."
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh $SERVER "CS101" "Lab1" "BasicNetworkTemplate"
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh $SERVER "CS102" "Lab1" "AdvancedNetworkTemplate"

# 4. Verify deployment
echo "Step 4: Verifying deployment..."
./gns3util -s $SERVER class ls
./gns3util -s $SERVER project ls

echo "Semester setup complete!"

Daily Lab Management

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# daily-lab-management.sh

SERVER="https://your-gns3-server:3080"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

# 1. Clean up old projects
echo "Cleaning up old projects..."
./scripts/examples/cleanup-class.sh $SERVER "Old-"

# 2. Deploy today's labs
echo "Deploying today's labs..."
./scripts/examples/deploy-template-exercise.sh $SERVER "CS101" "Lab$DATE" "DailyTemplate"

# 3. Check system status
echo "Checking system status..."
./gns3util -s $SERVER system version

echo "Daily lab management complete!"

This walkthrough provides a comprehensive guide to automating GNS3 lab management using the gns3util tool and example scripts. The examples can be adapted to fit your specific educational environment and requirements.

​GNS3util Automation Walkthrough

​Table of Contents

​Prerequisites

​System Requirements

​Initial Setup

​Quick Start

​1. Authentication

​2. Test All Scripts

​3. Create Your First Exercise

​Template-Based Exercise Creation

​Understanding Templates

​Template Types

​1. Server-Based Templates (Recommended)

​2. File-Based Templates

​3. Interactive Template Selection

​Creating Templates

​Method 1: Manual Template Creation

​Method 2: Export Existing Project

​Class Management Automation

​Creating Classes Programmatically

​Using JSON Files

​Using Interactive Mode

​Managing Multiple Classes

​List All Classes

​Delete Classes

​Bulk Class Creation

​Advanced Automation Scenarios

​Scenario 1: Semester Setup

​Scenario 2: Weekly Lab Rotation

​Scenario 3: Individual Student Labs

​Scenario 4: Template Management

​Troubleshooting

​Common Issues

​1. Authentication Problems

​2. Template Not Found

​3. Class Creation Failed

​4. Node Creation Issues

​Debug Commands

​Best Practices

​1. Template Management

​2. Class Organization

​3. Automation Scripts

​4. Security

​5. Performance

​Example Workflows

​Complete Semester Setup

​Daily Lab Management

GNS3util Automation Walkthrough

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Initial Setup

Quick Start

1. Authentication

2. Test All Scripts

3. Create Your First Exercise

Template-Based Exercise Creation

Understanding Templates

Template Types

1. Server-Based Templates (Recommended)

2. File-Based Templates

3. Interactive Template Selection

Creating Templates

Method 1: Manual Template Creation

Method 2: Export Existing Project

Class Management Automation

Creating Classes Programmatically

Using JSON Files

Using Interactive Mode

Managing Multiple Classes

List All Classes

Delete Classes

Bulk Class Creation

Advanced Automation Scenarios

Scenario 1: Semester Setup

Scenario 2: Weekly Lab Rotation

Scenario 3: Individual Student Labs

Scenario 4: Template Management

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Authentication Problems

2. Template Not Found

3. Class Creation Failed

4. Node Creation Issues

Debug Commands

Best Practices

1. Template Management

2. Class Organization

3. Automation Scripts

4. Security

5. Performance

Example Workflows

Complete Semester Setup

Daily Lab Management