Getting Started

The year is 2021. The lab requirements is to test ArubaOS-CX VSX and Comware IRF with spanning-tree configuration.

However, the required softwares to simulate this lab reside on GNS3 and VirtualBox. Furthermore, HP Network Simulator (HNS) requires VirtualBox and the last available HNS for Windows is dated 25 Jul 2014 and has a strict interoperability requirement with VirtualBox version as mentioned in various forums.

The following outlines the steps I went through for the setup.

• Installing VirtualBox
• Installing HP Network Simulator
• Installing GNS3-VM
• Installing GNS3 client
• Adding ArubaOS-CX appliance to GNS3
• Adding Comware devices to GNS3
• Installing Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter
• Re-installing WinPcap_4_1_3.exe
• Generating Simulated Comware (Simware) devices
• Integrating Simware devices to GNS3
• Configuring ArubaOS-CX VSX and Comware IRF on GNS3

Installing VirtualBox

This section contains footprints of installing VirtualBox. It was a straight forward installation and there was no special mentioning about the installation. After the completion, the Host Machine would have additional network adapter, named as VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter.

Obtaining VirtualBox v6.0.18 r136238

google: download vbox 6.0.18
found: https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/6.0.18/
    
    filename: VirtualBox-6.0.18-136238-Win.exe
    

Installing VirtualBox v6.0.18 r136238

Lesson learnt:

Before proceeding with HNS installation, the Windows Environment Variables need to be updated, because newer VirtualBox version is registering VBOX_MSI_INSTALL_PATH, whereas HNS 7.1.50 only recognizes VBOX_INSTALL_PATH. The error was VirtualBox is not installed yet.

From Control Panel > System > Advanced System Settings, updated the System Variable from VBOX_MSI_INSTALL_PATH to VBOX_INSTALL_PATH Below is the footprints.

Installing HP Network Simulator

Obtaining HP Network Simulator v7.1.50

google: download HNS 7.1.50
found: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/swd/detail?swItemId=nw_134907-2
    
    filename: HP_Network_Simulator_for_Comware_Devices_Windows.rar
    contains: HNS_7.1.50-Setup.exe
    

Installing HP Network Simulator v7.1.50

The next step was installing HP Network Simulator. This piece of software will read the scripts and create Simware (Simulated Comware) devices in the form of VMs on VirtualBox. Thus, it has strict interoperability requirements for it to work with VirtualBox. In my setup, I managed to have HNS v7.1.50 and VirtualBox v6.0.18 r136238 working together. The following is the HNS installation footprints.

Quick testing on HP Network Simulator v7.1.50

1. The HNS v7.1.50 was successfully installed.
2. I tested it by selecting File > New, to create a new topology. HNS will load a sample topology script that consists of 1x chassis and 1x fixed device model.

Note: The chassis model has two slots, i.e. board = slot 0 : SIM3101 and board = slot 2 : SIM3111.

Note: Device 1 and device 2 were connected on interface number 2, i.e. device 1 : slot 2 : interface 2 <---> device 2 : interface 2.

3. I ran the simulation by selecting Simulate > Run. As this topology contains chassis model, the HNS will create 3x devices (aka VMs on VirtualBox). 2x VMs for the Simware chassis model and 1x VMs for the Simware fix model.

Note: refer to HP Network Simulator for Comware Devices - Windows User Guide_v2.0.pdf for various Simware devices model.

4. HNS reminded me to save the project before I could run the simulation.
5. I named the test run project as lab1.
6. Here, the VirtualBox successfully created three devices from the topology.

Note: The Simware chassis modules are named lab1-device1-slot0 and lab1-device1-slot2.

At this point, the logical representation of the setup on Host Machine is shown below. On the sample topology script shown above, notice that it commented out the link between #device 1 : slot 0 : interface 1 <---> host : "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter", thus with this topology, I could not establish Telnet / SSH from Host Machine to Simware device 1.

Lesson learnt:

On my other encounters, HNS seemed successfully installed, but was unable to create devices (VMs) on VirtualBox. This footprint shows HNS v7.1.50 works with VirtualBox v6.0.18 r136238.

Installing GNS3-VM

Obtaining GNS3-VM

google: download GNS3-2.2.18-all-in-one-regular
found: https://sourceforge.net/projects/gns-3/files/Releases/v2.2.18/
    
    filename: GNS3-2.2.18-all-in-one.exe
    filename: GNS3.VM.VMware.Workstation.2.2.18.zip
    contains: GNS3 VM.ova
    

Installing GNS3-VM v2.2.18

I followed the installation steps as shown in https://docs.gns3.com/docs/getting-started/setup-wizard-gns3-vm#import-gns3-vm-into-vmware-workstation. The GNS3-VM was successfully installed and ran as depicted below.

Installing GNS3 client

Installing GNS3 client v2.2.18

I followed the installation steps as shown in https://docs.gns3.com/docs/getting-started/installation/windows#install-gns3. Below is my footprints.

After clicking Finish on the last wizard step, it ran the GNS3 with Setup Wizard. I clicked Cancel, because I have GNS3-VM running on its IP address (192.168.113.128), and not on GNS3 client's IP (192.168.113.1).

Upon completing the GNS3 client v2.2.18 installation, the logical representation of the Host Machine is as follow.

Lesson learnt:

GNS3-VM and client must be on the same version.

From https://docs.gns3.com/docs/getting-started/setup-wizard-gns3-vm, quote ..it's still necessary to configure the local server settings in GNS3 before proceeding with the remaining process of configuring the GNS3-VM... The error was ..not connected to the controller...

Setting GNS3-VM as Remote Server

In my setup, the Host Machine has 8 logical processors and 16 GB RAM. So far, I allocated 4 vCPU and 8GB RAM to GNS3-VM. Now, the intention is to have the GNS3-VM hosts the ArubaOS-CX appliances, so the Host Machine is splitting the load when running Simware on VirtualBox and AOS-CX on VMware at the same time. As such, I need to define the GNS3-VM as a Remote Server.

1. Selected Edit > Preferences.
2. Selected Server. Ensured the Enable local server was checked.

Note: refer to the above lesson learnt.

3. Selected GNS3 VM. Ensured the Enable the GNS3 VM was unchecked.

Note: if I checked this, then the ArubaOS-CX OVA will be on 192.168.113.1 (local server) instead of 192.168.113.128 (remote server).

4. Selected back Server > Remote servers. Then Add.
5. Entered Name for the GNS3-VM.
   For Host = 192.168.113.128 and Port = 80 TCP, refer to the above screenshot of GNS3-VM. Then OK.
6. Server preferences will listed the GNS3-VM as a Remote servres. Then Apply and OK.
7. The GNS3 VM and local server were listed Green under Servers Summary.

Adding ArubaOS-CX appliance to GNS3

Obtaining ArubaOS-CX OVA

google: download ArubaOS-CX OVA
found: https://arubapedia.arubanetworks.com/arubapedia/index.php/AOS-CX_OVA
    
    filename: P4_10_04_3000_ova.zip
    contains: ArubaOS-CX_10_04_3000.ova
    filename: arubaoscx-v10_4_3000_gns3a.zip
    contains: arubaoscx.gns3a

Setting up ArubaOS-CX appliance in GNS3

The following process will put ArubaOS-CX appliance onto GNS3-VM. Below is the footprints of my setup.

1. On GNS3, clicked on Switch icon, then +New template.
2. Selected Import an appliance file, then Next >.
3. On the directory, selected arubaoscx.gns3a file, then Open.
4. On the Server type, selected Install the appliance on a remote server; selected the correct Remote server GNS3 Server, then Next >.
5. On the Qemu binary, left the default value, then Next >.
6. On the Appliance version and files, made sure the statuses were Green, then Next >.
7. On confirmation, clicked Yes.
8. Installation in progress...
9. Showing the successful installation.
10. To uniquely identify this appliance as AOS-CX, I changed the symbol by right clicking on AOS-CX Simulation Software 10.04.3000, then Configure template.
11. The information shown here was derived from arubaoscx.gns3a file. On Template name, I simplified it to AOS-CX. On Symbol, clicked Browse.
12. On the directory, double clicked on aruba.png file.
13. The AOS-CX now has its symbol. Dragged and dropped it to topology as shown.

Quick testing on ArubaOS-CX appliance

1. Right click on AOS-CX1 icon, then Start.
2. On Topology summary, the AOS-CX1 node was Green. Right click again on AOS-CX1 icon, then Console.
3. The console was popped up.
4. On switch login, entered admin with no password.
5. Entered password for admin and confirmed it.

To this point, I have successfully added ArubaOS-CX appliance in GNS3. The logical representation of my setup is now as shown below.

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