At-a-Glance
Overview
Figure 1. Cisco Modeling Lab Corporate Edition - Client GUI
Server virtualization is a game-changing technology that provides corporations and
service providers around the world with agility, flexibility, and cost savings. In the
physical world, maintaining a network infrastructure requires continuous monitoring
and troubleshooting, experimenting with modifications, and testing new software and
configurations before deploying them in a production network. However, physical
lab equipment is not always readily available or in adequate supply to meet these
demands.
Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition
Cisco® Modeling Labs Corporate Edition is a scalable software platform that enables
teams to design, build, and launch real-world simulations of Cisco devices in a virtual
environment. Based on the same Cisco IOS® Software code used for hardware, the
Cisco Modeling Labs simulations have virtualized images of Cisco IOS, IOS Layer 2,
IOS XR, IOS XE, and ASA Software.
With the capability to build networks without connecting a single cable, the Cisco
Modeling Labs server enables you to connect to labs externally and capitalize on
existing lab investments. With the Cisco Modeling Labs server, you can scale networks
to capacities not previously seen in most lab environments.
Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition is provided as an ISO image for bare metal
installation or an Open Virtualization Appliance (OVA) file for customers to install on a
VMWare ESXi 5.1, and higher.
Figure 2. Cisco Modeling Labs Architecture
Cisco
Provided OVA
The Cisco Modeling Labs platform comprises the Cisco Modeling Labs server, which is
hosted on a Cisco UCS server (or equivalent x86 architecture), and the Cisco Modeling
Labs client that can be installed on either a PC or Mac. Together, the client and server
create a flexible environment that enables the design, configuration, and simulation of
network topologies. The server is a shared resource that has the capability to activate
the topologies using the installed virtual images. The client provides a GUI interface
(Figure 1) that simplifies topology creation and initial device configuration, and enables
access to functions in the Cisco Modeling Labs server.
Customer
Provided
Cisco Confidential
Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition
VMMaestro
Cisco IOSv VM
CML Service
Topology
Director
Hypervisor (KVM)
AutoNet
Kit
AutoNet
Kit Cisco
Extension
OpenStack
Ubuntu Linux
VMWare ESXi 5.1
Server
© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks.
Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R) This document is Cisco Confidential. For Internal use only.
Cisco Confidential
At-a-Glance
Why Cisco Modeling Labs?
Benefits of Using Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition
Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition is the ideal network simulation solution. It
provides a virtual environment to design, build, simulate, and visualize real-world
networks and operational scenarios.
Using Cisco Modeling Labs to simulate networking nodes in a virtual environment
provides corporate customers and service providers with the following benefits:
With its simple point-and-click interface, network engineers can design or import a
network topology and turn it into a virtual network in minutes. Automatic bootstrap
configuration generation and visualization capabilities enable architects to easily
perform what-if analyses to validate potential design changes. Operators can replicate
selected network scenarios and troubleshoot issues with no risk to the physical
production network. Here is a highlight of some of the features:
• Improved access to resources
• Configuration generation and protocol visualization: Users can take full advantage
of automatically generated bootstrap device configurations based on the virtual
image, as well as graphical views of various routing protocols to help validate their
designs. Configurations can be modified, tested, saved, and shared.
• Save energy, go green
• Virtual Cisco IOS Software for router simulation: Users can get started immediately
with virtual Cisco IOS Software, which is provided. This is the virtual image of the
Cisco devices operating system and not emulation. It supports Layer 2 and Layer 3
modeling and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity only.
• Lower capital and operating expenditures for lab equipment
• Scale resources on demand
• Decrease deployment time of new services
• Increase uptime with what-if scenarios
• Reduce lab footprint
For More Information
To learn more about Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition, visit
http://www.cisco.com/go/cml.
To learn more about Cisco Products and Solutions, visit
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/index.html.
• Support for many Cisco IOS devices: Virtual Cisco IOS XR Software, IOS XE and
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) virtual images are supported in Cisco
Modeling Labs.
• Multiclient support: To minimize the hardware needed to run Cisco Modeling Labs
the server functionality is accessible by multiple users.
The client application runs on PC and Mac platforms and accesses the server when
the network design needs to be activated. End users do not need a separate server
to take advantage of Cisco Modeling Labs Corporate Edition.
• Point-and-click design: With the intuitive palette and canvas editor, you can rapidly
create new virtual topologies with network protocol attributes, addressing schemes
and image types. Network topologies can be saved and shared with others, and
Cisco Modeling Labs also includes a convenient print option.
• Connectivity between simulated and physical labs: Using configuration options in
the topology, users can connect a virtual topology to a physical network that is in
the lab. This functionality allows for more robust testing and simulation opportunities.
Notice that Cisco Modeling Labs is not intended for use in a production network.
© 2015 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks.
Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R) This document is Cisco Confidential. For Internal use only.
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