

VIRL is notorious for its resource management and complexity issues, but it’s way more functional than Packet Tracer. Well, if you want something more advanced, Cisco VIRL may be the right choice. Many people think that Cisco Packet Tracer is good only for testing high-level ideas. What’s also great about GNS3 is that it’s completely free, though the customer support is limited. Most people probably won’t benefit from the open-source license of GNS3, but it’s still nice to have.Īnother nice thing about GNS3 is that it runs real Cisco IOS images in an emulated virtual environment (more close to the real device), whereas the Packet Tracer merely simulates IOS and does not support all the features available in real devices.Īmong other things, this allows GNS3 to integrate with real, physical network devices.Īside from IOS, GNS3 supports other vendors as well, such as Arista or Mikrotik.
#Eve network simulator code
If needed, you could dive into its source code to extend its base functionality. The most important advantage of GNS3 over the Packet Tracer is that GNS3 is open-source and supports more device options as emulated devices. It’s all in all more advanced and allows you to do more (if you have the knowledge). Although GNS3 is perhaps more difficult to set up, it offers more flexibility than the Packet Tracer. GNS3 is quite a bit different from Cisco Packet Tracer. It lets you easily build super-complex network topologies to test out ideas or to allow you to better understand networking concepts. Still, Cisco Packet Tracer is fairly intuitive and is a great tool for students and experienced network specialists alike. Also, it does not support all the features available on actual devices.

Among other things, it’s proprietary and only simulates Cisco devices. With that said, Cisco Packet Tracer has some limitations.
#Eve network simulator full
Although you can do much of the setup in the visual editor, the command line provides you with full access to all features of the Packet Tracer, including TCP/IP settings of network devices, routing protocols supports, Layer 2 features etc. The drag-and-drop UI is complemented by a command line interface. Packet Tracer offers several categories of devices, such as routers, switches, computers, servers, and more. To start testing network topologies, you simply choose a network device from the bottom panel and drop it into the building area. The highlight of the Packet Tracer is its drag-and-drop user interface. It is functional, easy to use, and is accessible for educational institutions or for people who enrolled in Cisco’s Net Academy (free of charge).

Common Open Research Emulator (CORE)Ĭisco’s Packet Tracer is perhaps the most famous of all network simulation tools, especially for practicing on Cisco CCNA certification.
