Containerlab – running networking labs with Docker UX

With the growing number of containerized Network Operating Systems grows the demand to easily run them in the user-defined, versatile topologies.
Unfortunately, container orchestration tools like docker-compose are not a good fit for that purpose, as they do not allow a user to easily create links between the containers which comprise a topology.

Containerlab provides a Command Line Interface for orchestrating and managing container-based networking labs. It starts the containers, builds a virtual wiring between them to create topologies of user’s choice and manages lab’s lifecycle.

Having a strong focus on the containerized Network Operating Systems, containerlab also has support for running traditional VM-based networking products in the same container-like fashion. That makes it a universal tool for deploying network topologies, encompassing both legacy VM based systems and containerized products.

By being open source, lightweight, fast and having multivendor support, makes containerlab a perfect tool to deploy network topologies for lab exercises, network testing and CI.

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