Need router-in-a-VM recommendations

JDMurray · June 2009

I'm attempting to recreate specific network topology maps using both a single and multiple ESXi servers. I'm currently looking at VM-able distros of router/firewall implementations, such as FREESCO, floppyfw, and IPCop to provide the routing functions in my virtual networks. Anyone have any recommendations from their own experiences with such distros and appliances?

astorrs · June 2009

A couple more options I've used/seen:

Vyatta Open Networking - The Open-Source Alternative to Cisco

Welcome to XORP

blargoe · June 2009

I think freesco was the one I used one time when I was in a pickle, worked OK but I wouldn't want to set up anything too complex on it.

If you have a physical L3 capable switch lying around, you could always set up a trunk port on that switch and let it route your VM traffic. That's what we're doing in our lab at my office.

dynamik · June 2009

+1 for Vyatta.

UnixGeek · July 2009

Also check out MLN, which adds a layer of abstraction on top of Xen, VMware Server, or User Mode Linux. That extra layer lets you generate a complete internetwork by writing up a text file using blocks like the following for each host:

host tampa {
       superclass hosts
       network eth0 {
               switch tampa
               address 10.0.1.1
               netmask 255.255.255.0
       }
       network eth1 {
               switch lakelandTampa
               address 10.0.3.2
               netmask 255.255.255.0
       }
       network eth2 {
               switch tampaOrlando
               address 10.0.5.1
               netmask 255.255.255.0
       }
}

I used MLN and User Mode Linux to setup routing labs for one of my university's networking classes a couple years ago. Each host used a the same template filesystem that had network goodies like Quagga (routing protocol daemons), tcpdump and a web server pre-loaded.

JDMurray · July 2009

I'm trying out FreeSCO right now (and so far loving it), but I'll check out MLN too. Thanks for the recommendation.

RobertKaucher · July 2009

+2 for Vyatta.

jetdynamics · August 2009

+1 for freesco

Ive been using it and its nice although there's a part that I havent done yet. Would you know how to set it up were it would point the DHCP to a particular DHCP Server? Someone told me about DHCP helper but couldnt find it.

JDMurray · August 2009

Sorry, I've not used FREESCO with a DCHP server. Are you talking about having FREESCO forward DHCP requests to a specific DHCP server?

My next FREESCO challenge is to get it to startup faster. I need to get rid of the 8-second startup delay and that walking penguin graphic. I made a post to the FREESCO forums, but the response the author gave me was hardly a concise, step-by-step procedure.

jetdynamics · August 2009

Sorry, I've not used FREESCO with a DCHP server. Are you talking about having FREESCO forward DHCP requests to a specific DHCP server?

YES...I was trying to setup a Lab where I have DHCP server,DNS Im trying to study server environment but I couldn't manage to set it correctly to point to a dhcp server.

awgtek · August 2009

Anyone know where to download the FreeSCO VM ?

crosario · August 2009

I've been using m0n0wall and pfSense as gateway/firewall for a few years with great success.

pfSense VM appliances:
VMwareAppliance - PFSenseDocs

m0n0wall VM appliance:
m0n0wall - Download

Give it a try!

Need router-in-a-VM recommendations

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