GNS3 Appliances | Features and uses

GNS3 Appliances | Features and uses

What are GNS3 Appliances?

GNS3 appliances are modern way to create different virtual network scenario on GNS3. These are PRE CONFIGURED IOS and operating systems and you can use them in GNS3 for creating the different virtual labs. After the release on new GNS3 version now different vendors are provide images of their operating system for free. Mostly Cisco images are paid. You can purchase Cisco IOS images or a VIRL license from virl.cisco.com.

There are different types of GNS3 appliances are available at GNS3.com. You can simply download these appliances and can create different network lab on your PC. Before GNS3 appliances you only have GNS3 images for creating network labs on GNS3. The GNS3-appliances are configured with its recommended-settings & have been carefully tested. You can have a much better user experience using these gns3 virtual appliances.

Features of GNS3 Appliances:

With pre-configured GNS3 appliances you have the following benefits:

• As GNS3 virtual appliances are configure with recommended and best setting that why you will also encounter fewer errors.
• These GNS3 virtual appliances are capable to find the suitable images and required files from your local directory. Download links are also available for installation of these required custom images while importing these appliances.
• GNS3 appliances include some pre-installed OS for virtual environment. You can use them directly in GNS3 and save a lot of time for you.
• Now different vendors like Cisco, juniper, Ubuntu, windows etc are providing their operation system and network device/appliances for creating virtual labs on Gns3. So you can have virtual hands-on experience with these appliances.

Types of appliances available at GNS3.com

Following are the appliances which are available on GNS3 website for creating virtual labs. If you are havingissue while importing GNS3 virtual appliances you can visit here.

There are different types of GNS3 applainces are available on GNS3 website like Cisco IOS, Different operating Systems, Web-browser, Security Devices and systems etc

1. PA-VM (Palo Alto Networks)
2. Cisco IOSvL2
3. Cisco ISE
4. FreeNAS (iXsystems)
5. Ubuntu Docker Guest
6. Checkpoint GAiA (Checkpoint)
7. FortiGate
8. Cisco 3660
9. Cisco 2691
10. Cisco IOU L3
11. Cisco
12. Firefox
13. Cloudrouter
14. HP VSR1001
15. BSDRP
16. OpenWrt
17. Open vSwitch
18. NX-OSv 9000
19. Juniper vMX vFP
20. Ubuntu Cloud Guest
21. Ubuntu Desktop Guest
22. Juniper vSRX
23. Cisco IOSv
24. Junos Space
25. Cisco 7200
26. OpenSUSE
27. OpenSUSE Project
28. Windows server
29. Cisco CSR1000v
30. Sophos XG
31. Cisco IOS XRv
32. Cisco IOU L2
33. Fulvio Ricciardi
34. PacketFence ZEN
35. Zentyal Server
36. Cisco ASAv
37. Cisco IOS XRv 9000
38. Cisco 3745
39. Windows
40. Ubuntu
41. MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router
42. Citrix NetScaler VPX
43. InterScan Web Security Virtual Appliance
44. Dell FTOS
45. OpenBSD
46. Sophos UTM Home Edition
47. WordPress
48. Turnkey Linux
49. OPNsense
50. Cisco Web Security Virtual Appliance
51. CentOS Cloud Guest
52. Kali Linux
53. Kerio Connect

Above are the few name for complete list more details og GNS3 appliances, you can visit "https://www.gns3.com/marketplace/appliance" and can download you favorite GNS3 virtual appliances

For new GNS3 IOS images you can visit here.
Thank you for visiting here.

Gns3 vm is not available please configure gns3 vm before adding new appliance

Gns3 vm is not available please configure gns3 vm before adding new appliance:

You may get this error “gns3 vm is not available please configure gns3 vm before adding new appliance” while installing a new appliance in GNS3. You may face same error while creating a VM lab in GNS3. 

Sometime you get this message “VMware vmrun tool could not be found, VMware or the VIX API (required for VMware player) is probably not installed. You can download it from https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vix-api/. After installation you need to restart GNS3.” So this article provides a solution for this error.

You can resolve this issue with the following steps:

1. Download and install any Software for creating Virtual Machines
2. Download GNS3 VM from GNS3 .com
3. Create Virtual machine for GNS3
4. Connect this GNS3 VM with GNS3

 1. Download and install any Software for creating Virtual Machines:

You can use different software for creating virtual machines. But VMware the GNS3 recommended software for creating the virtual workstations. You can download the VMware workstation from their official website. Download and install the VMware and you are done with the first step.

2. Download GNS3 VM from GNS3 .com:

In next step you need you are required a VM for creating virtual labs on GNS3. There is pre-installed and pre-configured VM available on GNS3 website. You can download it from their website. You can find it link from Edit/preferences/GNS3 VM, see the following figure.

Or directly download VMware GNS3 VM from this link: https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/releases/download/v2.1.20/GNS3.VM.VMware.Workstation.2.1.20.zip

3. Create Virtual machine for GNS3:

Once you have download this GNS3 VM, you need to extract it to folder and you will find file “GNS3 VM.ova”.

Now open the virtual Box and click on “open a virtual machine”, select the VM that you have downloaded in step 2.

Complete the wizard with default options and power on the GNS3 VM from virtual Box.

4. Connect this GNS3 VM with GNS3:

Now open the GNS3 and go to preferences and select the GNS3 VM from left side options.

Click the checkbox “enable the GNS3 VM”

OR create a new VM with this VMware machine.

Once you done you can install the GNS3 appliance successfully. Go to file menu and open the ‘import appliance”. Browse the appliance file and complete the wizard.

For more details you can watch the following Video:

This is complete troubleshooting guide for configuring the VMware with GMS3. If you are still getting any difficulty while using GNS3 appliances, you can share your views in comments. Thank you for visiting and have a good day.!