Cloonix is a network virtualisation platform for creating and managing complex virtual network topologies on Linux.
It can combine KVM virtual machines with crun-based containers, allowing users to construct isolated labs for testing networking software, routing configurations and distributed systems.
The software provides an interactive graphical canvas that displays machines, containers, interfaces and their connections. Virtual networks are built with Open vSwitch inside a dedicated Linux network namespace, keeping the host’s network configuration separate from the simulated environment.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Creates virtual networks containing KVM virtual machines and crun containers.
- Provides an interactive graphical canvas for designing and managing network topologies.
- Uses Open vSwitch to connect virtual machines and containers.
- Runs network infrastructure inside a Linux network namespace to isolate it from the host.
- Supports qcow2 virtual machine images, ZIP container images and directory-based container filesystems.
- Offers a non-privileged Cloonix Toy installation for running demonstrations in user space.
- Provides direct access to guest shells, Wireshark packet captures and SPICE desktops from the canvas.
- Includes an optional browser-accessible remote graphical interface.
- Supports experimental wireless network emulation using mac80211_hwsim.
- Includes demonstration environments for networking and routing software.
Website: github.com/clownix/cloonix
Support:
Developer: Clownix
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0
Cloonix is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Network Simulators | |
|---|---|
| GNS3 | Emulate, configure, test, and troubleshoot virtual and real networks |
| Kathará | Lightweight network emulation system based on Docker containers |
| Dynamips | Emulate Cisco routers |
| ns-3 | Discrete-event network simulator |
| Cooja | Network simulator written in Java |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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