Notebook/content/netlab/first_lab/_index.en.md

---
title: "My First Lab"
date: 2025-02-14T12:00:00+02:00
weight: 2
sidebar:
  open: true
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  type: docs
---

## Introduction

In this article, we're going to set up our very first Containerlab netlab using **DevPod**.
We'll use a cloud provider, in this case **AWS**, to host our project.
Why the cloud? Because network labs can consume a huge amount of resources, and we need to deploy, stop, and destroy them quickly, both for performance and cost.

We'll achieve this by combining:

- **DevPod**
- **DevContainer**
- **Containerlab**

We'll use a simple topology that you can find on my [GitHub repository](https://github.com/darnodo/VXLAN-EVPN). Our goal is to deploy this lab on AWS with DevPod.

## Prerequisites

Before starting, a few things need to be in place:

1. AWS environment authorization: make sure DevPod is authorized to access your AWS environment. For a detailed guide on configuring DevPod with AWS, check out my article on this [topic](../../documentation/devpod/).

2. Containerlab topology: we need a topology file that Containerlab can understand. In our case, we'll create a simple VXLAN topology.

## Containerlab topology

Our lab will simulate a VXLAN topology consisting of:

- **1 Spine switch**
- **2 Leaf switches**
- **2 Host nodes**

The following diagram illustrates the VXLAN topology:

![VXLAN Topology](VXLAN.en.svg#center)

Here's the Containerlab topology file (`lab_vxlan.yml`) used for this configuration:

```yaml
name: vxlan-evpn-irb
topology: 
  nodes:
    spine1:
      kind: ceos
      image: ceos:4.32.0.1F
      mgmt-ipv4: 172.20.20.101
    leaf1:
      kind: ceos
      image: ceos:4.32.0.1F
      mgmt-ipv4: 172.20.20.11
    leaf2:
      kind: ceos
      image: ceos:4.32.0.1F
      mgmt-ipv4: 172.20.20.12
    host1:
      kind: linux
      image: alpine:latest
      binds:
        - hosts/h1_interfaces:/etc/network/interfaces
      mgmt-ipv4: 172.20.20.21
    host2:
      kind: linux
      image: alpine:latest
      binds:
        - hosts/h2_interfaces:/etc/network/interfaces
      mgmt-ipv4: 172.20.20.22
  links:
    - endpoints: ["spine1:eth1", "leaf1:eth1"]
    - endpoints: ["spine1:eth2", "leaf2:eth1"]
    - endpoints: ["leaf1:eth2", "host1:eth1"]
    - endpoints: ["leaf2:eth2", "host2:eth1"]
```

### Breaking down the topology

1. **Name and Structure**:
   - `name: vxlan-evpn-irb` – This is the name of the lab.
   - The topology is split into **nodes** (devices) and **links** (connections between devices).

2. **Nodes**:
   - **Spine Layer**:
     - `spine1`: A containerized Arista cEOS switch using image version `4.32.0.1F`.
     - **Management IP**: `172.20.20.101`
   - **Leaf Layer**:
     - `leaf1` and `leaf2`: Arista cEOS switches using the same image version.
     - **Management IPs**: `172.20.20.11` and `172.20.20.12`
   - **Host Layer**:
     - `host1` and `host2`: Linux containers running Alpine Linux.
     - They include custom network interface configurations mounted from the host.
     - **Management IPs**: `172.20.20.21` and `172.20.20.22`

3. **Links**:
   - **Spine to Leaf**:
     - `spine1:eth1` ↔ `leaf1:eth1`
     - `spine1:eth2` ↔ `leaf2:eth1`
   - **Leaf to Host**:
     - `leaf1:eth2` ↔ `host1:eth1`
     - `leaf2:eth2` ↔ `host2:eth1`

This topology is a typical spine-leaf architecture, common in datacenters to enable Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity with VXLAN EVPN configurations.

## Deploying the lab

We'll deploy the lab with **DevPod** in two ways:

### 1. Using the repository

1. Validate the AWS provider configuration: make sure your AWS provider is properly configured. More details [here](../../documentation/devpod/).

2. Create a workspace:
   - Go to the **Workspace** tab and click **Create Workspace**.
   - Specify the **Workspace source**: use the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/darnodo/VXLAN-EVPN).
   - Select **AWS** as the provider.
   - Choose your default IDE.
   - Finally, click **Create Workspace**.

   ![DevPod Configuration](devpod_configuration.en.png#center)

### 2. Using a local folder

If you prefer to use your local repository, the only difference is in the **Workspace source**: simply point it to your local repository.

   ![DevPod Configuration - Local](devpod_configuration_local.en.png#center)

## Starting the lab

> [!WARNING] cEOS images
> The lab uses **cEOS image v4.32.0.1F**.
> To download this image, head over to the [Arista download page](https://www.arista.com/en/support/software-download).

1. Import the cEOS image: save the cEOS image into your `network_images` folder by dragging and dropping it into VSCode. Import the image using the following command:

   ```bash
   docker import network_images/cEOS64-lab-4.32.0.1F.tar.xz ceos:4.32.0.1F
   ```

2. Deploy the lab using Containerlab:

   ```bash
   sudo containerlab deploy -t lab_vxlan.yml
   ```

   Follow the CLI instructions to configure your devices. For detailed configuration steps, check out [this guide](https://github.com/darnodo/VXLAN-EVPN/tree/main/documentation/eos_configuration).

3. Visualize the architecture: check the deployed topology using Containerlab's graphical view.

   ```bash
   containerlab graph -t lab_vxlan.yml
   ```

   Ports (for example, port 50080 mentioned in `devcontainer.json`) are forwarded. Access the graphical view via [localhost](http://localhost:50080).

   ![Graph View](Graph_view.en.png#center)

## Using EdgeShark

EdgeShark is a web tool that lets you capture packets from your lab environment. It forwards lab captures to Wireshark running locally.

For more information, check out the [EdgeShark getting started guide](https://edgeshark.siemens.io/#/getting-started?id=optional-capture-plugin).

### Configuring EdgeShark in the DevContainer

In the **DevContainer** configuration, the following `postCreateCommand` was added:

```bash
sudo mkdir -p /opt/edgeshark && sudo curl -sL https://github.com/siemens/edgeshark/raw/main/deployments/wget/docker-compose.yaml -o /opt/edgeshark/docker-compose.yaml
```

This command downloads a Docker Compose file to make it easier to use EdgeShark.

### Launching EdgeShark

To start EdgeShark, run:

```bash
cd /opt/edgeshark
DOCKER_DEFAULT_PLATFORM= docker compose up -d
```

Access EdgeShark via [localhost:5001](http://localhost:5001).

- EdgeShark view:
  ![EdgeShark View](edgeshark.en.png#center)

- Integration with Wireshark: clicking the Wireshark icon in EdgeShark launches Wireshark locally.
  ![EdgeShark Interface](edgeshark_interface.en.png#center)
  ![EdgeShark and Wireshark](edge_wireshark.en.png#center)

## Conclusion

That covers the full setup: prerequisites, the VXLAN topology, deploying the lab with DevPod on AWS, and capturing traffic with EdgeShark and Wireshark. From here you have a working spine-leaf lab you can tear down and redeploy whenever you need it.