A network in a few minutes¶
Start small: two Linux containers and one link. No network OS image to obtain, no device license to configure. This example assigns an address to each end so you can test the connection immediately.
1. Explore the lab¶
Click a node to inspect it, then select Show in YAML to reveal its configuration. The two tabs are views of the same file.
name: linux-playground
topology:
defaults:
kind: linux
image: ghcr.io/srl-labs/network-multitool:latest
nodes:
client:
exec:
- ip address add 10.10.10.1/24 dev eth1
server:
exec:
- ip address add 10.10.10.2/24 dev eth1
links:
- endpoints: [client:eth1, server:eth1]
name: linux-playground
topology:
defaults:
kind: linux
image: ghcr.io/srl-labs/network-multitool:latest
nodes:
client:
exec:
- ip address add 10.10.10.1/24 dev eth1
server:
exec:
- ip address add 10.10.10.2/24 dev eth1
links:
- endpoints: [client:eth1, server:eth1]2. Open it in your app¶
Use the example's Download YAML button and save linux.clab.yml.
Open a folder containing the file. Select the Containerlab icon in the Activity Bar, find the lab, and open its topology viewer. The extension needs containerlab and Docker on its Linux host.
Connect to your API endpoint. Upload the topology file through the Explorer, then open it in the topology editor. Files are saved on the API host for the Linux user you logged in as.
Open the sandbox and import the YAML to explore and edit it. Move the file to a connected app when you're ready to deploy.
3. Deploy and test¶
Use Deploy on the lab. After the containers start, open a shell on client and run:
The addresses come from the exec commands in the YAML. The eth1 interfaces come from its links section. Your diagram, topology file, and running network describe the same connection.
4. Make it yours¶
Add another node on the canvas, connect it to the network, and inspect the resulting YAML. When you're finished, use Destroy to remove the running lab containers.
Continue with the topology design guide, or explore a leaf–spine fabric.