Create a Docker container template for GNS3 on macOS

Most GNS3 users are familiar with VPCS . It’s the go-to device for simulating a simple endpoint node in our network labs. VPCS is suitable for the basics, but Docker supplies a selection of more feature-rich endpoint types. This post provides an example using Alpine Linux .

Prerequisites

• GNS3 with macOS on Apple Silicon
• GNS3 client

Steps

1. Open your favorite terminal emulator.

2. Download the latest alpine Docker image from Docker Hub .

orb -m gns3 -u gns3 docker image pull alpine

3. Verify the Docker image is available.

orb -m gns3 -u gns3 docker image ls

output:

REPOSITORY   TAG       IMAGE ID       CREATED        SIZE
alpine       latest    91ef0af61f39   2 months ago   7.8MB

Optionally, we can also display the architecture for the image.

orb -m gns3 -u gns3 docker inspect alpine -f '{{.Architecture}}'

output:

amd64

4. Open the GNS3 client application.

5. Click the Settings button.

6. Select Docker containers on the left side menu.

7. Click the New button.

8. Choose Existing image and select alpine:latest from the Image list.

9. Click the Next button.

10. Click the Next button using the default alpine for the container name.

11. Click the Next button using the default 1 for number of adapters.

12. Click the Next button to use the default Start command of the image.

13. Click the Next button using the default telnet for console type.

14. Click the Finish button as we won’t be setting environment variables.

15. Click the Edit button.

16. Enter A{0} for the Default name format value.

17. Click the OK button.

18. Click the Apply button to save the template configuration.

19. Click the OK button to close the GNS3 Preferences window.

20. Happy Labbing!