# Simulators of network equipment for existing Ansible network modules? **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** juniper, cisco\ **Created:** [August 15, 2024, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872 "2024-08-15T12:22:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jpmens](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jpmens/32/5543_2.png) [@jpmens](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jpmens)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/1 "2024-08-15T12:22:30Z")
Is there such a thing as a _free to use_, preferably packaged for Debian, simulator of a, say, Cisco or Juniper router I could use for demonstrations purposes for corresponding and existing Ansible modules? I teach Ansible classes and occasionally get questions about configuring network equipment. I’d like to be able to demo without actually having access to a real router for doing so. Is there such a beast, even if it offers only a fraction of a device’s capabilities? I’m thinking _connection plugin_, and configuring _something_ on such a “device”. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jonathan/32/4215_2.png) [@Jonathan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Jonathan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/2 "2024-08-15T20:47:09Z")
There is always hosting Cisco CML locally on your machine. You’d need to buy a license for $200, install it and get a lab topology set up so that your local PC could talk to the CML environment. It can take some elbow grease for sure. There is also Cisco hosted CML. You can find that info [here](https://devnetsandbox.cisco.com/DevNet/catalog/cml-sandbox_cml). Hopefully that takes you to the right webpage, if not give this one a try [Devnetsandbox](https://developer.cisco.com/site/sandbox/). You’ll need a Ciscodevnet account, but this one is free. The only caveat is you need to reserve a lab and these can be kinda buggy in my humble opinion. You could use EveNG or GNS3 as well, but those can be their own beast. I would honestly go with Cisco CML before GNS3 any day. Hope this helps! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jpmens](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jpmens/32/5543_2.png) [@jpmens](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jpmens)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2024, 6:42am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/3 "2024-08-16T06:42:42Z")
Much appreciated, thank you, though these solutions sound like much more than I’d like to have to chew. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jonathan/32/4215_2.png) [@Jonathan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Jonathan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/4 "2024-08-16T14:37:07Z")
Wait, I have found something that you could use that would be as easy to set up as just creating a Ciscodevnet account. > **[Introduction to Ansible for IOS XE Configuration Management - Cisco DevNet...](https://developer.cisco.com/learning/modules/intro-ansible-iosxe/)** > > Are you ready to NetDevOps up your IOS XE Management? Well if so look no further than these labs. Learn all about how the Open Source configuration management tool Ansible can be used to manage the configurations on your IOS XE devices. You will... If you go there, you can go through the whole setup of Ansible for iosxe devices. Pretty dang cool! I’m actually going to use this lol ---
**Author:** ![jpmens](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jpmens/32/5543_2.png) [@jpmens](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jpmens)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/5 "2024-08-16T15:09:46Z")
Thank you, @Jonathan. That’s actually quite nicely done and the Ansible blurbs make quite a bit of sense and are well written. I might actually learn how to control an iOS device. 🙂 (Disclaimer: I’m very familiar with Ansible but am not at all a networking guy.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/original/1X/1882d9a01da5d8996a862359b0913cc568a39b84.svg) [@system](https://forum.ansible.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/simulators-of-network-equipment-for-existing-ansible-network-modules/7872/6 "2024-09-15T15:10:17Z")
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