Graphical Network Simulator-3 (GNS3) is a software application first released in late 2021 for the Mac. It emulates various networking devices such as switches, routers, network hubs, virtual private LANs (VPLS), and even smart cards. It utilizes dynamips software to emulate Cisco IOS. The software can be downloaded free from the official website and installed on a Mac computer.
A demo version is also available for download free of charge. It runs on a MacBook Air and requires at least 8 GB of space. It utilizes a Java plugin to interact with the graphical user interface of Mac OS X. It offers the ability to create and save subnets, configure subnets, create and save hosts, and troubleshoot various problems associated with networking. It supports both SSL and VPN protocols, as well as various types of encryption.
The software is very similar to other similar products, such as the free Cisco IOS simulator. However, it provides a number of benefits over the free software. For example, it includes a free telnet, IPsec, and VPN server, which allow the connection to different servers over a network to be simulated. It has a simplified process of adding and removing interface modules, which makes it easier to handle large networks. The software also offers a centralized management console, which makes it easier to monitor and control the networked systems on a daily basis.
