How to install GNS3 on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8

What is GNS3 ?⌗

Graphical Network Simulator-3 (shortened to GNS3) is a network software emulator first released in 2008. It allows the combination of virtual and real devices, used to simulate complex networks. It uses Dynamips emulation software to simulate Cisco IOS. Source - WikiPedia.

How to install GNS3⌗

I will show you how to install GNS3, dynamips, vpcs and ubridge from official GNS3 source code on RHEL 8 / CentOS 8.

The only difference in the installation process between RHEL and CentOS is Code Ready Linux Builder repository, which is called PowerTools on CentOS.

Enable CodeReady (RHEL 8 Only)⌗

[root@rh ~]# subscription-manager repos --enable codeready-builder-for-rhel-8-x86_64-rpms

Enable PowerTools (CentOS 8 Only)⌗

[root@centos ~]# yum install dnf-plugins-core
[root@centos ~]# yum config-manager --set-enabled PowerTools

Install Required RPMs⌗

[root@rh ~]# yum install python3-devel python3-pip cmake make elfutils-libelf-devel libpcap-devel python3-pyqt5-sip python3-qt5 xterm
[root@rh ~]# yum groupinstall 'Development Tools'

Clone the needed sources for gns3-gui, gns3-server, vpcs, dynamips and ubridge⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/
[root@rh src]# git clone https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-server.git
[root@rh src]# git clone https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui.git
[root@rh src]# git clone https://github.com/GNS3/vpcs.git
[root@rh src]# git clone https://github.com/GNS3/dynamips.git
[root@rh src]# git clone https://github.com/GNS3/ubridge.git

Install GNS3 Server⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/gns3-server/
[root@rh gns3-server]# pip3 install -r requirements.txt
[root@rh gns3-server]# python3 setup.py install

Install GNS3 Gui⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/gns3-gui/
[root@rh gns3-gui]# pip3 install -r requirements.txt
[root@rh gns3-gui]# python3 setup.py install
[root@rh gns3-gui]# cp resources/linux/applications/gns3.desktop /usr/share/applications/
[root@rh gns3-gui]# cp -R resources/linux/icons/hicolor/ /usr/share/icons/

Install VPCS⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/vpcs/src
[root@rh src]# ./mk.sh
[root@rh src]# cp vpcs /usr/local/bin/vpcs

Install Dynamips⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/dynamips/
[root@rh dynamips]# mkdir build 
[root@rh dynamips]# cd build/
[root@rh build]# cmake ..
[root@rh build]# make
[root@rh build]# make install

Install Ubridge⌗

[root@rh ~]# cd /usr/local/src/ubridge
[root@rh ubridge]# make
[root@rh ubridge]# make install

Now GNS3 will be listed in your applications. Optionally, libvirt and qemu-kvm can be installed and it will be possible to add virtual machines directly in GNS3 topology.

[root@rh ~]# yum install libvirt qemu-kvm