The right way to run Cisco Modeling Labs within the Cloud

Did you ever wish to run Cisco Modeling Labs however didn’t have the {hardware} or software program to take action? Or have you ever needed to run a topology in your native deployment—however couldn’t since you didn’t have sufficient reminiscence accessible domestically? What about integrating CML right into a CI/CD pipeline, which incorporates the creation and destruction of the complete pipeline, together with CML?

You may assume one reply to those issues could be to make use of CML within the cloud. And also you’d be proper. Nonetheless, up till just lately, the one supported platforms to run CML have been both on naked metallic servers or on VMware vSphere.

We now have heard requests to have CML Software program-as-a-Service (SaaS), and we’re working laborious to make this a actuality sooner or later. Our first step on this path is to offer tooling and automation so you’ll be able to deploy your CML occasion into Amazon Net Companies (AWS)! This tooling is offered as of as we speak on GitHub.

Setting expectations

With this primary step of automation and tooling comes just a few limitations, together with:

• Tooling is at present solely supported on AWS. We’re engaged on making this additionally accessible on Azure in a subsequent launch.
• It solely helps an all-in-one deployment. Subsequent releases might embody deployment of a number of cases to type a CML cluster.
• This strategy wants a bare-metal taste to help all node varieties. Steel flavors are dearer than virtualized cases; nonetheless, AWS doesn’t help virtualization extensions on their non-bare-metal flavors. That is totally different from Azure.
• It’s good to deliver your individual AWS occasion AND your individual CML license. No pay-as-you-go consumption mannequin is offered as of as we speak.
• CML software program and reference platform information from the “refplat ISO” should be made accessible in a bucket.
• Automation should run domestically in your laptop, notably a Linux machine with Terraform.

As a result of nature of CML’s perform, the flexibility to run it within the cloud won’t ever be low-cost (as in free-tier). CML requires lots of assets, reminiscence, disk, and CPU, which comes at a price, no matter whether or not you run it domestically in your laptop computer, in your knowledge middle, or within the cloud. The concept behind the cloud is to simplify operation and supply elasticity however not essentially to economize.

Assembly software program necessities

The software program necessities you’ll must efficiently use the tooling embody:

• a Linux machine (also needs to work on a Mac with the identical packages put in through Homebrew)
• a Bash shell (in case you utilize the add device, which is a Bash script)
• a Terraform set up
• the AWS CLI bundle (awscli with the aws command)
• the CML software program bundle (.pkg) and the CML reference platform ISO from CCO/cisco.com

An present CML controller satisfies the primary two necessities, and you should use that to put in Terraform and the AWS CLI. It additionally has the reference platform information accessible to repeat to an AWS S3 bucket. You additionally should obtain the CML distribution bundle from the Cisco help web site and duplicate it to the AWS S3 bucket.

For extra element, check with the “Add script” part of the README.md that’s included within the cml-cloud repository.

Getting up and working

When you’ve put in the necessities and copied the information, you’ll discover the precise process straight ahead and meticulously documented within the README.md.

Listed here are the elemental steps:

1. 1. Configure the required S3 bucket, consumer, insurance policies, secrets and techniques, and guidelines through AWS console (as soon as).
   2. Add the binary information (pictures and software program) into the created bucket (as soon as or each time new software program is offered).
   3. Configure the tooling by modifying the config.json file (as soon as).
   4. Run terraform plan adopted by terraform apply to deliver up an occasion
   5. Wait 5-10 minutes for the system to change into prepared; the deal with of the controller is offered in consequence (“output” from Terraform)
   6. Use CML within the cloud and revenue!

When you’re carried out, tear down the cloud infrastructure by executing terraform destroy.

Be aware: Whereas no value is incurred when you’re not working CML cases, you’ll nonetheless must pay for storing the information contained in the created S3 bucket.

Taking the subsequent steps

Whereas CML AWS automation tooling is a primary step towards CML SaaS, the tooling in its present type won’t suit your wants precisely due to value for bare-metal cases or the present dependency on AWS. Or you may want a pay-as-you-go service or one thing else. Tell us!

Simply keep in mind subsequent steps are forward! Keep tuned, and inform us what you assume within the meantime. We’re extraordinarily desirous about how helpful (or not) this primary iteration of cloud tooling is to you and your group and, going ahead, what your particular necessities are. Please attain out to us on the GitHub concern tracker mission.

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