Cloonix vs GNS3

Cloonix is a free, AGPLv3 suite of C software components for creating virtual networks with KVM-based virtual machines and containers. It runs as a user-land application on a Linux distribution, with a web platform also listed. Users assemble machines, containers, and network items, connect them through Open vSwitch bridges, and view the topology on a graphical canvas. Virtual machines use QEMU-KVM; crun containers can use ZIP files or directories as root filesystems. Elements include NAT, host TAP and physical interfaces, links between Cloonix networks, and packet transit for dropping, shaping, or delaying traffic. The project names Open vSwitch, crun, QEMU-KVM, SPICE, and Wireshark as key components. A Wireshark spy can display or save captures on supported interfaces but is not the complete Wireshark application. Wi-Fi emulation uses vwifi and iw. Installation offers a privileged bundle or cloonix-toy without root requirements. The homepage lists version 53.01, dated November 4, 2025.

GNS3 is free, open-source software for emulating, configuring, testing, and troubleshooting virtual and real networks. Its graphical client works with a virtual machine, and servers can run locally or remotely. Users can combine emulated devices running actual images with simulated devices, including a built-in layer 2 switch. It supports appliances from vendors such as Cisco, Brocade, Cumulus Linux, and HPE, as well as Docker, QEMU-based appliances, VMware, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, and connections to real networks. The GNS3 Marketplace offers preconfigured appliance templates with recommended settings. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux; documentation recommends the GNS3 VM for most Windows and macOS setups and complex topologies. Users must supply their own Cisco IOS images. There are no monthly or yearly license fees, and device capacity depends in practice on the host computer’s CPU and memory. GNS3 is used for networking education, certification practice, proofs of concept, demonstrations, and interoperability testing. A server has no authentication enabled by default and should be restricted at the network level.