Common Open Research Emulator (CORE) vs Containerlab
Common Open Research Emulator (CORE)
nrl.navy.mil
Containerlab
containerlab.devSide by side
| Figure | Common Open Research Emulator (CORE) | Containerlab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 2 |
| Spec score · Network Simulation Software | 7.5 (#18) | 8.9 (#1) |
| API | NRL says the CORE API lets other systems interact with CORE emulation and is used for communication between CORE components. | The clab-api-server performs lab lifecycle, file, terminal, capture, image, and inspection operations on the Linux host. |
| Integrations | CORE documentation includes provided services for EMANE, FRR, Quagga, SDN, and XORP. | Containerlab can launch VM based routers through vrnetlab or boxen integration and can run containerlab style topologies on Kubernetes through Clabernetes. |
| License | The GitHub repository identifies the project license as BSD-2-Clause. | The public GitHub repository identifies the project license as BSD-3-Clause. |
| Requirements | The repository states that CORE requires Python 3.9 or later. | The documented prerequisites include a Linux server or VM, Docker, and sudo privileges to run Containerlab. |
| Support | The repository points users to GitHub-hosted documentation and a Discord channel for support discussions. | The project directs users with questions, ideas, and bug reports to its Discord community. |
Plans
Common Open Research Emulator (CORE)
No plans published.
In their own words
Common Open Research Emulator (CORE)
Common Open Research Emulator (CORE) has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Containerlab
Containerlab is a command-line tool for orchestrating container-based networking labs. Users describe nodes, links and lab settings in topology files, then use lifecycle commands to deploy, destroy, save, inspect or graph a lab. Supported nodes include containerized and virtual-machine network operating systems from Nokia, Cisco, Juniper, Arista and other vendors and projects. The project lists platforms such as Nokia SR Linux and SR OS, Cisco XRd and Nexus 9000v, Juniper cRPD and vMX, Arista, SONiC, Cumulus VX, VyOS, FRR, VPP, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, OpenWRT, Linux containers and generic VMs. It can launch VM routers through vrnetlab or boxen, and Clabernetes can run Containerlab-style topologies on Kubernetes. Optional interfaces include a VS Code extension, desktop app and web app; desktop and web connect to a reachable clab-api-server on a Linux host. Its single binary and topology definitions can start labs in CI systems such as GitLab CI and GitHub Actions. Containerlab is free and open source. Documented prerequisites include a Linux server or VM, Docker and sudo privileges for some operations.