Containerlab vs OMNeT++

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.

OMNeT++ is a modular C++ simulation library and framework used mainly to build network simulators. Its discrete-event models consist of communicating C++ modules whose structure is defined in the NED language. Simulations can run in Qtenv, a graphical runtime environment, or Cmdenv, a command-line interface. The IDE Analysis Tool uses Pandas and Matplotlib to analyze and plot results; R and Matlab can also process them. Extensions cover real-time simulation, network emulation, database integration, and SystemC integration, while the INET model library provides Internet stack models and other protocols and components. Packages are offered for Linux, Windows, and macOS, along with a core archive and container images. The project recommends opp_env for installation and uses WSL in its recommended Windows route. Its Academic Public License allows noncommercial teaching and research; commercial work requires a separate license, priced on request. The maker says the software has no telemetry or account system and keeps models and results on the user's computer.