EVE-NG vs ns-3

EVE-NG is a clientless network emulation platform for network, security, and DevOps professionals. It is presented for building virtual proof-of-concept projects, solutions, and training environments for organizations, educators, individuals, and groups. A topology designer supports lab creation, configuration import and export, XML lab files, and picture or map imports. Running nodes can connect through hot links, including to real networks. Listed Professional features include KVM hardware acceleration, Docker and custom Docker support, and up to 1024 nodes per lab. Integrations include RADIUS and Microsoft Active Directory authentication, Docker-integrated Wireshark, and an integrated NAT cloud. Hosting options include Proxmox, VMware platforms, and Google Cloud platform VMs. The free plan allows 7 nodes per instance and 63 per lab, with the Admin role only. EVE-NG Base and RBL are priced on request; RBL supports multiple roles, with added roles priced separately. Community Edition support and end of life ended in June 2026.

ns-3 is a free, discrete-event network simulator for research and education. It supports simulations of IP and non-IP networks, including wireless work involving Wi-Fi and LTE, and provides a workflow from configuring a simulation through collecting and analyzing traces. A real-time scheduler supports simulation-in-the-loop use, including sending and receiving ns-3 packets on real network devices. Its Direct Code Execution framework can run C or C++ applications or the Linux kernel networking stack within ns-3.

The project is available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use, with desktop deployment listed. It is free software under GNU GPLv2, priced at free. Releases arrive roughly two or three times each year, mainly as compressed source archives. Documentation includes tutorials, installation guidance, model library material, a reference manual, and Doxygen API documentation. NetAnim and Bake are listed as related tools. Support channels include mailing lists, Zulip chat, and the issue tracker; the project says volunteers maintain it without company backing.