How To Add Cisco Nexus 9k Switch in Eve-ng

Add Cisco Nexus Switch in EVE-NG to elevate your network simulation capabilities and gain practical experience with advanced data center technologies. EVE-NG is a versatile platform designed for network engineers, enabling them to design, test, and implement complex network topologies in a virtual environment. Integrating Cisco Nexus 9k switches into EVE-NG is essential for those looking to master data center networking, offering hands-on experience with Cisco’s cutting-edge Nexus operating system.

Adding Cisco Nexus 9k switch images to EVE-NG allows you to simulate high-performance network environments, perform detailed testing, and refine your skills without the need for expensive physical hardware. This guide will walk you through the entire process of obtaining, preparing, and integrating Cisco Nexus 9k switch images into EVE-NG, ensuring you have a fully functional setup for enhanced learning and network simulation projects.

The Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches, renowned for their performance, scalability, and advanced data center features, are essential components in modern network infrastructures. Integrating these switches into your network simulations can greatly enhance your learning and testing environments. EVE-NG (Emulated Virtual Environment Next Generation) is a versatile and powerful emulation platform that supports a wide range of network devices, including the Cisco Nexus 9000v switches.

Step-by-step guide to add Cisco Nexus switch to eve-ng

  1. Supported Cisco Nexus Switch images for eve-ng
  2. Download and prepare the necessary Nexus 9000v image.
  3. Upload the image to your EVE-NG server.
  4. Configure the EVE-NG platform to recognize and use the Nexus 9000v switch.
  5. Verify the integration by adding and configuring the switch in a lab environment.

Whether you are a network professional seeking to refine your skills or an IT student preparing for certification exams, this guide will help you leverage the capabilities of the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series within EVE-NG, providing a robust platform for your network simulations and testing.

1. Supported Cisco Nexus 9k Images in eve-ng.
EVE Image NameDownloaded FilenameVersionvCPUsvRAM
nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.4nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.4.qcow2nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.428192

Other versions should also be supported following the procedure

2. Download Cisco Nexus 9k Images for Eve-ng

if you have access to the Cisco software portal, you can directly download the image from the Cisco website from the below URL.

https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286312239/type/282088129/release/7.0%25283%2529I7%25284%2529

No worries, if you do not have access to the Cisco Website you can download the image from the below alternate link.
Download Cisco Nexus 9k Image

Images provided above are strictly for educational purposes and are not hosted on the www.networkhunt.com server. We are just indexing the links found on the internet for educational purposes only. Once you download the image then we are going to go for the next step.

3. Preparing Eve-ng Cisco Nexus 9k switch.

The steps below are based on nxosv-final.7.0.3.I7.4.qcow2 creation, for another image deployment, use proper names respectively.

SSH to EVE-ng and login as root, from cli and create a temporary working directory on the EVE’s root:

mkdir /opt/unetlab/addons/qemu/nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.4/


Upload the downloaded nxosv-final.7.0.3.I7.4.qcow2 image to the EVE /opt/unetlab/addons/qemu/nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.4/ using for example FileZilla or WinSCP.

From cli go to created directory and rename the image to Sataa.qcow2.

cd /opt/unetlab/addons/qemu/nxosv9k-7.0.3.I7.4/
mv nxosv-final.7.0.3.I7.4.qcow2 sataa.qcow2

Now we need to Fix permissions in eve-ng, once done we are good to start the node

/opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

4. Cisco Nexus Switch 9K first boot setup steps.

Now you must be seeing node in Eve-ng. when you start the node it will take some time to start depending on your cpu and memory.
you may be getting a loader on the screen once Nexus completes its booting. Insert the below command to check all the available file

dir
you will see the output mentioning the boot file as like the below image.

after running dir command you will be able to see NXOS image then just use the below command and press enter
loader > boot nxos.7.0.3.I7.4.bin

it will take some time to load depending on cpu and memory once done it will ask for a prompt answer

1. Start node and on the prompt answer:

Abort Auto Provisioning and continue with normal setup ?(yes/no)[n]: yes
Do you want to enforce secure password standard (yes/no) no

Enter passwords for admin:
admin
admin

Would you like to enter the basic configuration dialog (yes/no): no

2. Login in your switch first time:

User Access Verification
 login: admin
 Password: admin

3. dir flash: To get the proper image name to set  boot nxos from it

switch# dir bootflash:
       4096    Apr 18 00:53:27 2017  .rpmstore/
       4096    Apr 18 00:53:47 2017  .swtam/
      14160    Apr 18 00:58:45 2017  20170418_005603_poap_26331_init.log
  757307904    Feb 16 17:17:14 2017  nxos.7.0.3.I7.4.bin
          0    Apr 18 01:00:14 2017  platform-sdk.cmd
       4096    Apr 18 00:55:47 2017  scripts/
       4096    Apr 18 00:55:57 2017  virt_strg_pool_bf_vdc_1/
       4096    Apr 18 00:54:00 2017  virtual-instance/
         59    Apr 18 00:53:52 2017  virtual-instance.conf

4. Enter into global configuration mode:

switch# conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
switch(config)# boot nxos bootflash:nxos.7.0.3.I7.4.bin
end
copy run start

Now your NX9K after rebooting or stopping the node will start normally. Steps 1-3 need to be done one time on every first added NX9K node on the topology!

Now your switch is ready !!!

Ensure that the image file is correctly named and located in the correct directory. Verify that the permissions are correctly set for the image files and directories. Check for any specific EVE-NG version requirements or compatibility notes for the Nexus 9000v image.

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