Eve-NG: How to add device images

After installing Eve-NG, you need to find the required or necessary system image for your lab scenario or planned project. Quite frankly the EVE-NG support a lot of network system in the market. It is quite a bit impressive. Does it really work smoothly with the EVE-NG? Any compatibility or performance issue? Does it require a lot of computing power? surprisingly, based on my experience, the EVE-NG system has a smart algorithm that takes the use of resources to a minimum, so it does not require a high specification computer. If compare to GNS3, it is far better in terms of resource management.
We would like to share a few things to know during adding a system image into the EVE-NG below.

A few things to know are listed below.

1. Where can I get images?
We looked around for a place to download for free, but we couldn’t find it. Well, you could go to the dark side of the resource, but not recommended. Eventually, we subscribed to the Cisco Internet Routing Lab Personal Edition class and could download legally the required Cisco device image from the site. We paid $199 and I think it’s a good deal.

2. File format;
We are dealing with two types of file formats, ‘vmdk’ and ‘qcow2’. The ‘vmdk’ format can only be used by conversion. On the other hand, the ‘qcow2’ format image can be used directly to the EVE-NG. See below examples
– vmdk format (Requires convert to use)
– qcow2 format (ready to use)

3. Folder name;
The EVE-NG looks at the folder name to identify which system image it is. Therefore, the folder name plays a very important role.
There is a reference table for the folder name in the link below.
https://www.eve-ng.net/index.php/documentation/qemu-image-namings/

4. Simple 5 steps

• • Create a folder
  • Upload a system image
  • Rename
  • Convert system image format
  • Fix permission

5. Examples (Updated by Winter 2020)

Cisco vIOS – Router

• Original system image name: vios-adventerprisek9-m.vmdk.SPA.157-3.M3
• Folder name:
  • mkdir vios-adventerprisek9-m.SPA.157-3.M3
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • mv vios-adventerprisek9-m.SPA.157-3.M3 vios-adventerprisek9-m.SPA.157-3.M3.vmdk
• Convert system image format: 
  • /opt/qemu/bin/qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O qcow2 vios-adventerprisek9-m.SPA.157-3.M3.vmdk virtioa.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco vIOS – Switch

• Original system image name: vios_l2-adventerprisek9-m.SSA.high_iron_20180619.qcow2
• Folder name:
  • mkdir viosl2-adventerprisek9-m.SSA.high_iron_20180619
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • mv vios_l2-adventerprisek9-m.SSA.high_iron_20180619.qcow2 virtioa.qcow2 
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco vASA

• Original system image name: asav992.qcow2
• Folder name:
  • mkdir asav-asav992 
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image: 
  
  • mv asav992.qcow2 virtioa.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco CSR1000v

• Original system image name: csr1000v-universalk9.16.6.1.qcow2
• Folder name:
  • mkdir csr1000vng-csr1000v-universalk9.16.6.1
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • csr1000v-universalk9.16.6.1.qcow2 virtioa.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco XRv 9000 Router

• Original system image name: xrv9k-fullk9-x-6.5.1.qcow2
• Folder name:
  • mkdir xrv9k-fullk9-x-6.5.1
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • mv xrv9k-fullk9-x-6.5.1.qcow2 virtioa.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco XRv Router

• Original system image name: iosxrv-k9-demo-6.1.3.qcow2
• Folder name:
  • mkdir xrv-iosxrv-k9-demo-6.1.3
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • mv iosxrv-k9-demo-6.1.3.qcow2 hda.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions

 

Cisco NXOS Titanium

• Original system image name: titanium-final.7.3.0.D1.1.qcow2
• Folder name: 
  • mkdir titanium-final.7.3.0.D1.1
• Upload to EVE-NG:
• Rename system image:
  • mv titanium-final.7.3.0.D1.1.qcow2 virtioa.qcow2
• Fix permission: 
  • /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions