Best IOS image for GNS3

[deepdiver]

Hi there

Looking for the best image for base routing and adv routing for GNS3.
When I say best ,the lowest memory consumption and CPU usage.

Currently I am using 3725 adv enterprise 124-25c this caters for ipsla and BGP with all the bells and whistles but
wacks my CPU at around 70% for 4 devices and around 60Mb per device.
I am thinking about using 1700 series maybe 1710 but wanted to know what images other people were running and what their stats were.

Please could you do me a favour and open GNS run 1 router ( or more and divide) and list the memory used and CPU + IOS version .
That would be awesome ( also would be awesome if I got any replies / or links for that matter been combing google )
I have a bunch of images here so will add them when I test them so everyone can have a look.
Hopefully this will help people optimise GNS3 a bit more.

 

[syntax]

Have you set your idle pc values properly?

Also, have you tried using IOU instead of gns3 ?

 

[deepdiver]

Thanks yep have set the idle PC values repeatedly.
The problem probably is because I am running a pentium 4 3 ghz
but still would like to know the best image to use for
ie base (EIGRP , OSPF) memory 30Mb - 40 Mb ( memory)
adv IP services ( base + BGP, IPSLA , policy based routing) 40 - 60 Mb (memory)

actually would like an image with min memory with adv services
Haven't heard of IOU will look nw.
Love the fact of virtual machines in gns3 linux microcore etc + asa images

 

[Tinuva]

IOU stands for IOS on Unix. Works pretty damn good. Its not router specific, but there are 2 images, 1x for switching, 1x for routing, and then you need to bridge them.

Best is probably to download a VM where all the work has been done for you.

 

[Windpomp]

Have you tried to unpack the image with Cisco binary image unpacker ?

using 6 x 7200 adv enterprise ram 256 3 vm workstations ( XP, Win7, 2003 server )
3 processes running dynamips-wxp.exe at 7% to 8 % mem Usage 326,456 K
dual core 3 Ghz
when running the vm workstations cpu at 50 to 60 %

 

[srothman]

IOU is better only in the sense that it is less resource intensive. The downside is that your pretty much stuck with the topology they give you, albeit not a bad one.

GNS is a lot more flexible for labbing, and IMHO if they can get layer 2 functionality sorted out better (which won't happen because it's a hardware function), it will be a great product.

As far as the original question goes, I've been using the 72xx and 36xx series of images, and they work well. Setting the idle pc values is crucial, and even then you are fairly limited depending on how much resources you have available to us it.

 

[Tinuva]

IOU topology is not static by the way, you can change it by editing the scripts to pretty much anything you like. I even connected it to my home network for even more fun.

 

[srothman]

IOU topology is not static by the way, you can change it by editing the scripts to pretty much anything you like. I even connected it to my home network for even more fun.

This is true, but that's a discussion for a whole different thread ;-)