How Can I Set Up a Cisco SD WAN Lab?

Overview
Do you want to build a thorough lab setup and learn more about Cisco SD-WAN? Don't search any farther! We offer a clear and useful tutorial on setting up a Cisco SD WAN lab in this blog.

For more than two years, Guinet technologies has been providing Cisco SD-WAN training, and nearly every applicant has asked the same question: "How to Setup Cisco SD WAN Lab Locally." Now that the wait is finally over, we'll explain how to set up your own SD WAN Lab on your local computer step-by-step in this article.

This book will help you grasp the fundamentals of creating a working SD-WAN lab using Cisco technologies, regardless of whether you're an IT expert, network engineer, or an aspiring networking enthusiast.
Cisco SD-WAN: What is it?

Cisco SD-WAN is a solution that uses software-defined concepts and centralizes control to make WAN management easier. Cisco SD-WAN, in contrast to conventional WANs, offers flexibility, enhanced security, and superior performance across a variety of network connections, including broadband and LTE.

The advantages of establishing a local SD-WAN lab

Building an SD-WAN Lab enables you to:

practical, hands-on SD-WAN experience.
An affordable method to test different setups and reduce network problems.
In controlled situations, test security settings and policies.

How is the Cisco SD WAN Lab set up?

To begin with, a major component of what you will need to set up the SD-WAN lab is SD-WAN controllers. These controllers require a significant amount of computer power when used in a simulated lab setting. This is one of the main causes of the Lab Setup's inefficiency when it comes to deploying on your PC or notebook. However, if the resources listed below are available on your machine, you are essentially in the clear!

Resource Needed:

1. RAM (physically installed on the machine): 32GB DDR3/DDR4

2. CPU: 9–12 cores

3. 100GB HDD/SSD storage (only for lab use)

4. OS (Operating System): Windows (VMware is still working on this; MAC doesn't work well with this since the release of Apple Silicon Chip, and SD-WAN Images require Nested Virtualization).

Given the enormous resource requirements, a tower server or small server will be beneficial to you and is also highly recommended.

In addition to physical resources, you'll need a virtualization engine to install the SD-WAN images directly or a network simulator to graphically design your topology with many devices. While VMware Workstation/ESXi is the preferred virtualization engine, there are other suppliers as well, albeit our testing experiences with them haven't always been positive.

When it comes to Network Simulations, GNS3 and EVE-NG have been in a fierce competition to see who can simulate Network Infrastructure laboratories the best. EVE-NG outperforms GNS3 in a number of ways.

These tools are available for download below:

VMware Workstation
Community Edition of EVE-NG

The images are another crucial component needed to set up the SD-WAN Lab Environment. Since Cisco is not the only vendor offering SD-WAN, in order to get your lab operating, you would need the following controller images:

1. Manager v. Viptela

2. Bond v. Viptela

3. Viptela vSmart

4. vEdge Viptela

5. Cisco vEdge

These pictures are available for download on Cisco's official website, but if you don't have a service contract with the company, we can help. We at Guinet Technologies can assist you in setting up your own lab with the necessary tools and images on your physical resource by offering Lab Installation and Hosting Setup Services.

Guinet Technologies' Cisco SD WAN Lab Setup Service

Individual learners, corporations seeking Proof of Concepts, and even training companies wishing to train people on SD-WAN and many other technologies might use this service.

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