I will use VMware Server
(v1.0.4) to build the virtual
labs.
Interesting, since VMware Server is
free, and so is the community edition of
Vyatta , the cost of these labs
depends on the host machine's hardware, hardware
capable of supporting these labs (actually you
do not require a very powerful machine for
running these labs, so no need for a high priced
mean machine).
And, as said in a previous
article, since Vyatta runs in VMware, testing
was never so easy before (compared with the
testing of proprietary routers). And you can't
do a real deployment without doing some tests
first.
So add all these to the list of
reasons for using Vyatta in your testing and
learning lab.
We have three virtual offices: HQ,
Branch1 and Branch2. Each virtual office is
using a Vyatta
OFR VC4 as an
Internet Gateway/VPN Gateway/Firewall.
We are
looking to connect these offices together using
VPN links.
The desired VPN topology will be a
hub-and-spoke one, and maybe a full mesh
one.
Basically two scenarios can be easily
accomplished: a simpler one and a more
realistic one.
If you plan to test GRE/IPsec
or/and IPIP/IPsec in your lab, I recommend you
the more realistic test scenario. You will
get better and more accurate results.
Virtual Lab Scenario
1
Figure32: Virtual Lab
Scenario 1
In the scenario
from Figure32 all
three VPN gateways are directly connected (there
is no device separating them). Obviously this is
not a very realistic approach. But it is quite
easy to use.
Also there is another
Vyatta VC4 machine called ISP. This one is
used to provide Internet connectivity for the
three virtual offices. So a host
behind one of the other three Vyatta
VC4 machines will be able to access
Internet too.
Virtual Lab
Scenario 2
Figure33: Virtual Lab
Scenario 2
Now, in the scenario
from Figure33 all
three VPN gateways are connected through the ISP
VM. This is a more realistic approach since now
traffic between the VPN gateways must pass
through another machine in order to reach
its destination (there is a next hop).
So the
Vyatta VC4 machine called ISP separates the
three VPN gateways and is used to provide
Internet connectivity for the three virtual
offices.
In Part 4
we will start creating the VMs.
Go to Part 4
.
