Inter-Networking with TCP/IP: Comparing Packet Tracer and GNS3 Tools

This report provides a comparative analysis of two prominent network simulation tools: Cisco Packet Tracer and GNS3, within the context of TCP/IP inter-networking. The report begins with an overview of Cisco Packet Tracer, highlighting its capabilities in network simulation, authoring, assessment, and collaboration. It explains the tool's logical and physical workspaces, benefits like its reliability and extensive feature set, and drawbacks such as its cost and Java-based GUI. The report then transitions to GNS3, emphasizing its use by network engineers for emulation, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting of both virtual and real networks. It details GNS3's open-source nature, support for various devices, and the two main software components (GNS3 all in one and GNS3 VM). The report concludes by summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of each tool, ultimately suggesting which tool is better. The report also includes references to relevant academic sources.

Running head: INTER-NETWORKING WITH TCP/IP
INTER-NETWORKING WITH TCP/IP
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Cisco Packet Tracer.............................................................................................................2
Benefits............................................................................................................................2
Drawbacks.......................................................................................................................3
GNS3...................................................................................................................................3
Benefits............................................................................................................................4
Disadvantages..................................................................................................................4
References............................................................................................................................5

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Cisco Packet Tracer
Cisco Packet Tracer is known to be powerful network simulator tool which helps to carry
out experiment with the current network. Packet tracer aims to provide simulation, authoring,
and assessment and collaboration capabilities for teaching and learning some of the complex
technologies (Archana 2015). Cisco Packet tracer comes up with two network spaces like logical
and physical activity. Logical workspace will help the user to build logical network topologies
by establishing connection in between virtual network devices, placement and lastly connecting
them. Physical workspace aims to provide a graphical idea for the logical network like sense of
scale and its placement. It merely focus on the fact of how different network devices, switches
and hosts work in a real-time environment (Prasad et al., 2016). Physical view provides a
complete graphical view of network that comprises of cities and buildings.
It is known to be a network-capable application that comes up with multi-user mode. It
merely allows proper collaboration of virtual network over the given real network. The multi-
user feature is very much helpful for proper collaboration and interaction (Airi and Anderson
2017). It merely provides the option of progression from social features to opportunities for
collaboration, social networking and gaming. Some of the benefits and drawbacks of Cisco
Packet Tracer are given below
Benefits
 It has been designed well, reliable and tends to work for a long time even going down
(Mohtasin et al., 2016).
 It is very much well supported so that the final documentation can be found easily.
 It comprises of large set of features.

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 It comprises of some stable code which aims in fixing bugs.
 Much of the products come up with CLI, which is very much easy to use.
Drawbacks
 Cisco packet tracer is very much expensive.
 The licensing of networking products is found to be very much complex where the
individual can invest their time in learning different license scheme.
 There is need for inconsistency amount the different product.
 Much of the GUI is completely written in java.
GNS3
GNS3 is mainly used by a large number of network engineers on global platform for
emulation and configuration. In addition, it can be even used for test and troubleshooting of both
virtual and real networks. GNS3 is very much helpful for running a small topology that
comprises of few devices on the laptop (Srivastava and Singh 2017). It comes up with many
devices that are hosted on different servers and are even hosted on a cloud platform. GNS3 is
used by network engineers for virtualization of real hardware devices that have exit over the time
period of 10 years. The emulating devices like Cisco device make use of software known as
dynamips. GNS3 has developed and provided support to various devices that exist from multiple
networks inclusive of cisco virtual switches and Docker instances.
GNS3 comprises of two kind of software components that is GNS3 which is all in one
software and GNS3 (VM) (Archana 2015). GNS3 all in one is known to be the client part of the
GNS3 and GUI. There are list of option available on the server part that are local GNS3 server,
local GNS3 VM and remote GNS3 VM. GNS3 server runs on same kind of PC where the local

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GNS3 server is installed (Abro et al., 2018). GNS3 support both kind of devices that is emulated
and stimulated one. GNS3 is known to be powerful that is easily downloaded and usable. GNS3
comes up with numerous benefits and drawbacks like
Benefits
 Open source and free software.
 It does not charge any fees on monthly and yearly basis.
 It does not have any kind of restriction on the device number that are being supported
 It provides the option of multiple switching.
Disadvantages
 The image of the Cisco needs to be supplied at the user end.
 GNS3 can be easily affected as a result of PC setup and limitation.
From the report, it can be concluded that Cisco packet tracer is better tool
 Provides support to Cisco router, switch and PC simulation.
 Can be stimulated from different devices and protocols

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References
Abro, A.A., Abro, A.B., Abro, M. and Siddique, A.A., 2018. Modelling Evaluation of MPLS
using Physical and virtual Network on GNS3. arXiv preprint arXiv:1804.06691.
Airi, P. and Anderson, P.K., 2017. Cisco Packet Tracer as a teaching and learning tool for
computer networks in DWU. Contemporary PNG Studies, 26, p.88.
Archana, C., 2015. Analysis of RIPv2, OSPF, EIGRP Configuration on router Using CISCO
Packet tracer. International journal of Engineering science and innovative technology
(IJESIT) volume, 4.
Mohtasin, R., Prasad, P.W.C., Alsadoon, A., Zajko, G., Elchouemi, A. and Singh, A.K., 2016,
March. Development of a virtualized networking lab using GNS3 and VMware
workstation. In 2016 International Conference on Wireless Communications, Signal
Processing and Networking (WiSPNET) (pp. 603-609). IEEE.
Prasad, N.H., Reddy, B.K., Amarnath, B. and Puthanial, M., 2016. Intervlan Routing and
Various Configurations on Vlan in a Network using Cisco Packet Tracer
6.2. International Journal for Innovative Research in Science and Technology, 2(11),
pp.749-758.
Srivastava, R. and Singh, A., 2017. Route Redistribution Between EIGRP and OSPF Routing
Protocol Using GNS3 Software. International Journal for Research in Applied Science &
Engineering Technology, 5, pp.1232-1237.