Kathara Lab Generator

A comprehensive toolkit for automated network lab creation with Kathara

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Overview

This repository provides two powerful tools designed to streamline the creation of complex network topologies for Kathara, a container-based network emulation platform. Whether you prefer working in the terminal or through a modern graphical interface, these tools automate the tedious process of configuring routers, hosts, servers, and network protocols.

What's Included

1. labGenerator.py - A feature-rich command-line interface (CLI) for step-by-step lab creation
2. labGenerator_GUI.py - A modern, intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) with real-time topology visualization

Both tools generate production-ready Kathara labs with properly configured:

• FRR Routers with BGP, OSPF, RIP, and static routing
• Client Hosts with network interfaces and default gateways
• Web Servers running Apache with customizable content
• DNS Servers using BIND9 (Root, Master, or Caching/Forwarding)

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1. LabGenerator (CLI)

labGenerator.py is the core of the project. It is an interactive Python script that guides the user step-by-step through the creation of an entire network topology.

How it works

The script asks the user to define network devices one by one. It supports:

• FRR Routers: Automatic configuration of daemons (zebra, bgpd, ospfd, ripd), interfaces, loopbacks, and routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, RIP, Static).
• Client Hosts: Simple PCs with IP and default gateway configuration.
• Web Servers: Apache servers with customizable index page.
• DNS Servers: BIND9 servers configurable as Root, Master, or Caching/Forwarding.

Once the devices are defined, the script automatically generates the folder structure, .startup files, lab.conf, and FRR daemon configurations. It also includes post-creation menus to refine the configuration (e.g., BGP policies, automatic neighbors).

LabGenerator CLI Demo 1	LabGenerator CLI Demo 2

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2. LabGenerator GUI

labGenerator_GUI.py is a modern graphical interface based on PySide6 that makes creating labs even more intuitive and visual.

Features

• Topology Visualization: An interactive graph shows connections between devices (Routers, Hosts, LANs) in real-time.
• Guided Configuration: Dedicated dialog windows for each device type allow entering parameters (IP, protocols, routes) without remembering the syntax.
• Complete Management: Allows saving, loading, and modifying existing labs.
• Full Integration: Uses the labGenerator.py engine to ensure the same quality and correctness of the generated files.

LabGenerator GUI Demo 1	LabGenerator GUI Demo 2

Prerequisites and Installation

1. Ensure you have Python 3.8+ installed.
2. Create a virtual environment and install dependencies:

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

For the GUI:

python3 labGenerator_GUI.py

For the CLI:

python3 labGenerator.py