Initially distributed as part of a Cisco VIRL subscription, this image became a popular, free tool for learning and network simulation. Though its primary platform is , it can be converted and run on VMware ESXi, Fusion, VirtualBox, and even inside modern containerized labs using Docker and containerlab.
Because it is a .qcow2 file, you need a virtualization platform that supports QEMU. Iosxrv-k9-demo-6.1.3.qcow2
Simplify network emulation and testing by allowing the IOS XRv demo image to automatically discover directly connected virtual neighbors (other demo nodes or Linux bridges/OVS) and generate a running inventory + basic L3 adjacency map — without manual configuration. Initially distributed as part of a Cisco VIRL
Ansible, Netconf/YANG, and gRPC support matured in 6.x. This image is frequently used to test automation scripts for BGP, OSPF, and IS-IS without touching live routers. Simplify network emulation and testing by allowing the
In the world of network engineering, the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation is vast. Real Cisco hardware is expensive, loud, and power-hungry. For decades, professionals have relied on emulation and simulation to bridge this gap. Among the myriad of virtual images available for network testing, one filename stands out for engineers focused on service provider routing: .