Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational technology corporation that focuses on networking hardware and software. It has over 75,000 employees with its headquarters in San Jose, California.
Cisco has been participating in open source development for around 30 years including founding projects like OpenDaylight, FD.io, VPP, PNDA, SNAS, and OpenH264, and contributing to projects like OPNFV, Kubernetes, OpenStack, Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Maven, and many others.
Cisco has also been a key contributor to the Linux kernel over the years, accounting for about 0.5% of total kernel commits, and is a Gold Member of the Linux Foundation.
Cisco Packet Tracer is a networking simulation software tool for teaching and learning how to create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. While it’s free to download, it’s proprietary software. We recommend the best free and open source alternatives for Linux.
1. GNS3
Graphical Network Simulator-3 (GNS3) is software that allows users to emulate, configure, test, and troubleshoot virtual and real networks.
It consists of a GNS3-all-in-one software (GUI) and the GNS3 virtual machine (VM).
GNS3 can help you prepare for certification exams such as the Cisco CCNA, but also help you test and verify real world deployments.
2. Kathará
Kathará is a lightweight network emulation system based on Docker containers.
It can be helpful in showing interactive demos/lessons, testing production networks in a sandbox environment, or developing new network protocols.
3. Dynamips
Dynamips is an emulator computer program that was written to emulate Cisco routers.
It emulates the hardware of the Cisco series routing platforms by directly booting an actual Cisco IOS software image into the emulator. Dynamips emulates Cisco platforms 1700, 2600, 2691, 3600, 3725, 3745, and 7200.
All articles in this series:
| Alternatives to Cisco's Products | |
|---|---|
 | AnyConnect SSL VPN gives users secure access to the enterprise network, from any device, at any time, in any location. |
 | DNA Center is a centralized automation and management platform for the entire network. |
| Packet Tracer is a networking simulation software tool for teaching and learning how to create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. |
 | Secure Firewall is a complete security portfolio that protects your applications and users. It includes a Snort 3 next-generation intrusion prevention system. |
 | Secure IDS is a network-based intrusion detection system that uses a signature database to trigger intrusion alarms. The major components are a sensor platform and a director platform. |
 | Webex offers calling, meetings, and messaging in the cloud for teams of all sizes. It offers a way of collaborating that focuses around the work you do, not your location. |