docker-mininet

The Docker image for Mininet

Usage

Get Docker Image

docker pull iwaseyusuke/mininet

Run Docker Container

docker run -it --rm --privileged -e DISPLAY \
             -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix \
             -v /lib/modules:/lib/modules \
             iwaseyusuke/mininet

Output Example:

 * Inserting openvswitch module
 * /etc/openvswitch/conf.db does not exist
 * Creating empty database /etc/openvswitch/conf.db
 * Starting ovsdb-server
 * Configuring Open vSwitch system IDs
 * Starting ovs-vswitchd
 * Enabling remote OVSDB managers
root@457697d70ebc:~#

Now, you can run mn command inside the container.

Also, you can pass options for mn command when running a new container.

$ docker run -it --rm --privileged -e DISPLAY \
             -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix \
             -v /lib/modules:/lib/modules \
             iwaseyusuke/mininet --topo linear

Output Example:

 * /etc/openvswitch/conf.db does not exist
 * Creating empty database /etc/openvswitch/conf.db
 * Starting ovsdb-server
 * Configuring Open vSwitch system IDs
 * Starting ovs-vswitchd
 * Enabling remote OVSDB managers
*** Error setting resource limits. Mininet's performance may be affected.
*** Creating network
*** Adding controller
*** Adding hosts:
h1 h2
*** Adding switches:
s1 s2
*** Adding links:
(h1, s1) (h2, s2) (s2, s1)
*** Configuring hosts
h1 h2
*** Starting controller
c0
*** Starting 2 switches
s1 s2 ...
*** Starting CLI:
mininet>

Docker Compose

If you have installed Docker Compose, you can run container with:

# Download Compose file
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iwaseyusuke/docker-mininet/main/docker-compose.yml

# Run a container
docker compose run --rm mininet

TIPS

Open X Window applications in containers

If you could not open xterm or other X Window applications, or faced to the following error message;

root@26f36691a400:~# xterm
No protocol specified
Warning: This program is an suid-root program or is being run by the root user.
The full text of the error or warning message cannot be safely formatted
in this environment. You may get a more descriptive message by running the
program as a non-root user or by removing the suid bit on the executable.
xterm: Xt error: Can't open display: %s

Please add root user to the local access control list of xhost on your "Docker host" (not on your containers).

$ xhost +si:localuser:root
localuser:root being added to access control list