1. kathara-lstart(1)
  2. Kathara manual
  3. kathara-lstart(1)

NAME

kathara-lstart - Start a Kathara network scenario

SYNOPSIS

kathara lstart [-h] [--noterminals | --terminals | --privileged]
[-d DIRECTORY] [-F] [-l] [-o [OPTION [OPTION ...]]] [--xterm XTERM]
[--print] [--no-hosthome | --hosthome] [--no-shared | --shared] [DEVICE_NAME [DEVICE_NAME ...]]

DESCRIPTION

In order to ease setting up complex network with Kathara it is possible to completely describe it into special configuration files, creating a so-called network scenario. The network scenario can be started with a single command as if it were a virtual network 'laboratory'.

Start a set of devices that are part of a Kathara network scenario and configures them according to the parameters contained in the network scenario description. By default, all the devices that make up the network scenario are started. If a list of DEVICE_NAMEs is provided, then only devices with a matching name and that are part of the network scenario are started.

The configuration of a Kathara network scenario consists of some files described in kathara-lab.conf(5), kathara-lab.dep(5), kathara-lab.ext(5) and directories whose names, locations and contents are described in kathara-lab-dirs(7).

kathara-lab.ext(5) is only available on Linux platforms and need root permissions to be used. In addition, terminals are not open automatically when this file is present. To connect to a device, use kathara-connect(1).

OPTIONS

-h, --help
Show a help message and exit.
--noterminals
Start the network scenario devices without opening terminal windows.

Override the default setting specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

--terminals
Start the network scenario devices opening their terminal windows.

Override the default setting specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

--privileged
Start the devices in privileged mode. MUST BE ROOT FOR THIS OPTION.
-d DIRECTORY, --directory DIRECTORY
Specify the folder containing the network scenario.

Start the Kathara network scenario that is located inside DIRECTORY.
If no -d option is provided, assume the network scenario is located in the current directory.

-F, --force-lab
Force the network scenario to start without a lab.conf or lab.dep file.

As a native behaviour, Kathara starts a device for each directory that it finds in a designated path, by default the current directory. In order to prevent the user from accidentally starting random devices from a directory that does not contain a network scenario, lstart requires the presence of the kathara-lab.conf(5) file in the affected directory. If this file is not required for your setting, and you still want to launch your network scenario without creating it, you can use this option to force Kathara starting a network scenario in the affected directory.

-l, --list
Show information about running devices after the network scenario has been started.
-o [OPTION [OPTION ...]], --pass [OPTION [OPTION ...]]
Apply options to all devices of a network scenario during startup.

Should be a list of double quoted strings, like --pass "mem=64m" "image=kathara/frr". You can specify the same device options described in kathara-lab.conf(5).

--xterm XTERM, --terminal-emu XTERM
Set a different terminal emulator application (Unix only).

As an example: gnome-terminal(1). Override the default setting specified in kathara.conf(5) file. This option is ignored if used in conjunction with --noterminals or if open_terminals is set to false.

--print, --dry-mode
Open the lab.conf file and check if it is correct (dry run).
--no-hosthome, -H
Do not mount /hosthome directory inside devices.

Do not mount the home directory of the current user inside devices. This is the default specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

--hosthome
Mount /hosthome directory inside devices.

Mount the home directory of the current user inside devices in the special directory /hosthome. This option makes the host filesystem accessible from inside devices, overriding the default setting specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

--no-shared, -S
Do not mount /shared directory inside devices.

By default, the shared directory inside the network scenario folder is mounted inside all devices in the special directory /shared. This option disables this behaviour, making the shared directory not accessible from inside devices. Overrides the default setting specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

--shared
Mount /shared directory inside devices.

Mount the shared directory inside the network scenario folder inside all devices on the special directory /shared. This is the default specified in kathara.conf(5) file.

DEVICE_NAME
A list of device names. Instead of starting the whole network scenario, only specified devices are started.

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs opening an issue on the official GitHub repository where the development and maintenance is primarily done.
Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Kathara mailing list. You do not have to be subscribed to the list to send a message there.
When reporting a bug, remember to write used commands, eventually attach your network scenario, and include the output of kathara-check(1) in order to make possible to reproduce the bug.

AUTHORS

Kathara was born from Netkit. Its first version was developed by Gaetano Bonofiglio and Veronica Iovinella. Currently it is mantained by Mariano Scazzariello, Tommaso Caiazzi and Lorenzo Ariemma.

People involved also include:

Copyright © 2017-2024 License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO

kathara(1), kathara-lclean(1), kathara-lrestart(1), kathara-ltest(1), kathara-linfo(1), kathara-lab.conf(5), kathara-lab.dep(5), kathara-lab.ext(5)

  2. April 2024
  3. kathara-lstart(1)