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How to Properly Clone an EVE-NG Lab with Configurations

Cloning labs in EVE-NG is a great way to duplicate setups and expand or experiment on a new copy without affecting the original lab. However, if not done correctly, the cloned lab may only copy the topology without configurations. In this guide, I’ll show you how to properly clone a lab in EVE-NG with all configurations using the EVE-NG GUI.

Follow these steps to ensure that both the topology and router configurations are retained when cloning your lab.


Steps to Clone an EVE-NG Lab with Configurations

  1. Save Running Configuration on All Devices
    In your original lab, make sure all devices have their configurations saved to NVRAM. Go into the CLI of each router and run the command:
    copy running-config startup-config

  2. Export All Configurations (CFGs)
    On the left sidebar in the EVE-NG Web UI, click on the "More Actions" option. Then select "Export all CFGs". This step exports the configurations of all devices in the lab.

  3. Shutdown All Devices
    After exporting the configurations, shut down all the devices in the lab. This step is important because cloning a lab while devices are running may not correctly retain configurations.

  4. Close the Lab
    Once all devices are shut down, close the lab from the EVE-NG Web UI.

  5. Clone the Lab
    Go to the EVE-NG dashboard, where all your labs are listed. Click on the lab you want to clone and select “Clone” from the options in the left sidebar. The cloned lab will now appear in your lab list.

  6. Open the Cloned Lab (Do NOT Start Devices Yet)
    Open the newly cloned lab, but do not start any devices yet. This ensures that you can apply the saved configurations first.

  7. Activate Start-up Configs
    On the left sidebar, click on “Start-up Configs”. Turn the Start-up Configs ON for all devices. This will load the configurations from the original lab into the cloned devices.

  8. Start All Devices
    Now, you can start all devices in the cloned lab. The configurations from the original lab should automatically load.

  9. Save the Configurations
    After the devices are up and running, save the configurations to NVRAM by running the command:
    copy running-config startup-config

  10. Turn Off All Devices
    Once configurations are saved, shut down all devices again.

  11. Disable Start-up Configs
    Go back to “Start-up Configs” in the left sidebar and switch the button to OFF for all devices. This ensures future configurations are saved directly on the devices.

  12. Restart All Devices
    Restart the devices, and the cloned lab will now have both the topology and all configurations from the original lab.

Conclusion

By following this method, you can easily clone an EVE-NG lab with both the topology and the configurations intact. This is particularly useful when you want to experiment with a lab setup or add more devices without affecting your original configurations.

Feel free to try this out in your own lab and let me know how it goes!

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