dot2net

dot2net implements Topology-driven Configuration, a revolutionary approach that separates network topology from generalized configuration settings. Instead of manually editing multiple device configurations when adding a single router, dot2net generates all required configuration files from a simple topology graph (DOT) and reusable configuration templates (YAML).

How dot2net Works

dot2net transforms network topology into emulation-ready configurations through a 4-step process:

1. Convert: Parse DOT topology into network model with object instances
2. Assign parameters: Automatically calculate IP addresses, interface names, and other parameters
3. Embed variables: Process templates with assigned parameters to generate config blocks
4. Merge and format: Combine config blocks into final configuration files and deployment specifications

This separation enables topology-driven configuration where changing the network layout only requires modifying the DOT file, while all device configurations are automatically regenerated.

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

For building dot2net:

• Go 1.23+ OR Docker

For deploying generated networks:

• Using Containerlab/TiNET: Linux environment with Docker and sudo privilege
• Manual deployment: Any environment (dot2net generates config files only)

Deployment platforms (choose one):

• Containerlab - container-based network labs
• TiNET - Linux namespace-based emulation

Installation & Basic Usage

# 1. Build dot2net
go build .
# or with Docker: docker run --rm -i -v $PWD:/v -w /v golang:1.23.4 go build -buildvcs=false

# 2. Navigate to a tutorial scenario
cd tutorial/

# 3. Generate configuration files
dot2net build -c ./input.yaml ./input.dot
# This creates: r1/, r2/, r3/ directories + topo.yaml + spec.yaml

# 4a. Deploy with Containerlab
sudo containerlab deploy --topo topo.yaml
# Test connectivity: docker exec -it clab-tutorial-r1 ping <r3_ip>
# Cleanup: sudo containerlab destroy --topo topo.yaml

# 4b. Or deploy with TiNET
tinet up -c spec.yaml | sudo sh -x
tinet conf -c spec.yaml | sudo sh -x
# Cleanup: tinet down -c spec.yaml | sudo sh -x

Understanding dot2net Files

• input.dot: Network topology in DOT language (Graphviz format)
• input.yaml: Configuration templates, IP policies, and class definitions
• Generated files: Node-specific config directories + platform deployment files

Example topology (input.dot):

digraph {
    r1 [xlabel="router"];
    r2 [xlabel="router"];
    r3 [xlabel="router"];

    r1 -> r2 [dir="none"];
    r2 -> r3 [dir="none"];
}

📖 Complete Documentation

For comprehensive documentation including detailed syntax, configuration examples, and best practices, visit the dot2net Wiki.

🌟 Key Features

• Automatic Parameter Assignment: IP addresses, interface names, and other parameters
• Flexible Class System: Reusable node, interface, connection, and group configurations
• Template-Based Configuration: Generate any configuration format using Go templates
• Multi-Platform Support: TiNET and Containerlab emulation platforms
• Conflict Detection: Intelligent detection and reporting of configuration conflicts
• Scalable Design: Handle large networks with hundreds of nodes and connections

📋 Supported Platforms

• TiNET: Linux namespace-based network emulation
• Containerlab: Container-based network labs

🤝 Community

• GitHub: https://github.com/cpflat/dot2net
• Wiki: https://github.com/cpflat/dot2net/wiki
• Issues: Report bugs and request features
• Pull Requests: Contribute code improvements and fixes

📚 Academic Publications

dot2net has been published and demonstrated in peer-reviewed academic venues:

IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management (2025)

"Topology-Driven Configuration of Emulation Networks With Deterministic Templating" Satoru Kobayashi, Ryusei Shiiba, Shinsuke Miwa, Toshiyuki Miyachi, Kensuke Fukuda DOI: 10.1109/TNSM.2025.3582212 (Early Access)

CNSM 2023

"dot2net: A Labeled Graph Approach for Template-Based Configuration of Emulation Networks" Satoru Kobayashi, Ryusei Shiiba, Ryosuke Miura, Shinsuke Miwa, Toshiyuki Miyachi, Kensuke Fukuda DOI: 10.23919/CNSM59352.2023.10327865

Citation Information

If you use dot2net in your research, please consider citing our work:

@article{Kobayashi_dot2net2025,
    author={Kobayashi, Satoru and Shiiba, Ryusei and Miwa, Shinsuke and Miyachi, Toshiyuki and Fukuda, Kensuke},
    journal={IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management},
    title={Topology-Driven Configuration of Emulation Networks With Deterministic Templating},
    volume={},
    number={},
    pages={1-14},
    year={2025},
    doi={10.1109/TNSM.2025.3582212}
}

@inproceedings{Kobayashi_dot2net2023,
    author={Kobayashi, Satoru and Shiiba, Ryusei and Miura, Ryosuke and Miwa, Shinsuke and Miyachi, Toshiyuki and Fukuda, Kensuke},
    booktitle={19th International Conference on Network and Service Management (CNSM)},
    title={dot2net: A Labeled Graph Approach for Template-Based Configuration of Emulation Networks},
    pages={1-9},
    year={2023},
    doi={10.23919/CNSM59352.2023.10327865}
}

License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.