Build custom FRR Vagrant boxes with preinstalled FRR package

docs/caveats.md

@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ diag debug application httpsd -1
 **FRR VM caveats:**
 
 * The VM version of FRR is a Debian VM. The FRR package is downloaded and installed during **vagrant up** processing in the libvirt environment. To postpone the FRR installation to the initial configuration process, set the node variable **netlab_quick_start** to `true`.
+* You can [build a custom FRR VM](build-frr) with a preinstalled **frr** package to speed up the **vagrant up** processing.
 
 **FRR container caveats:**
 

docs/labs/frr.md

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+(build-frr)=
+# Building an FRRouting Libvirt Box
+
+By default, _netlab_ uses Debian Vagrant boxes to start FRRouting virtual machines. The Debian boxes do not contain the FRR package (or a few other packages). These packages are installed whenever a lab starts, resulting in significantly longer start times.
+
+You can use the **netlab libvirt package** command to build a custom FRRouting Vagrant box:
+
+* Use the **netlab show images -d frr** to find the Debian release we use for FRR virtual machines
+* Download the latest relevant Debian **-generic-amd64.qcow2** image from [Debian Official Cloud Images](https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/) (the Bookworm images are [here](https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/bookworm/latest/)) into an empty directory
+* Execute **netlab libvirt package frr _img-file-name_** and follow the instructions
+
+```{warning}
+If you're using a *‌netlab* release older than 1.8.2, or if you're using a Linux distribution other than Ubuntu, please [read the box-building caveats first](libvirt-box-caveats.md).
+```
+
+**netlab libvirt package** starts the Debian VM and uses **cloud-init** to configure it, install additional software packages, and shut it down.
+
+All you have to do is identify the FRR version that was installed on the VM and pass it to the **netlab libvirt package** command when it asks for the box version. Scroll through the printouts and find the end-of-installation message that should look similar to this:
+
+```
+[   21.094634] cloud-init[500]: Installation complete
+[   21.095042] cloud-init[500]: =================================
+[   21.100452] cloud-init[500]: FRR version installed: 10.5.1
+[   21.100844] cloud-init[500]: =================================
+```
+
+```{tip}
+If the installation process fails, the VM remains running. You can log in as user **vagrant** (password **vagrant**) and investigate the cause of the error (or [open an issue](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/issues/new/choose)). To disconnect from the VM, use the **virsh** disconnect sequence (usually `Ctrl-]`).
+```
+
+After finishing the box-building process, the **netlab libvirt package** command tells you how to use the custom box in a lab topology or as a default FRR box:
+
+```
+You created a custom Vagrant box. To use this box in a lab topology, add the
+following setting to the lab topology:
+
+defaults.devices.frr.libvirt.image: netlab/frr
+
+Alternatively, use the "netlab defaults" command to set the custom box as the
+directory-, project- or user default, for example:
+
+netlab defaults devices.frr.libvirt.image=netlab/frr
+```
+
+Finally, use the **netlab libvirt remove --box netlab/frr** command if you want to remove the custom FRR Vagrant box.

docs/labs/libvirt.md

@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ These documents contain box-building recipes using the **netlab libvirt** utilit
 * [Cumulus Linux 5.x](cumulus_nvue.md)
 * [Dell OS10](dellos10.md) by [Stefano Sasso](http://stefano.dscnet.org)
 * [Fortinet FortiOS](fortios.md) - instructions based on the [work](https://blog.petecrocker.com/post/fortinet_vagrant_libvirt/) by [Pete Crocker](https://blog.petecrocker.com/about/) for 6.x/7.0 and updated for 7.4/7.6 in this [blog post](https://noodleops.space/2025-06/add-a-fortigate-in-your-virtual-lab-from-qcow-to-netlab-by-creating-a-vagrant-box/) by [Seb d'Argoeuves](https://noodlesops.space/about/).
+* [FRRouting](frr.md) (Debian VM with preinstalled **frr** package)
 * [Juniper vPTX](vptx.md)
 * [Juniper vSRX 3.0](vsrx.md)
 * [Mikrotik RouterOS 7](routeros7.md) - based on the original [Mikrotik RouterOS](http://stefano.dscnet.org/a/mikrotik_vagrant/) by [Stefano Sasso](http://stefano.dscnet.org)
@@ -304,6 +305,7 @@ providers.libvirt.probe: []
    csr.md
    cumulus_nvue.md
    fortios.md
+   frr.md
    iosv.md
    iosvl2.md
    iosxr.md

docs/platforms.md

@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ You cannot use all supported network devices with all virtualization providers.
 | Cumulus Linux 5.x (NVUE) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅[❗](caveats-cumulus) |
 | Dell OS10          | [✅](build-dellos10)  |  ❌  | ✅  |
 | Fortinet FortiOS   | ✅  |  ❌  |  ✅  |
-| FRR | ✅[❗](caveats-frr) | ✅[❗](caveats-frr) | ✅ |
+| FRR | [✅](build-frr)[❗](caveats-frr) | ✅[❗](caveats-frr) | ✅ |
 | Generic Linux (Ubuntu/Alpine) [❗](labs/linux.md) | ✅  | ✅  | ✅  |
 | Juniper vMX        |  ❌  |  ❌  | ✅[❗](clab-vrnetlab)   |
 | Juniper vPTX       | [✅](build-vptx)  |  ❌  | ✅[❗](clab-vrnetlab)  |

netsim/devices/frr.yml

@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ clab:
 
 libvirt:
   image: debian/bookworm64
+  create_image: netlab/frr
+  create_template: frr.xml.j2
+  create_iso: frr
   group_vars:
     ansible_connection: paramiko
     ansible_user: vagrant

netsim/install/libvirt/frr.xml.j2

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<domain type='kvm'>
+  <name>vm_box</name>
+  <memory unit='MiB'>1024</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='MiB'>1024</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <resource>
+    <partition>/machine</partition>
+  </resource>
+  <os>
+    <type arch='x86_64'>hvm</type>
+    <boot dev='hd'/>
+  </os>
+  <features>
+    <acpi/>
+    <apic/>
+    <pae/>
+  </features>
+  <cpu mode='host-model' check='partial'/>
+  <clock offset='utc' />
+  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
+  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
+  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
+  <pm>
+    <suspend-to-mem enabled='no'/>
+    <suspend-to-disk enabled='no'/>
+  </pm>
+  <devices>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
+    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
+      <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2'/>
+      <source file='{{ user.cwd }}/vm.qcow2'/>
+      <backingStore />
+      <target dev='vda' bus='virtio'/>
+      <alias name='virtio-disk0'/>
+      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
+    </disk>
+    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
+      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
+      <source file='{{ user.cwd }}/bootstrap.iso' index='1'/>
+      <backingStore/>
+      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
+      <readonly/>
+      <alias name='ide0-0-0'/>
+      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
+    </disk>
+    <controller type='usb'/>
+    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
+    <controller type='ide' index='0'>
+      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
+    </controller>
+    <interface type='network'>
+      <source network='vagrant-libvirt'/>
+      <model type='virtio'/>
+    </interface>
+    <console type='pty'>
+      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
+    </console>
+    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
+    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
+    <memballoon model='virtio'/>
+  </devices>
+</domain>

netsim/install/libvirt/frr/meta-data

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+local-hostname: frr

netsim/install/libvirt/frr/user-data

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#cloud-config
+hostname: frr
+create_hostname_file: true
+fqdn: lab.local
+ssh_pwauth: true
+disable_root: false
+system_info:
+  default_user:
+    name: vagrant
+
+network:
+  version: 2
+  ethernets:
+    eth0:
+      dhcp4: true
+
+users:
+- name: vagrant
+  groups: [sudo]
+  shell: /bin/bash
+  sudo: ['ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL']
+  ssh_authorized_keys:
+  - ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABIwAAAQEA6NF8iallvQVp22WDkTkyrtvp9eWW6A8YVr+kz4TjGYe7gHzIw+niNltGEFHzD8+v1I2YJ6oXevct1YeS0o9HZyN1Q9qgCgzUFtdOKLv6IedplqoPkcmF0aYet2PkEDo3MlTBckFXPITAMzF8dJSIFo9D8HfdOV0IAdx4O7PtixWKn5y2hMNG0zQPyUecp4pzC6kivAIhyfHilFR61RGL+GPXQ2MWZWFYbAGjyiYJnAmCP3NOTd0jMZEnDkbUvxhMmBYSdETk1rRgm+R4LOzFUGaHqHDLKLX+FIPKcF96hrucXzcWyLbIbEgE98OHlnVYCzRdK8jlqm8tehUc9c9WhQ== vagrant insecure public key
+  - ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIN1YdxBpNlzxDqfJyw/QKow1F+wvG9hXGoqiysfJOn5Y vagrant insecure public key
+
+chpasswd:
+  expire: false
+  list: |
+    root:vagrant
+    vagrant:vagrant
+
+bootcmd:
+- sed -i 's/^GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=.*/GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200 net.ifnames=0 biosdevname=0"/' /etc/default/grub
+- update-grub
+
+runcmd:
+- [ sh, "/etc/netlab-install.sh" ]
+
+write_files:
+- path: /etc/netlab-install.sh
+  permissions: '0755'
+  content: |
+    #!/bin/bash
+    set -e
+    export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+    echo "Installing ifupdown, GPG, curl, and iproute2"
+    apt-get update -qq >/dev/null
+    apt-get install -qq ifupdown curl gnupg iproute2 >/dev/null
+    echo "Installing FRR"
+    curl -s https://deb.frrouting.org/frr/keys.asc >/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/frr.asc
+    FRRVER="frr-stable"
+    echo deb https://deb.frrouting.org/frr $(lsb_release -s -c) $FRRVER > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/frr.list
+    apt-get update -qq >/dev/null
+    apt-get install -qq frr frr-pythontools bridge-utils ethtool >/dev/null
+    systemctl disable systemd-networkd --now
+    systemctl mask systemd-networkd
+    systemctl disable systemd-resolved --now
+    systemctl mask systemd-resolved
+    systemctl enable networking --now
+    echo "Installation complete"
+    echo
+    echo
+    echo "================================="
+    echo "FRR version installed: $(dpkg-query -W -f='${Version}\n' frr | cut -d- -f1)"
+    echo "================================="
+    echo
+    echo
+    shutdown -P now
+- path: /etc/network/interfaces
+  content: |
+    # interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
+    # Include files from /etc/network/interfaces.d:
+    source-directory /etc/network/interfaces.d
+
+    # The loopback network interface
+    auto lo
+    iface lo inet loopback
+
+    # The primary network interface
+    allow-hotplug eth0
+    iface eth0 inet dhcp
+- path: /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-disable-network-config.cfg
+  content: |
+    network: {config: disabled}