Release 26.02 (#3098)

Author: ipspace

README.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Interested? [Read the documentation](https://netlab.tools) (also available on [G
 
 ## Releases
 
-The latest release is [release 26.01.01](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/releases/tag/release_26.01.01). We did a major refactoring of configuration file generation in release 26.01 (resulting in a few breaking changes); if you encounter bugs, please report them as [GitHub issues](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/issues/new/choose) and use [release 25.12.03](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/releases/tag/release_25.12.03).
+The latest release is [release 26.02](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/releases/tag/release_26.02). It should be pretty stable, but if you encounter bugs, please report them as [GitHub issues](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/issues/new/choose) and use [release 26.01.01](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/releases/tag/release_26.01.01).
 
 <!--
 or [1.8.4-post2](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/releases/tag/release_1.8.4-post2).

docs/caveats.md

@@ -115,13 +115,18 @@ nodes:
 **Licensing:**
 
 * Catalyst 8000v uses a boot-level license to enable additional features. The *netlab*-built Vagrant box configures the **premier** license, while the older versions of *vrnetlab* built containers without the add-on license. Set the default parameter **defaults.devices.cat8000v.clab.cat8000v.license** to *none* if you're using Catalyst 8000v containers without the **premier** license.
-* The **premier** license is required for new-style VLAN configuration (see below), VXLAN, MPLS, SR-MPLS, and SRv6.
+* The **premier** license is required for new-style VLAN configuration (see below), VXLAN, EVPN, MPLS, SR-MPLS, and SRv6.
 
 **VLAN caveats:**
 
 * You cannot use reserved VLANs (1002..1005) on Catalyst 8000v
 * _netlab_ uses new-style VLAN configuration (service instance configured as a **member** of the **bridge-domain**) on Catalyst 8000v nodes with the **premier** license, and old-style VLAN configuration (**bridge-domain** configured under **service instance**) on other Catalyst 8000v nodes.
 
+**EVPN/VXLAN caveats:**
+
+* The layer-3 EVPN functionality (transit VNI, type-5 routes) is not supported by _netlab_
+* Cisco IOS/XE does not accept VXLAN VNI values below 4096
+
 **Container caveats:**
 
 You should use the latest *vrnetlab* code to build (or rebuild) the Catalyst 8000v containers:
@@ -135,7 +140,7 @@ See also [CSR 1000v](caveats-csr) and [Cisco IOSv](caveats-iosv) caveats.
 ## Cisco CSR 1000v
 
 * Cisco CSR 1000v does not support an interface MTU lower than 1500 bytes or an IP MTU higher than 1500 bytes.
-* The minimum VXLAN VNI accepted by Cisco CSR 1000v is 4096. Using lower VNI values triggers a configuration error that is not caught by Ansible, resulting in a weird failure of the **netlab initial** command.
+* Cisco IOS/XE does not accept VXLAN VNI values below 4096
 
 See also [Cisco IOSv](caveats-iosv) SSH, OSPF, RIPng, and BGP caveats.
 
@@ -167,7 +172,7 @@ The Cisco IOS/IOS-XE SSH implementation uses RSA keys and older encryption algor
 
 That wasn't a problem for Ansible users until October 2025, when the new version of the `ansible-pylibssh` package (installed with Ansible) was released. `ansible-pylibssh` release 1.3.0 uses `libssh` release 0.11.0, which [no longer supports legacy SSH algorithms](https://github.com/ipspace/netlab/discussions/2759).
 
-You could downgrade `ansible-pylibssh` to release 1.2.2 with a command similar to `pip3 install --upgrade ansible-pylibssh==1.2.2` (you might have to prefix the command with `sudo` or add the `--break-system-packages` argument to the **pip3** command). Alternatively, you can tell Ansible to use the **paramiko** SSH library with:
+_netlab_ automatically tells Ansible to use the **paramiko** library when it detects a newer version of the `ansible-pylibssh` library. You could also downgrade `ansible-pylibssh` to release 1.2.2 with a command similar to `pip3 install --upgrade ansible-pylibssh==1.2.2` (you might have to prefix the command with `sudo` or add the `--break-system-packages` argument to the **pip3** command). Alternatively, you can tell Ansible to use the **paramiko** SSH library with:
 
 ```
 $ export ANSIBLE_NETWORK_CLI_SSH_TYPE=paramiko
@@ -191,6 +196,8 @@ Additionally, you might have to execute `sudo update-crypto-policies --set LEGAC
 * The Cisco IOL and IOL L2 images work only as containers created with Roman Dodin's fork of [vrnetlab](https://github.com/srl-labs/vrnetlab).
 * You need Containerlab 0.59.0 or greater to run these images.
 * You cannot use VLANs 1002 through 1005 with the Cisco IOL layer-2 image
+* The layer-3 EVPN functionality (transit VNI, type-5 routes) is not supported by _netlab_
+* Cisco IOS/XE does not accept VXLAN VNI values below 4096
 * Cisco IOL layer-2 image cannot configure tagged VLAN 1 in a trunk. Internal VLAN 1002 is used as a fake native VLAN on interfaces that have tagged VLAN 1 in a trunk.
 * Cisco IOL/IOLL2 cannot set the interface MTU (which is fixed at 1500 bytes). IOLL2 cannot set the IP MTU.
 * VXLAN with static ingress replication does not work on IOL/IOLL2, but works with the EVPN control plane.

docs/platforms.md

@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ Ansible playbooks included with **netlab** can deploy and collect device configu
 
 [^XR]: Includes IOS XRv, IOS XRd, and Cisco 8000v
 
+(platform-config-mode)=
 _netlab_ uses Ansible playbooks and device-specific task lists to deploy device configuration snippets onto most devices, with these notable exceptions:
 
 | Device | Provider | Configuration deployment method |

docs/plugins/fabric.md

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+(plugin-fabric)=
 # Build a Leaf-and-Spine Fabric
 
 The *fabric* plugin builds a leaf-and-spine topology and adds the generated groups, nodes, and links to the lab topology.

docs/release.md

@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 Release Notes
 =============
 
+**Release 26.02 (2026-02-11)**
+
+* Support for [Kubernetes (KinD) clusters](plugin-kind) based on work by [@wnagele](https://github.com/wnagele)
+* Layer-2 EVPN/VXLAN support on Cat8000v, IOL, IOLL2
+* Containers can be [configured with Linux scripts or *containerlab* startup-config parameter](platform-config-mode) instead of with an Ansible playbook.
+* **[netlab graph](netlab-graph)** command can create graphs from a subset of nodes or links
+
+[More details](release-26.02) and [a tiny breaking change](release-26.02-breaking)
+
 **Release 26.01.01 (2026-01-14)**
 
 Release 26.01.01 is a bug-fix release [fixing](bug-fixes-26.01.01) the **[netlab status](netlab-status)** crash.
@@ -102,6 +111,7 @@ For older releases, check the [release notes archive](release-archive.md).
    :caption: Individual release notes
    :maxdepth: 1
 
+   release/26.02.md
    release/26.01.md
    release/25.12.md
    release/25.11.md

docs/release/26.02.md

@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+# Changes in Release 26.02
+
+```eval_rst
+.. contents:: Table of Contents
+   :depth: 2
+   :local:
+```
+
+(release-26.02)=
+## New Functionality
+
+* Support for [Kubernetes (KinD) clusters](plugin-kind) based on work by [@wnagele](https://github.com/wnagele)
+* Layer-2 EVPN/VXLAN support on Cat8000v, IOL, IOLL2
+* Containers can be [configured with Linux scripts or *containerlab* startup-config parameter](platform-config-mode) instead of with an Ansible playbook.
+* **[netlab graph](netlab-graph)** command can create graphs from a subset of nodes or links
+* You can specify the parameters of core links in the **[fabric](plugin-fabric)** plugin
+* "Are the SSH servers ready?" tests are executed directly in **netlab initial**, resulting in reduced Ansible-generated clutter.
+* OSPFv3 reports
+
+**Minor improvements**
+
+* **[netlab status](netlab-status)** command can generate results in JSON or YAML format
+* The **netlab api** command returns the JSON-formatted results of the **netlab status** command in `/status` GET request
+* Use JSON files for Ansible group/host variables ([more](release-26.02-breaking))
+* **netlab libvirt package** command can build custom Vagrant boxes (used for FRRouting boxes)
+
+(release-26.02-device-features)=
+## New Device Features
+
+Arista EOS:
+* Arista cEOS can be configured with Linux scripts
+
+Aruba CX:
+* Aruba CX containers can be configured with *containerlab* partial startup configuration
+
+Cisco IOS:
+* IOSv/IOS-XE/IOL containers can be configured with *containerlab* partial startup configuration
+* Layer-2 EVPN/VXLAN support on Cat8000v, IOL, IOLL2
+
+Dell OS10:
+* Dell OS10 containers can be configured with *containerlab* partial startup configuration
+
+Linux:
+* Containers can be configured with the **docker exec** command that executes Linux scripts (skipping the Ansible playbooks)
+
+FRRouting:
+* FRRouting containers are configured with Linux scripts
+* You can use the **netlab libvirt package** command to build a custom Vagrant box with a preinstalled FRRouting package
+* The custom Vagrant box can have the management VRF.
+
+Junos:
+* Junos containers can be configured with *containerlab* partial startup configuration
+
+(release-26.02-device-fixes)=
+## Fixes in Configuration Templates
+
+Bird:
+* Reduced BGP connect/retry/hold timers
+* BFD configuration uses its own configuration template
+
+Cisco IOS/IOS-XE:
+* Explicit **exit** from VRF BGP configuration (needed to have SRv6 configuration in the same startup-config)
+* Cisco IOS/XE devices use a shared VXLAN configuration template
+
+Cisco IOSvL2:
+* _netlab_ sets the correct *containerlab* node *type* to influence the generation of initial configuration.
+* The *containerlab* image name has been changed to reflect the latest image tag format used by *vrnetlab*
+* Use correct interface variable in switchport normalization template (#3056)
+
+Cumulus Linux NVUE:
+* Fixed OSPFv2 area configuration template
+
+Dell OS10:
+* Cleanup device readiness check
+
+FRRouting:
+* Leave *zebra* to configure IP addresses on VLAN interfaces
+* Load the MPLS kernel module in the FRR virtual machine
+
+Linux:
+* Control IP forwarding with the **netlab_ip_forwarding** variable (needed for KinD clusters)
+
+RouterOS7:
+* Set VLAN interface MTU/description
+* Fix BGP/VRF/session/origination errors
+
+SR Linux:
+* Use SCP to copy the reloaded configuration to the device
+
+VyOS:
+* The shared "setup vbash" code has been removed from VyOS configuration templates and is now added during configuration deployment
+
+(release-26.02-breaking)=
+## Breaking changes
+
+* The Ansible inventory files (apart from `hosts.yml`) are created in JSON format by default. If you need YAML-formatted inventory files, set the **defaults.outputs.ansible.filetype** [topology default](topo-defaults) to `yaml` or `yml` (depending on the desired file type).
+
+(bug-fixes-26.02)=
+## Bug Fixes
+
+* Flush printouts in the "netlab up" execution path (#3079)
+* Extend BFD start time in BGP BFD integration test (#3078)
+* ospf.areas.inter_area attribute cannot be used with regular areas (#3076)
+* Move plugin device features and daemon configs to device/daemon definitions (#3066)
+* Change netsim/cli/libvirt.py into netsim/cli/libvirt directory
+* Integration tests for the graph output module (#3061)
+* Add custom actions to integration tests (#3060)
+* Report errors when generating graphs with D2/dot (#3059)
+* Use random sleep instead of PHY control in cEOS normalization (#3055)
+* Remove 'netlab inspect' dependence on Ansible 'all' group (#3057)
+* Add IBGP checks to EBGP EVPN integration test
+* Fix hard-coded ISIS instance names in templates (#3052)
+* Extended Jinja2 error report in 'report' rendering
+* Use 'netlab_default_shebang' to implement easy wrapper cases (#3044)
+* Another large fabric (FRR with BGP/OSPF)
+* Cannot use netlab_config_mode on Linux (#3040)
+* Unmanaged nodes should not be provisioned with 'netlab initial'
+* Load optional kernel modules when starting clab provider (#3029)
+* Add 'get_node_group_var' to augment.devices (#3027)
+* Survive removed lab directory in 'netlab status --cleanup'
+* Implement default configuration deployment mode (sh/ns) for containers (#3022)
+* Make container scripts directly executable (#3020)
+* Make the 'summary of internal deployment' printout more informative (#3092)
+* Quote shell here documents in Jinja2 templates to prevent code injection (#3058)
+* Use correct ping timeout in EVPN EBGP-over-EBGP test
+* Adjust MTU and VNIs in EVPN integration tests (#3087)
+* Adjust core link MTU in VXLAN integration tests (#3086)
+* Add 'netlab_start_exec' clab group variable (#3047)
+* Restore the IOL interface state after system restart (#3096)
+* Increase IOL wait time in BGP aggregation tests
+
+(doc-fixes-26.02)=
+## Documentation Fixes
+
+* Update the MPLS support tables (#3083)

legacy/setup.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 sys.path.append('..')
 
-version="26.01.01"
+version="26.02"
 
 long_description = (Path(__file__).parent / "README.md").read_text()
 

netsim/__init__.py

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
-__version__ = "26.01.01"
+__version__ = "26.02"
 
 abort = False