Virtualbricks

Virtualbricks is a virtualization solution for GNU/Linux platforms. In brief, Virtualbricks is a frontend for the management of Qemu/KVM Virtual Machines (VMs) and VDE (Virtual Distribute Ethernet) virtualized network devices (switches, channel emulators, etc.). It can be used to manage either isolated VMs, or testbeds consisting of many VMs interconnected by VDE elements, including channel emulators. Although not exclusive, one of the most significant applications is the virtualization of real testbeds, such as those used by the authors to evaluate TCP and DTN (Delay-/Disruption-Tolerant Networking) protocols in challenged networks. As well as for research, Virtualbricks is also a very valuable educational tool, as it allows both professors and students to make use of complete networking testbeds on their own PCs, with obvious advantages with respect to both physical testbeds and simulation tools. Virtualbricks has been successfully used by many years in the course on “Protocol and Architectures for Space Networks” in the Master courses of TLC and Computer Science Engineering of the University of Bologna. The virtual approach to lab activities, promoted by Virtualbricks, as well as being useful per se, proved vital to cope with University lockdowns in the last two Covid years. Virtualbricks has recently been ported to Python3 and GTK3.