EVE-NG (Emulated Virtual Environment-Next Generation) relies on QEMU to run powerful virtual machines for networking labs. While EVE-NG provides the platform, users are responsible for providing the images due to licensing restrictions. 1. Where to Acquire Images

This powerful script recursively scans the /opt/unetlab/ directory and sets the correct ownership and permissions for all images, labs, and configuration files, ensuring EVE-NG can interact with them safely.

This is where EVE-NG shines. If the QEMU image is valid, it runs exceptionally well.

Test configuration changes in seconds without the risk of a network outage. Validate Designs:

Downloading pre-made images is technically copyright infringement unless you have a valid license for that specific software. For personal study, it is generally overlooked by vendors, but in a corporate environment, using downloaded images can violate compliance policies.

Download the FortiGate VM image (KVM version) from the Fortinet support site: navigate to Support -> Firmware Download -> FortiGate -> select version -> KVM . The file will be in .qcow2 format.

For standard routing, automation, and host testing, open-source images are completely free to download and use.

Ensure nested virtualization is enabled on your underlying hypervisor (VMware Workstation, ESXi, or Proxmox). Without hardware acceleration, QEMU nodes will run incredibly slow.

: The virtual disk file inside the folder must be named correctly, typically virtioa.qcow2 or hda.qcow2 . 3. Upload and Deploy

For end-hosts, servers, and automation nodes, you can download official cloud images (usually in .img or .qcow2 format) completely free:

Use an SCP client (like WinSCP or FileZilla) to upload your image folder to /opt/unetlab/addons/qemu/ on your EVE-NG server.

Use an SFTP client like or WinSCP to connect to your EVE-NG virtual machine or server. Host: Your EVE-NG IP Address Protocol: SFTP Username: root Password: eve (or your custom password) Step 3: Create the Directory and Upload the Image

Correct placement of files is critical for EVE-NG to recognize the image in the "Add Node" wizard.

Many vendors offer free or low-cost evaluation versions of their software for learning purposes.