gns3-server/docs/glossary.rst

Glossary

Node

A Virtual Machine (Dynamips, IOU, Qemu, VPCS...), a cloud, a builtin device (switch, hub...)

Shape

Shape are visual element not used by the network emulation. Like text, images, rectangle... They are pure SVG elements.

Adapter

The physical network interface. The adapter can contain multiple ports.

Port

A port is an opening on network adapter that cable plug into.

For example a VM can have a serial and an ethernet adapter plugged in. The ethernet adapter can have 4 ports.

Controller

The central server managing everything in GNS3. A GNS3 controller will manage multiple GNS3 compute node.

Compute

The process running on each server with GNS3. The GNS3 compute node is controlled by the GNS3 controller.