LLDP on FRR

[rmorbor]

Hello Netlab community,
Is there any way to install external dependencies at LAB runtime?
Let me explain myself, I am looking to install tcpdump and lldp when my LAB is built. I can currently download this after the LAB Is created but I was wondering if there is a way to install external dependencies during the LAB yaml definition?

I am not doing anything fancy at all, module isis, frr (with all its defaults) and a hand of routers in a CLOS topology. There is nothing edge or fancy in my topology.

I have tried multiple ways to specify LLDP in the yaml file, following different instructions but none of them worked out for me:
https://netlab.tools/labs/linux/#lldp << It kinda makes sense that this did not work because this is for generic devices
https://blog.ipspace.net/2020/12/linux-bridge-lldp/ << I don't think this applies to this use case scenario? we don't have pvlan

[jbemmel]

You could specify a custom frr image in which the dependencies are installed

See https://docs.docker.com/reference/dockerfile/

FROM quay.io/frrouting/frr:10.3.1

RUN apk add tcpdump

then

docker build -f Dockerfile -t customfrr:latest .

then in your lab or in ~/.netlab.yml:

devices.frr:
  clab.image: customfrr:latest

[ipspace]

What @jbemmel described is perfect. Alternatively, you could use a custom configuration template, start it with #!/bin/bash (to indicate it's a bash script, works only on Linux and FRR), and run apk commands in it. It would take longer than a custom container image though, as you'd have to install the packages every time the lab is started.

Finally, you might have to configure the software you installed. You can do that in a custom configuration template.