Best CCNP ENCOR Lab Simulators in 2026: CML vs EVE-NG vs GNS3 vs NetSim
For CCNP ENCOR 350-401, lab on real Cisco software: Packet Tracer cannot run most ENCOR technologies. Cisco Modeling Labs Personal ($199 a year, 20 nodes, official images included) is the best fit for most candidates, and its free tier covers 5 nodes. EVE-NG and GNS3 are free with no node cap, if you supply licensed images and the hardware. Boson NetSim for ENCOR ($179 a year) has 77 guided labs. FigigExams grades 3 troubleshooting networks in the browser, with the HSRP scenario free.Compiled 6 October 2026 by FigigExams. Prices are dated in the comparison table.
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In this guide
What an ENCOR lab has to do that a CCNA lab does not
- Run real Cisco software. ENCOR tests behaviour that simulators approximate badly. Packet Tracer cannot run most ENCOR technologies.
- Scale past a handful of devices. eBGP between several autonomous systems, or HSRP with tracking across a core, needs more than five nodes.
- Cover the configure and troubleshoot verbs. Describe topics can be read; configure and troubleshoot topics need hands on the CLI.
CCNP ENCOR lab simulators compared
| Tool | Price | Real Cisco images | Scale | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Modeling Labs Personal | $199 a year | Included | 20 nodes | Real software, no image hunting |
| Cisco Modeling Labs Free | Free | Included | 5 nodes | Starting on real images |
| EVE-NG Community | Free | Bring your own | Your hardware | Large topologies |
| GNS3 | Free | Bring your own | Your hardware | Community-built labs |
| Boson NetSim for ENCOR | $179 a year, auto-renews | Simulated | 77 guided labs | Step-by-step configuration |
| FigigExams Troubleshooting Practice | $39 once with the pack | Simulated | 3 networks, 7 faults | Graded fault-finding in the browser |
| Cisco Packet Tracer | Free | Simulated | CCNA features only | CCNA revision only |
Cisco Modeling Labs and Boson NetSim checked September 2026; FigigExams counts from the live catalogue 6 October 2026. Real-image simulators are memory-hungry: a topology of five to ten routers typically wants 16 GB of RAM or more.
The ENCOR lab simulators, ranked by fit
Cisco's own simulator, with licensed images for IOS, IOS XE and other platforms in the box. Twenty nodes is enough for multi-area OSPF, eBGP between several autonomous systems, and HSRP with tracking in one topology. It runs on your own machine, so it needs real memory.
The same software capped at five nodes. That fits an HSRP pair with a core and an access switch, or a small OSPF area, but not a multi-AS BGP design.
A free, self-hosted lab platform with no node cap beyond your hardware. It ships without Cisco software: you need images you are licensed to use, and the setup takes an afternoon.
The long-standing open-source option, with the largest community of shared topologies and guides. Like EVE-NG, it needs licensed images and a capable machine.
A simulator rather than real Cisco software, built around 77 step-by-step labs mapped to the exam. Light on hardware, and the guidance removes the blank-page problem. The licence renews automatically.
This is ours. Three live networks - HSRP first-hop redundancy, multi-area OSPF and eBGP best-path policy - each hiding one fault per run. You diagnose from the console of every device, repair it, and the network grades the repair, so any valid fix counts. NetSim has far more labs; ours are built for the troubleshoot verb on the exam.
CCNP-EXAM-FULL. See the scenarios.What no home lab covers well
Controller-based topics - Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center), SD-Access and SD-WAN - need controller software that is impractical in a 20-node home lab. ENCOR mostly asks you to describe these rather than configure them, so read them and use Cisco-hosted sandboxes if you want to click through a controller. Two topics where reading is enough: SD-WAN vs SD-Access and LISP vs VXLAN.
Try graded troubleshooting before you build a lab
The HSRP scenario and a complete 101-question ENCOR exam, free with one code. Nothing to install.
Try the free ENCOR labThe full ENCOR pack is $39 once: 3 exams, 305 questions and 3 troubleshooting networks, lifetime.
Frequently asked questions about CCNP ENCOR labs
What is the best lab for CCNP ENCOR?
Cisco Modeling Labs Personal ($199 a year, 20 nodes, official Cisco images included) for most candidates. EVE-NG and GNS3 are free if you can supply licensed images, Boson NetSim has 77 guided labs, and FigigExams grades troubleshooting scenarios in the browser.
Can I use Packet Tracer for CCNP ENCOR?
Not as your main lab. It is fine for revising CCNA basics but cannot run most ENCOR technologies. Use Cisco Modeling Labs, EVE-NG or GNS3.
Is Cisco Modeling Labs Free enough for ENCOR?
For small labs, yes: five nodes fits an HSRP pair or a small OSPF area. Multi-AS BGP and larger designs need the 20-node Personal tier or EVE-NG and GNS3.
Are EVE-NG and GNS3 legal to use for Cisco labs?
The software is free and legal. It ships without Cisco images, so you need images you are licensed to use; Cisco Modeling Labs is the simplest way to get real Cisco software legitimately.
How much RAM do I need for a CCNP lab?
Real-image simulators are memory-hungry. A topology of five to ten routers typically wants 16 GB of RAM or more; browser-based scenarios and Boson NetSim need far less.