How to minimize CPU utilization when using Dynamips/GNS3 (idlepc + idlemax)

This article from blog: http://journeyofanetworkengineer.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-minimize-cpu-usage-when-using.html#!/2010/12/how-to-minimize-cpu-usage-when-using.html
Thanks for NE.

And other ref blog is: Drastically decreasing CPU load in Dynamips
http://lostintransit.se/2011/05/16/drastically-decreasing-cpu-load-in-dynamips/

This is my experiment in minimizing the CPU usage when working on GNS3/Dynamips. On this experiment I have use the Internetwork Expert Topology (INE) Version 5 which has 13 routers and uses 3725 IOS images.

If you need the topology just visit INE Website.

http://www.ine.com/resources/iosonpc.htm

For this experiment I already obtain the ideal idlepc of the IOS version the topology uses.

This is the what inside the .NET file.

autostart = False [localhost:7202] workingdir = C:\Gns3\workingDIR udp = 12000 [[3725]] image = C:\Gns3\IOS\c3725-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T5.bin ram = 128 ghostios = True idlepc = 0x60bed2e0

On the above .NET file I'm only using the idlepc to minimize the CPU usage. If you check the Task Manager we are using about 30% Utilization of the CPU for only the initial configuration of the INE Topology.

Now this is the .NET file which the idlepc+idlemax are use.

autostart = False [localhost:7202] workingdir = C:\Gns3\workingDIR udp = 12000 [[3725]] image = C:\Gns3\IOS\c3725-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T5.bin ram = 128 ghostios = True idlepc = 0x60bed2e0 idlemax = 100

Wow.... The CPU utilization is only 3% which is 1/10th when using only the idlepc setting for the .NET file.

This just show that the combination of idlepc+idlemax is very useful when using GNS3/Dynamips.

PC Spec:
- Core i5-650
- 4GB Mem
- WinXP SP3