[GNS3 3.0.2] GNS3 server version 3.0.2 is much slower than GNS3 server version 2.2.x

[nwhisper2014]

GNS3 server code (version 3.0.2) is significantly slower than 2.2.x versions. For example:

(gns3server-venv) gns3@gns3vm:~$ time python3 -m gns3server --version
3.0.2

real 0m2.341s
user 0m2.203s
sys 0m0.136s

(gns3server-venv) gns3@gns3vm:/usr/local/bin$ time python3 -m gns3server --version
2.2.52

real 0m0.572s
user 0m0.520s
sys 0m0.051s

The slowdown can be seen at the startup stage (time before the gns3welcome window appears in the console), during adding and removing nodes to the project, during opening the project. It is very uncomfortable to work with such slowdowns.

Probably, the slowdown is related to the non-optimal import of a large number of modules...

[grossmj]

I have refactored how the command line arguments are parsed (done before loading the rest of the server modules). Now getting the version is much faster.

time python3 -m gns3server --version
3.0.3.dev1+8e96c4c2

real	0m0.121s
user	0m0.109s
sys	0m0.012s

Thanks again for spotting this problem!

[nwhisper2014]

The command python3 -m gns3server --version now actually run faster. However, projects in GNS3 version 3.0.3 still take much longer to open than in GNS3 version 2.2.53.

As an example, I created a project containing 6 OpenWrt 23.05.0 nodes (the template for the nodes is https://gns3.com/marketplace/appliances/openwrt-2) and made some connections between them (see screenshot below).

In GNS3 version 2.2.53 I have this project open in ~1-1.5 seconds, but in GNS3 version 3.0.3 it takes ~11 seconds. 11 times slower.

GNS3 server virtual machine parameters (same for both versions):

• 8 x Intel Xeon Silver 4114 CPUs @ 2.20GHz
• 40 GB RAM
• 80 GB vHDD (SSD ATA INTEL SSDSC2KB48)

[cristian-ciobanu]

I can also confirm that GNS3 version 3.x.x is much slower when loading projects than the GNS3 versions 2.2.x.
On large projects (more than 50 nodes) it can take up to a minute or more.

[grossmj]

Do you use the GNS3 VM or a custom VM/host?

In GNS3 version 2.2.53 I have this project open in ~1-1.5 seconds, but in GNS3 version 3.0.3 it takes ~11 seconds. 11 times slower.

Is this slow when you open the project in the GUI? I tried to reproduce it, my project loads quite fast on my side (locally on Linux).

Screencast_project_loading.webm

[nwhisper2014]

I am using GNS3 VM, not custom VM/host.

I think the project opening time is related to SSL usage.

I deployed a new GNS3 VM from archive, added an IOU image to GNS and made a simple project:

Then tried opening the project without SSL (project opening log without SSL.txt) and with SSL (project opening log with SSL.txt). You can see the time difference in the logs.

(I deleted the previous post because I added the attachments incorrectly.)

[grossmj]

I think the project opening time is related to SSL usage.

Indeed, I will investigate why. Please can you try with the Web-Ui to see if it makes a difference? (you can launch from the GUI menu: Tools -> Web-Ui)

Thanks 👍

@cristian-ciobanu

Have you used SSL too?

[nwhisper2014]

Indeed, I will investigate why. Please can you try with the Web-Ui to see if it makes a difference? (you can launch from the GUI menu: Tools -> Web-Ui)

In my case, the project in Web-UI opens with a comparable delay.

In the log, the main delay is at the stage “NIO UDP added ...”:

[nwhisper2014]

When using qemu node (e.g. OpenWRT) the situation does not change

Other steps (that are not “NIO UDP added...”), according to the log, also take longer with SSL than without SSL.

[cristian-ciobanu]

@cristian-ciobanu

Have you used SSL too?

No I did not use SSL. The topology I use consists mostly of Qemu nodes with some IOU nodes.