is an on-premises or cloud-based network simulation tool that allows you to model Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, IOS-XR, NX-OS, and even third-party nodes. Unlike its predecessor (VIRL), CML offers better performance, a modern UI, and RESTful APIs for automation.

| Component | Minimum | Recommended | |-----------|---------|--------------| | CPU | Intel/AMD x86_64 with VT-x/AMD-V | 8+ cores, 16 threads | | RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB (64 GB for large labs) | | Disk | 120 GB SSD | 500 GB NVMe SSD | | Network | 1 Gbps | 1 Gbps (low latency) | | Hypervisor | VMware ESXi 7.0+, KVM, or VirtualBox 7.0+ | VMware ESXi 8.0 or Proxmox VE 8 |

Introduction In the world of network engineering, certification, and infrastructure design, having a reliable virtual lab environment is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Cisco’s Cisco Modeling Labs (CML), formerly known as VIRL (Virtual Internet Routing Lab), stands as the gold standard for network simulation. At the core of this powerful platform lies the REFPLAT ISO (Reference Platform Image).

If you have recently searched for the term , you are likely looking for the latest version of this foundational image. Whether you are a CCIE candidate, a network architect, or a DevOps engineer testing automation, understanding how to obtain, deploy, and manage the new CML REFPLAT ISO is critical.

This article provides a deep dive into everything you need to know: what the REFPLAT ISO is, what is new in the latest release, where to legally download it, system requirements, installation steps, and troubleshooting tips. Before we focus on the download process, let’s understand the ecosystem.