I agree with you, the real problem here is the fact that we have a software
without any free (functional) replacement.
We have GNS3 but it requires the Firmware from the Cisco router in order to
work (since it emulates it). And therefor there is no solution here at all.
I have a little bit of luck since we only use this software in class for some
labs and after this we use Wireshark, SSH and Apache, but it is still a
problem, when I personally just couldn't accept the EULA License so I just
stopped using the software.