Just need a little advice on getting started

beach5563

Hi guys
I'm currently preparing for CCENT now and plan on going after CCNA Voice when done. I have about 8 years as a Nortel Telecom Tech but havent been doing too much telecom. Everythings either Avaya or Cisco VOIP right now in Southern Cal. I am currently working a Level 1 Telecom/Network Infrastructure tech. We do some basic phone installs and moves on Avaya phones. Anyway just wondering what you guys suggest for preparing for CCNA Voice. I was thinking CBT nuggets video, a lab or GNS3 and the Boson tests. Just wanted to get an idea.

JeanM

Get CCNA Voice book , ccna voice lab guide.
Router capable of running CME
3550 switch + voip phones
Really you'd want more than one router and switch as go through the labs.
Then once you are done with CME running in the router(s), you can download CUCM and install it in virtual machine.

That way you can actually follow the labs in the guide

Example - http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-voice/100355-loving-ccna-voice.html

beach5563

Ok thanks so much. I cant wait to get started on this. Voice is my strong point.

wgroom

Good morning Beach, as someone who came from Cisco and was thrown into Nortel, I look forward to hearing your assessment of Cisco voice compared to Nortel. To me, the Canucks did well with Nortel, but Cisco blows it away in ease of administration. Best of luck with your studies, there are some exceptionally smart people on this forum to answer your questions.

beach5563

Thanks so much. I will do that. I have a ways to go but from what I've seen its waaay better than Nortel and administration is easy. I just feel so at home on the Voice side. I will keep everyone posted and will probably be back with more questions.

beach5563

Thanks so much all of you. I will let you know if I need help with the lab did000,. I'm thinking a combination of GNS3 and maybe a switch. I just loaded Linux Ubuntu on my laptop as well as GNS3. I will figure out a way to put it all together. Got to get through CCENT first then I will go straight for CCNA Voice.

toyo

Hi Guys, Newbie here on the forum and to Voice. I figured I would piggyback on this thread. I am starting to learn voice and would like to put together a lab (cos I can and cos I kind of prefer it to just GNS3, I will be doing GNS3 as well ) The following is what I have already and was wondering if I can get feedback from anyone if this will carry me through to maybe even CCNP Voice

Cisco 2821 - ordered on ebay. Ordered RAM as well to make sure it runs 15 version IOS
Cisco 1760 - ordered on ebay. it was cheap ($30) and had a VWIC- MFT in it
PVDM 2-32 acquired
3560C - POE acquired
HP DL360 G5 - planning to run ESXi and CUCM images on it. Only has 16GB RAM but I have 3 of them if needed
3550 -non POE acquired
Cisco 1841 - acquired
2 x 7962 - Acquired
IOS images acquired from CCO
CBTNuggets - CCNA Voice acquired

CUCM images - advertised on ebay for $60 (wondering if I should get this or get the software from Torrents - Advice needed)

Advice needed regarding what else I might need besides will power and dedication (All pun intended) please feel free to provide advice and make fun of me for the overkill as appropriate