Labbing IPS

creamy_stew

Hey guys,

I've been studying for CCNA:S on and off for like 2 years now, but always ended up prioritizing something else. With the retirement of 554 coming up, I figured I should make a run for it since I have already put in some hours over the years, and also have the OCG + Boson.

I have a pretty firm grasp on everything but IPS (which I've never used IRL, and also haven't studied)

How does one go about labbing IPS? I have an 1812 and a couple of ASAs and switches, but no smartnets etc. Is it possible to use some sort of trial IPS package? Can I just "find" the packages on a torrent site and use them, or how does it work.

fredrikjj

It seems possible to get it running in GNS3. Google for Cisco IPS GNS3. Obviously, you'd need images. A quick glance at it suggests to me that it's pretty annoying and that you should pay for some time on a ccie security rack instead.

creamy_stew

Hey, that's an excellent idea! I bought 100 INE credits some time ago that I was going to use for DC labbing. Then I realized they required you to buy their CCIE:DC workbooks before you could book DC racks. Hopefully, the same is not true for the security track.

I will check it out, thanks!

alan2308

That's definitely the way to go if you can. I've fought with getting version 7 running in GNS3 off and on for longer than I care to admit. Version 6 has never been a problem, but it's got to be missing some stuff with 7 being out as long as it has been now.

creamy_stew

I've ended up with just using IOS IPS. I think that's all that's required on the CCNA-S, anyway.

Just "borrowed" sig files and imported into GNS3 routers.

TechGuru80

IPS appears to be a conceptual topic according to Cisco's exam objectives....it says "Describe". This generally means know what xyz means but we aren't going to force you to fully configure the concept.