Need advice about hardware/IOS upgrade (CCNA lab)

Hello people,

I am studying for my CCNAs examens with books and simulators (CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide; CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide; pearson tools; GNS3)

.

Not so long ago, I decided to buy and make a CCNA lab. So now, I have the following

:
3x Cisco 2620XM (65 mo RAM; 16 mo System Flash under IOS Version 12.2(7r))
3x Cisco C2950 (IOS Version 12.1(22)EA6)

I will use, at maximum, 3 hosts on that lab.

I wonder if :
I should add more RAM, change the Cisco Flash and upgrade the IOS version?
Is my hardware specs are enough for the CCNA certification?
What do you guys think?

I create this topic because I know that having good hardware specs will prevent network congestion and improve throughput

.

Thanks in advance for your help

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Comments

clarson

the switches are good. the routers should be running a version 12.4 and for that your going to need more memory. Something like 128/32. I'd verify your ios version. 12.2(7r) seems more to be the bootloader version.
And, in a lab, if you run into network congestion, you are doing it wrong

ITsubced

clarson wrote: »

the switches are good. the routers should be running a version 12.4 and for that your going to need more memory. Something like 128/32. I'd verify your ios version. 12.2(7r) seems more to be the bootloader version.
And, in a lab, if you run into network congestion, you are doing it wrong

Thank you very much, clarson.

You are right, it is the bootloader version, I put wrong information.
The router is running under IOS 12.4a version (System image file is "flash:c2600-advsecurityk9-mz.124-1a.bin).

I will follow your advice about getting 128/32.
For the moment I have no idea where I should buy it and for what price.
If you or someone have an idea, please tell me. (Considering that I live in Europe, France)

clarson

Well, you are running 12.4 that should be good enough for the ccna. I'd just go with that and see if you run into any issues before going out an upgrading them all. And, i'd just upgrade one, because all you need is one to see how it works and what it looks like. And, before paying a lot for memory, I'd check on the price of an 1841 router that has version 15 on it. Just be sure you have compatible wics and at least 256/64 for memory.

ITsubced

I already have, with cables

:
4x WIC-1T
1x WIC-2T

After looking around (for ram or 1841) the store/web store around France , my best option is to buy RAM and Flash memory ( it will be less expensive).
I would just go with that and I will see if I need to upgrade. Thanks you very much clarson !
I have one last question : Is that hardware stuff (routers, interfaces, switches) enough for the CCNP certification? (Not my priority, I am just curious about this)

Focusing on what is more important now, let's get this CCNA. On my way to the part II of the book.

Have a nice week end

clarson

the equipment you have can not run version 15 of the ios. for the ccnp you will need 4 routers and 4 switches all running version 15 of the ios. you should be able to use the wics. So, get that ccna.