need CCNP lab equipment

Codeman6669

hey everyone
I am to be finishing up my studies of CCNP and need some home equipment for testing. Can you help me out on what will be sufficient for what i need to learn? Would be greatly appreciated

3x CISCO1841 Router 256MB DRAM/64MB Flash 15.1T IOS

[FONT=&amp]2x WS-C2950-24 Advanced IOS 24 Port 10/100 Switch[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
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[FONT=&amp]1x WS-C3550-24-SMI Layer 3 Switch with latest Enhanced EMI Image, Multi Layer IP 24 Port 10/100
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cisco-Complete-CCNA-CCNP-Network-Professional-Home-Lab-Kit-15-1IOS-1841-/271412283350?hash=item3f316ec7d6:g:6B0AAOxyni9TDhrw[/FONT]

negru_tudor

I think you should be fine router-wise. For the switches, the CCNP 300-115 was built around 3750 Catalyst switches running IOS 15. That said, you should be still be able to lab out the bulk of the topics in the exam blueprint aside from a couple of things like stackwise and private vlans. Might be more to this list but I can't think of any others atm.

If you want real gear, ideally go for 2 x 3750 and 1 x 3560e. If real gear isn't a must, you can do a lot of cool stuff with GNS3 nowadays and lower the power bill along with keeping things tidy around your house (no need for a whole rack of routers / switches anymore).

clarson

if you want real equipment, here is some good information to read
https://www.certificationkits.com/lab-suggestions/ccnp-lab-suggestions/

here is the TSHOOT exam topology:
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/2004-10965-52366-8599/TSHOOT+Exam+Topology.pdf

As you can see the topology includes 4 switches and 4 routers (5 if you include a frame relay switch).

You will need 2x layer 3 switches that run version 15 of ios (and preferably the ipservices feature set) and 2x other switches (preferably layer 3 also)
You will need 4x routers that also run version 15 of the ios (and at least the advipservices feature set)
1x router will need to have 4 serial ports (an 1841 can if the serial wics have dual ports)
And you will need 2 serial ports in the other routers. And, you will need the apropriate cables to connect the serial ports together.

for switches you have the 3560, 3750V2/3560V2, 3560G/3750G (from least to most expensive)
for routers, I'd think 2x 1841 and 2x 2811 will be fine.

all that equipment is going to be several hundred dollars. But, failing a $250 exam because you didn't lab a few things bites too. And, you can always sell the equipment after you have passed the exams.

Codeman6669

I really appreciate the replys gents!

I will consider GNS3, but it seems like I always hit some "limitation" of gns... how do you run a l3 switch on GNS? I tried a router image with a switch module, but how to assign a port to a specific vlan when doing so?

pevangel

Aside from GNS3, you could also use virtual appliances. I personally use physical switches for switching labs, but use vSphere and Workstation for everything else.

negru_tudor

Codeman6669 wrote: »

I really appreciate the replys gents!

I will consider GNS3, but it seems like I always hit some "limitation" of gns... how do you run a l3 switch on GNS? I tried a router image with a switch module, but how to assign a port to a specific vlan when doing so?

Well..

You have 2 options:

- if you have access to Cisco VIRL, you could technically download their Layer 2 images (vIOS-L2) and import into GNS3 and it works fine albeit won't have all the features
- go to the darkside (where they have cookies) and read up on IOS on Unix (aka IOU) which comes in 2 flavors: IOU-L2(basically a multilayer switch which can run a ton of features) and IOU-L3 (a router). Recent IOU images run 15.x code and they run very well on something called the GNS3 Virtual Machine. Word of warning, IOU is mostly a Cisco-only internal thing so you'll have to find these images yourself (if you find them that is)

Codeman6669

i appreciate all of your guys reply's. I have real equipment at work so i get the hands on there. I think im going to go with cisco VIRL, from what i have researched its pretty good for CCNP studies aside from a small few things like layer 3 etherchannels and a few small others. I appreciate the replys!

negru_tudor

Good luck with your studies then! Good call!