Post Your Lab (PICS)

Sirbloody

Hopefully I will be getting the rest of the switches I ordered this week along with my 12U rack so I can take some pictures finally.

Roguetadhg

I didn't see the octal cable. I was wondering. because I see a single blue cable connected to something else.

neocybe

@ Ciscoman2012 Where did you get your desk, I've been looking for something like that for a while.

Roguetadhg

It looks like the last desk I had. It came from Office Max. Im not sure if it's the same desk! Looks mighty close though.

MAC_Addy

Tritium wrote: »

Technical Pro PS-B9 AC Switch (Used for Cisco gear)

Very nice rack! I just ordered this exact power strip for my rack.

Tritium

Very nice rack! I just ordered this exact power strip for my rack.

Thanks! It's a good little unit. It def makes for easier cable management.

On a side note for all my fellow Cisco CLI enthusiasts, If anyone is looking for a layer 3 managed gig switch...def check out the Cisco SG300 switches. I've been having a blast setting up my 10 port. Firmware upgrade gives it Cisco TextView CLI. It isn't full Cisco IOS, but it's close enough. Great for home!

ayseaf

Hello

I am trying to build my real cisco lab , I am already bought

2 x cisco 3560 switch
1 x cisco 2950T switch
1 x cisco 2621xm
1 x cisco 2611xm
2 x cisco 1841
1 x digi 32cm as access server
2 x wic 1t
1 x NM-8A/S



please any one can help me let me know if i need something else , also do i replace 2950t with 3550 better .

Thanks for all

oli356

Nice Asyeaf, no need to replace a 2950 with a 3550 if you already have 2 L3 switches.

Patel128

Roguetadhg wrote: »

It looks like the last desk I had. It came from Office Max. Im not sure if it's the same desk! Looks mighty close though.

Im pretty sure when I used to work for Office Depot we had a few desks that were similar to that also.

StussyNz

HI Guys,

I just want to know; What is everyones views on using GNS3 to emulate cisco routers and then purchase physical switches to use in a lab enviroment and then hook them up via a testing machine (Just to save me some $$)

Cheers.

spiderjericho

You setup the learning environment that is within your means. If you can't afford to buy 6-10 routers or 4 3550 Catalyst Switches instead of 3560/3750, there's nothing wrong with that. For the 5% you're not able to do with GNS3 and switches, you can get rack rental time.

Is it nice to have a complete lab, sure, but GNS3 and the switches is going to be sufficient for CCNA to CCIE R&S. I know a guy on another forum that's all he used.

http://ciscofun.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/the-story/

StussyNz

What lab equipment (Routers and Switch) setup would be the cheapeast and best option to invest in to help pass with CCNA/CCNA:Security/CCNA:Voce studies?

spiderjericho

If you only plan on getting Associate level certs, just get packet tracer and play around in GNS3.

If you're going to be moving up to professional and expert level the lowest switches you should get is 3550s. If you have the money, get 3560s.

Don't buy any routers. If you have a pretty decent laptop or desktop, you can run GNS3 in Windows along with VirtualBox. GNS3 runs better in Linux.

Get a few USB to Ethernet NICs and connect them to some switches.

Roguetadhg

Well, for CCNA:Security there might be issues with using ASA on GNS3. I say this as it's getting a lot better than before. I would definitely say going virtualization is the best bet otherwise. Unfortantly, I don't entirely know how far you can go with virtualization/emulation within the realms of "CCNA:Security" or "CCNA:Voice".

Switches, you'll need to invest with cold hard cash. GNS3 doesn't emulate switches to the point you'd be able to manage them like a router.

StussyNz

Thanks for your input guys. What cheap models of switches will work? 2950? Would they be acceptable?

SteveO86

Updated Pic





From top to bottom:

SonicWall TZ210
4x 1841 - WICs
2x 2621xm 256Mb - WIC-2T
3x 2610xm 256Mb - NM-4A/S
2x 3750
2x 3550
2x 2960
1x 3745

Just need to get a few faulty modules squared away.

Roguetadhg

StussyNz wrote: »

Thanks for your input guys. What cheap models of switches will work? 2950? Would they be acceptable?

See my signature link for lab suggestions.

JeanM

Stevo086 - very nice!

JeanM

spiderjericho wrote: »

If you only plan on getting Associate level certs, just get packet tracer and play around in GNS3.

If you're going to be moving up to professional and expert level the lowest switches you should get is 3550s. If you have the money, get 3560s.

Don't buy any routers. If you have a pretty decent laptop or desktop, you can run GNS3 in Windows along with VirtualBox. GNS3 runs better in Linux.

Get a few USB to Ethernet NICs and connect them to some switches.

I agree on the switches part, but you can easily get a 26xx/36xx series for the cost or even less than the cost of buying a bunch of usb/nic cards...

Death Dream

Question about lab equipment: I see a lot of people with Routers that are the 2600 series, thing is, I have two 2800 series routers. Are people taking the 2600 over the 2800 because of the price difference? Is the only thing different between the 26 and 28, SDM? I'm asking because I want to get a third router but not sure which one I should be getting. I bought one (v12.4) and got the other from work (v12.2). I plan on continue with this equipment up to the CCIE level if all goes well.

MAC_Addy

Just the price difference, that is all.

SteveO86

Death Dream wrote: »

Question about lab equipment: I see a lot of people with Routers that are the 2600 series, thing is, I have two 2800 series routers. Are people taking the 2600 over the 2800 because of the price difference? Is the only thing different between the 26 and 28, SDM? I'm asking because I want to get a third router but not sure which one I should be getting. I bought one (v12.4) and got the other from work (v12.2). I plan on continue with this equipment up to the CCIE level if all goes well.

2800's are better than the 2600xm, only reason I'm stocked up on 2600xms and 1841s is the fact 2800's are still a bit pricey for me.

ayseaf

That's mean the 2 x 3560 and 2 x 2950 enough for ccnp switch study ??

RouteMyPacket

For now

3 x 1841
2 x 3550
2 x 2950

Will add ASA 5510's later and more 1841 and 3560's

and36y

Here you go an INE style R&S lab, scruffy as hell but complete

Andy

Death Dream

I've finally got all my piece of my lab together. Currently setup following Nuggets ICND2 videos.

I got the cabinet for free a few years ago when I was closing down one of our smaller locations I work for. The networking team I was giving all the stuff to after I tore it down said they didn't want it. So I took it home! I never expected to see it actually containing networking equipment of my own. Just figured I'd make a quick buck off something the company was going to just throw away. Good thing I never got around to selling it!

In order:
Digi 32 CM - Pushed back for easier access to cables if I ever plug in anything new.
1x2851
3x2811
1x3560 24port PoE
3x3550 48port
1x2950 12port

4 routers and five switches total. I had a Juniper router in there too but I had to take because I was short on space. Maybe another day...







Yes, pictures were taken as everything was powering up. I was pretty happy to finally have this cabinet completed! I'm kind of OCD about my cables so not being able to have anything tied down was annoying me like crazy!

Patel128

Nice lab! I was planning on posting in this thread today for more pictures too. Hopefully others will post more pictures. Mine is still in pieces, and being set back up or I would of snapped some pictures.

Death Dream

Patel128 wrote: »

Nice lab! I was planning on posting in this thread today for more pictures too. Hopefully others will post more pictures. Mine is still in pieces, and being set back up or I would of snapped some pictures.

Thanks! Yeah, I had to go digging for this thread to post some pictures. It's been awhile since anyone updated it. My lab was in pieces for two to three weeks before I got anything.

mgates67

My humble little home lab, finally almost done. From top to bottom: PDU, Digi CM32, 2x 2950, 2x 2514, 3x 2611XM. I'm waiting for an NM-4A/S so I can use the last 2611XM. Now I only need to add another switch or two. Any suggestions besides the 2950s?

FloOz

Get a 3550 for future studies on L3 switching