What do you want from testing/simulation software?

Tesl

Hey everyone.

I posted a few days back in the CCNA forum saying I'd failed the exam mainly due to lack of experience with simulation software. After having spent some time looking around at different sims, very few of them seem to be as I'd hope. I'm not necessarily sure why, the interface doesn't always feel right, and finding they are almost all windows only has been frustrating!

I've a lot of experience with software development, and think it may well be worth attempting to recreate some of the software and release it under the GPL for free download. There is always the potential to turn it into a commercial opportunity perhaps, but I'm not thinking about that right now.

So, what would you want from testing/experience software? I'm thinking the test software should have a uniform interface, and allow pluggable question sets. For example, different people should be able to write questions for any cert, use a free tool to turn them into a particular file format, and 'plug' it right into the software. This could also lead to a commercial opportunity for those who want to release questions and practise exams, but not necessarily create the software itself.

Simulators are of course much trickier to build. I haven't quite got the design in my head in place yet, which is why I'm asking here for opinions and suggestions I'm considering using a system where it replicates routers exactly internally, in the sense that routers should pass data and converge as they would in any normal network.

Anyone have any suggestions from what they would like to see in simulation or testing software? Anything that you would like to see but haven't seen in any other software yet?

Thanks for your time, and I look forward to the responses

blackzone

For CCNA, why dont' you install linux on vmware. Make it into an linux router. Create a CLI simulate that is same as a Cisco router.

And make it real, not just a simlation. Most of it can should work. Only thing you need to simulate is serial interface. Good luck.

Tesl

blackzone wrote:

For CCNA, why dont' you install linux on vmware. Make it into an linux router. Create a CLI simulate that is same as a Cisco router.

And make it real, not just a simlation. Most of it can should work. Only thing you need to simulate is serial interface. Good luck.

I've not idea how vmware works, but since I run Linux as my main OS its not really a concern

Although your idea could work for me personally, I don't think that it really would be a good solution for most people - hence not really what I'm looking for.

forbesl

Make it simulate the full features of IOS FW 12.4....and if you can do that you might as well have it make me some eggs and bacon. Over easy, please. With a side of toast.