Financing a decent home lab?

I just wondered if somebody in here tried to finance or maybe take a loan to setup their home lab, i know it takes a lot of equipment and money, can't pull it off just like that, but nothing beats hands-on, i know a couple of guys who failed with Dynamips (bad luck maybe?)..
So i was just wondering about prices and if it's possible in general maybe you could get like a student loan or something to pursue your CCIE, not sure.. That would be cool!

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EdTheLad

I think it would be a waste of money, there is no need to have a complete ccie lab, what exactly do you mean when you say "hands-on" ? I have a home lab i connect to through a terminal server, the only time i touch the equipment is to power it on or if i rarely move a cable, is this hands-on worth $10,000+ ? If you read other posts related to labs you will see most people have a ccnp type lab to practice core topics and lab rental for the rest.
Now i have dynamips i rarely power my lab on at all.

NetworkGod

well i have dynamips too it maxes out my CPU when i turn on all 12 routers for a CCNP lab, plus it can't simulate switches, though it can do a switching module, still, working with it when it maxes out the CPU, even after idlepc values is a little hard, unless i learn how to connect few dynamips servers on different machines together, there is a way, isn't there ?

mikej412

Since most people don't wake up one morning and decide to become a CCIE next month, you should have some time to figure things out on your own.... and a chance to build a CCIE Lab or upgrade a CCNP lab.

Its good to have some real hardware -- since it would be kind of silly to be a CCIE and never have touched a real router (except for the lab exams).

Dynamips can do a lot and could be cheaper than a bunch of routers if you already have a couple of beefy machines laying around.

Dynagen has a multiserver topology sample file -- it works great!

And you can mix 'n match Dynamips and real hardware -- I've got the duo core PCs that I can use just for Dynagen routing topologies (and the fake switches using the switching module) or the core 2s with multiple 4 port network cards that I can plug into my real 3550s and 3750s.

Since I have the real hardware lab, I still use that a lot -- but I also fire up Dynagen topologies to try things out without messing up the current configs on the real hardware if I'm in the middle of a practice lab.

However you do it, and whatever you finally spend -- it's probably worth the investment (as long as you succeed).

While it is convenient having a home lab (either real hardware, Dynamips, or a mix of both) and some people are willing to pay that price for that convenience -- Rack Rental is still the cheapest (either alone or mixed with the CCNP technology test lab as Ed recommended).

And check out a Safari subscription -- even though I got a bunch of Cisco Press Books during the 50% specials -- I don't ever want to know how much money I've spent on books.

Turgon

My advice.

Get some gear. By all means use dynamips or other simulators, but a stack of routers at home will serve you well.

You don't need the latest thing. You can pick up 2500's for little money on ebay. Upgrade the flash and dram, tftp the highest IOS it will run say 12.3. If you are on a budget you could still be practicing 6+ router scenarios at home with frame relay.

The time you spend upgrading, mounting and cabling is well spent. You have access to real equipment at your convienience. You can practice most core topics with older equipment. Books and CCO are full of topologies and scenarios you can build at home and debug.

For access to equipment that offers the latest features and to do vendor CCIE lab books use vendor remote racks.

opers13

I don't think it's necessary to have a full CCIE lab...however, I do think (if you can afford) one should have let's say the core equipment of the lab:

L2 switches (I have 1 2950c)

L3 switch(3550 or 3560, I'm currently saving for a 3560)

routers running latest IOS (I like the 2600's with 64/16...boot the IOS from TFTP, I personally have 3x2612, 2611XM, 3640 and 2520)

ASA/PIX firewall v7.2 (I was able to use work's corporate discount and buy an ASA 5510/security plus license).

I also have ACS 4.1

This lab has been very useful for the CCSP exams, If I decide to pursuit the CCIE, I will use my current lab and buy rack time....

my 2 cents..

sexion8

opers13 wrote:

I don't think it's necessary to have a full CCIE lab...however, I do think (if you can afford) one should have let's say the core equipment of the lab:

L2 switches (I have 1 2950c)

L3 switch(3550 or 3560, I'm currently saving for a 3560)

routers running latest IOS (I like the 2600's with 64/16...boot the IOS from TFTP, I personally have 3x2612, 2611XM, 3640 and 2520)

ASA/PIX firewall v7.2 (I was able to use work's corporate discount and buy an ASA 5510/security plus license).

I also have ACS 4.1

This lab has been very useful for the CCSP exams, If I decide to pursuit the CCIE, I will use my current lab and buy rack time....

my 2 cents..

I disagree with having all of the equipment... I would say at least get 80% of it. IPExperts' lab scenarios often require a hefty amount of equipment and if you butchered their lab down based on what you have, I think you are short changing yourself... For one (me personally at least), I would say hold off purchasing a complete lab and make due with what you currently have unless you are getting into the final moments of the lab exam... I've pieced together my lab now for still under 2500 (I think...)

Ciscopimpenator

I would hire someone who never touched a router, especially if they knew their stuff.

The problem with Dynamips is the lower layer abilities(keepalives, timing issues) which limit the effectiveness.

A lot of people can't afford to buy routers/switches, so something like Dynamips is a godsend to us all, even with its inherent flaws.

I look forward to firing the person who has years of hands on and can't do their job....hehehe

jasonboche

I think the equipment purchase is worth it. I haven't bought much along the lines of Cisco rack equipment, but I go through plenty of server equipment. Within a few days I'm about to put down $2,500 to refresh my server rack. I try not to view this as expense. Realistically with this next purchase, I'll be pretty good to go on servers for approximately the next three years.

I'm also considering pursuing CCNA certification starting this summer so I'll need to look into some Cisco gear myself. I've got a few items but I'm not sure how well they will map to the CCNA lab required.

Jas

Uber-Geek

Any lab vendor has "more than enough" equipment for the real lab. Much of it can be done with Dynamips if you plan to set things up and play with it enough! but the problem is that all practice labs involve 3-4 switches these days which Dynamips cannot do.

You could spend lots of time and energy on building a PC with multiple NICs and then simply buy some switches ('cause you NEED the practice with them). But in the grand scheme of things for R&S, the routers aren't that expensive.

So it becomes a comparison of buying a kick-ass PC that you are going to use for Dynamips, and all your time and energy for building it versus buying some routers. Either way works fine.

Scott