It Was Going to Happen, Sooner or Later. Slowhand's CCNP Lab

itdaddy

slowhand said:
"I'm going to have to rob a bank in order to fund."




haha hahaa haahahah
hahaha that is so true and so funny!

Slowhand

tiersten wrote: »

Nevermind. Went to check CCO and its a 22MB file. You won't be able to wedge that into a 16MB flash.

Yup, you're absolutely correct. My basic thought on what image(s) and device(s) to use for my studies is based on the CCIE R&S lab outline. I want to find equipment that's the same or similar to the ones listed there. The way I figure, if those recommendations are good enough for the CCIE, then it's very likely that they're good enough for the CCNP.

Slowhand

I've decided to focus on spending money on switches, (3550s mostly,) and I naturally came across some good deals on routers that are beefy enough to run the software you'd need for a pretty good lab. Since I'm trying to be good and exercise some restraint, I thought I'd share these with you guys, (so temptation could get the better of all of you instead of me,):

Cisco 1721 Router - 32F/64D ADVSECURITY IOS Image 12.4 - $19.99 (Buy It Now)

LOT OF 5 CISCO 2610XM ROUTERS WITH 128DRAM / 32FLASH - $400.00 (No Shipping Fee)

Cisco 2610XM 32F/128D IOS 12.4 x 200 Pieces Available - $99.99 (Buy It Now)

kpjungle

Slowhand wrote: »

I've decided to focus on spending money on switches, (3550s mostly,) and I naturally came across some good deals on routers that are beefy enough to run the software you'd need for a pretty good lab. Since I'm trying to be good and exercise some restraint, I thought I'd share these with you guys, (so temptation could get the better of all of you instead of me,):

Cisco 1721 Router - 32F/64D ADVSECURITY IOS Image 12.4 - $19.99 (Buy It Now)

LOT OF 5 CISCO 2610XM ROUTERS WITH 128DRAM / 32FLASH - $400.00 (No Shipping Fee)

Cisco 2610XM 32F/128D IOS 12.4 x 200 Pieces Available - $99.99 (Buy It Now)

Thats actually quite cheap. Did you buy any from this vendor yet?

Slowhand

Not yet, I decided to pool my money into buying some Catalyst 3550s instead.

Slowhand

Alright, I'm weak. I bought the four 1721 routers, costing me a total of $105.00 with shipping. Next, I'll go out and buy RAM for them. . . damn my lack of self control!

kpjungle

Slowhand wrote: »

Alright, I'm weak. I bought the four 1721 routers, costing me a total of $105.00 with shipping. Next, I'll go out and buy RAM for them. . . damn my lack of self control!

Hehe, im not much better if thats any comfort to you. Any new pics of your lab/setup?

Slowhand

kpjungle wrote: »

Hehe, im not much better if thats any comfort to you. Any new pics of your lab/setup?

Heh, that's going to be my next geek-expenditure, a digital camera.

kpjungle

Go get a digital camera then

Maybe someone here knows about this. I need somehow to remote power on my entire rack. Some sort of IP enable power-on switch. Id like to either browse to it, or telnet into it and turn on the power for my entire rack. I have been unable to find something that will let me do this. Anyone have any ideas for this?

miller811

kpjungle wrote: »

Go get a digital camera then

Maybe someone here knows about this. I need somehow to remote power on my entire rack. Some sort of IP enable power-on switch. Id like to either browse to it, or telnet into it and turn on the power for my entire rack. I have been unable to find something that will let me do this. Anyone have any ideas for this?

try this search on e-bay
remote reboot power

kpjungle

miller811 wrote: »

try this search on e-bay
remote reboot power

Ah, thanks alot. Been looking at APC stuff, and its just *#""#¤ expensive.

Slowhand

Like I mentioned earlier in this thread, I was weak. I bought those four 1721 64M/32F routers. Sadly, only three of them worked, but I didn't complain too much because the fourth router had a surprise inside. It may have been dead, but there was a 64MB stick of RAM in the last routers memory slot, which is now happily running one of the others. Along with the two other chips I bought, I now have three of these little guys chugging along at 128M/32F memory. Not too shabby for $105 + $65 for the RAM. I also salvaged one of the 32M/16F 1721 routers and put in an additional 16MB stick of RAM that I scrounged. That brings my (working) lab equipment up to the following:

3x 1721 Routers - 128M/32F, each running IOS version 12.4 (Advanced Enterprise Services)

1x 1721 Router - 48M/16F, running IOS version 12.4 (IP)

1x Catalyst 2950 12-port switch - 16M/8F running IOS version 12.1 (EA)

2x WIC-1T T1 cards

1x WIC-1T serial card

I also have an assortment of other equipment that still needs to be put through it's paces, like an old 2501 router, a 3620 router, and a Dell PowerConnect 5212 switch. I'm going to salvage what I can, see what's worth keeping and what's being donated to co-workers or to the school. I still need to pick up a couple of Catalyst 3550s, and probably some more serial cards for the routers. Still, it's nice to see my little lab finally beginning to take shape.

Slowhand

A reasonable deal on eBay for anyone (not me) that's interested in picking up some decent CCNP and CCIE study routers: Lot of 2 Cisco 3640 Routers w/2x NM-1FE-2W & 4x WIC-1T, buy-it-now price: $240

accely

Great thread...! I'm hooked.

This is exactly what I've been looking for... great advice and deals on the equipment I need for the CCNP (failed my first BSCI today).

Keep it up! I'm also an impulse buyer haha!

Kaminsky

Could a 3725 be used as one of the main CCNP lab routers ? I keep hearing about the 3640s for CCNPs but never the 3725.

mikej412

Kaminsky wrote: »

Could a 3725 be used as one of the main CCNP lab routers ?

Sure. You usually don't hear about them because of the cost. For the price of a 3725 you could probably get 2 2600XM series routers.

The 2600XM used to be reserved for CCIE Labs because of the cost, but since Dynamips/Dynagen has hit the scene, the used hardware market costs have dropped. Unless you need to load several different NMs in one router (like the 3640 or 3725 or 3745), then the 2600XM are probably the new "sweet spot" for home lab routers.

Kaminsky

Thanks Mike... That skip raid just gets sweeter and sweeter.

Slowhand

mikej412 wrote: »

Unless you need to load several different NMs in one router (like the 3640 or 3725 or 3745), then the 2600XM are probably the new "sweet spot" for home lab routers.

I've been seeing the same thing. The 2600XM routers are current enough to run the latest IOS, and cheap enough you can pick up a whole lab's worth. I'm really surprised no one has picked up this bundle, since it's ultra-cheap and but has been up for sale several times. (Keep an eye on it, it'll go up on the block again.)

Kaminsky

Slowhand wrote: »

A reasonable deal on eBay for anyone (not me) that's interested in picking up some decent CCNP and CCIE study routers: Lot of 2 Cisco 3640 Routers w/2x NM-1FE-2W & 4x WIC-1T, buy-it-now price: $240

SH ... step awaaaaay from the ebay console..... !

I gets very addictive... I'll just have a look ... ooo lookeie at that ... its a bargain... !

I am trying to ween myself off the same too.

runssh

Slowhand wrote: »

I've been seeing the same thing. The 2600XM routers are current enough to run the latest IOS, and cheap enough you can pick up a whole lab's worth. I'm really surprised no one has picked up this bundle, since it's ultra-cheap and but has been up for sale several times. (Keep an eye on it, it'll go up on the block again.)

Question for you. My eBay deal fell through for 3 2610XMs but will eventually buy soon. What modules would you suggest to purchase for wan connection? A/S or WIC-1T/2T modules or does it not matter?

Also, for purchasing 2950 switches, what IOS should that run to help prepare for both CCNA and CCNP exams? Would 12.1 EA be sufficient? Thanks.

-Ren

Slowhand

From what I've seen, the WIC 1T/2T modules are cheaper, but I'm no expert (yet ). Since I got your pm about the 1721 routers, I'll leave you with the advice I gave you there. Go for the 1721s with 64M/32F built-in, that way you can add a single 64MB DIMM to them and be up to 128M/32F, which is enough to run IOS version 12.4 Advanced Enterprise Services. If it's good enough for the CCIE R&S lab, it's good enough for CCNA/CCNP, right?

As for the 2950s, go for version 12.1, if you can get it. I believe that's as high as the Catalyst 2950s go.

Slowhand

I'm happy to announce that I just finished installing brand-new IOS images on four of my routers and I didn't brick a single one of them. Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week. Don't applaud, throw money.

(Oh, don't worry. I've got three older routers, a Catalyst 2950, and a Dell PowerConnect 5212 to update software on. Have patience, you'll hear me swearing all the way from California before the week's up.)

bertieb

Slowhand wrote:

I'm happy to announce that I just finished installing brand-new IOS images on four of my routers and I didn't brick a single one of them.

Easy tiger! I'm not throwing money just yet. Of course you didn't stuff those up - they are lab routers. Which means no matter how many times you do it, the earth, moon and stars will all be aligned 'just so' to make it stick nicely, without any issues I'll reserve throwing the cash until you wriggle out of failed 'routine' IOS upgrade at 3am which doesn't go according to plan and you ending up cutting off a whole load of customers in the process. I've been there before :S

Slowhand

Naturally, as I worked on setting up the routers, I began to realize that the only RJ45 cables we have left in the office are about 20' each, and that won't do for my little lab in the corner where no piece of equipment is further than a few inches away from another. So, naturally, I'm going out to buy RJ45 connectors and a spool of Cat5e cable tonight. (It's only been three years since the last time I spliced cable, what's the worst that could happen?)

Slowhand

Slowhand wrote: »

If it's good enough for the CCIE R&S lab, it's good enough for CCNA/CCNP, right?

Heh, looks like I'm about to eat my words, they're going to be changing the lab equipment for the CCIE R&S lab exam in October:

Lab Equipment and IOS
The lab exam tests any feature that can be configured on the equipment and the IOS versions indicated below. You may see more recent IOS versions installed in the lab, but you will not be tested on the new features of a release unless indicated below.

Version 3.0 (effective through October 17, 2009)
3725 series routers - IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
3825 series routers - IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
Catalyst 3550 series switches running IOS version 12.2 – IP Services
Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 - Advanced IP Service

Version 4.0 (effective begining October 18, 2009)
1841 series routers - IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
3825 series routers - IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 - Advanced IP Services

My little 1721s can't run IOS 12.4(T) Advanced Enterprise Services, I guess I'll have to upgrade to 2600XM routers when it's time for the big, bad lab. Of course, the 1721s I have right now will do me just fine for the CCNP, despite missing some features, (like MPLS).

Sirsamon

You have to be carefull with a Cisco LAB.

I started on mine a few years ago, they end up like a Gnome collection. It grows and grows growsssssss.

Next things you will know your power bill will double and you will have no room to move

My Home Lab

Slowhand

Sirsamon wrote: »

You have to be carefull with a Cisco LAB.

I started on mine a few years ago, they end up like a Gnome collection. It grows and grows growsssssss.

Next things you will know your power bill will double and you will have no room to move

Heh, I barely have room to move in my house as it is, that's why I set up my lab equipment at work.

That's a very impressive couple of racks, I'm pretty sure just about anyone lurking around in the Cisco forums would be more than happy to play with toys like those.

itdaddy

wow what an kick arse lab. love it
thanks for sharing. you have a cool lab
thanks
wowowoooowowo

Slowhand

So after three years and letting my CCNA lapse, I'm finally studying for the CCNP, starting with the ROUTE exam. Ironically, due to time constraints and sporting a laptop with a 4-core i7 CPU & 8GB of RAM, I'm doing the preparations for this test exclusively in GNS3. I still have all the same equipment I've mentioned in this thread, but it's gathering dust in my apartment right now while I sit and study out in coffee shops.

BroadcastStorm

Kick ass lab!!!

I don't like how you had it organized, usually I will stack up all the 3550 switches right next on top of each other same with the routers etc. etc. but each one to his own