Ideal home Lab for BSCI

kadshah

I have 2 X 2500 routers and a 1900 switch. My budget is about $1000
more or less. What would be the minumum home lab setup for the BSCI exam?
What would be the ideal lab setup?
I don't know if I'm going for the CCNP but I would like to prepare for the BSCI exam.
Also what books do you recommend for the BSCI exam? I might get the BSCI training
videos from trainsignal or from CBT nuggets. Has anyone seen any of the two videos?

thanks,

-kaj

qplayed

Books
Cisco Press Self-Study BSCI 3rd Ed.
Cisco Press Routing TCP/IP Vol. 1 CCIE Prof Dev.
Cisco Press Lab Manual(Academy version)
Cisco Press Lab Portfolio(same as above + extra labs/challenge)
RFC's
anything you can get your hands on...

CBT
use as a supplement
Train Signal
CBT Nuggets

Lab
Dynamips/Dynagen
Real Hardware(as you see fit)
Suggestion:
1 x 2522(FRS)
3 x 2611xm
or
3 x 3640

make sure they have at least 2 serial and 2 ethernet interfaces
the 2611xm has 2 fastethernets so you'll only need serial
you can use your 1900 switch and just run it w/o any config

IOS
12.3 and up



My CCNP/CCIE Rack
built to spec: http://www.internetworkexpert.com/resources/ccierack.htm#alternate
minus the 3560 switches

kadshah

beautiful looking rack I haven't started shopping around yet but
does a $1000 sound like enough for the hardware you suggested?
thanks man for your input.


-k

phantasm

kadshah wrote:

beautiful looking rack I haven't started shopping around yet but
does a $1000 sound like enough for the hardware you suggested?
thanks man for your input.


-k

qplayed's rack is worth more than a $1000. The equipment he recommended could be had for a good price if you shop wisely on ebay.

I know when i bought my 3550 POE EMI switch, it cost $800 used. The 2611XM's are about $250-$400 last i checked. Not sure about the 3640's but the 2500's can be had for cheap. Downside is the 2400's have 10MBps ethernet ports and cannot run the latest IOS nor can they run SDM.

kryolla

you dont need PoE for BSCI it is mostly used for voip phones to power them. 2500 series router are cheap but do not support 12.4 so get some of them and a couple of other routers that do support 12.4 3640 or 2600xm series router. Some WIC cards for WAN. Ideal lab is all 2800 routers and 3560 SW.

kadshah

thanks guys.