SDM - is it important for CCNA?

Todd Lammle says its important to know but the Cisco demo FTP is crap and I can't seem to get it running in GNS3, so I was wondering if you guys thought it's a important tool to play around with?

It seems like practicing for these Cisco certs require a lot of work arounds and such to get the proper practice in. In Microsoft, it seems like you just run the OS that a school can supply to you freely and you're ready to go (although I haven't taken a MS exam yet).

I think Linux has me even more spoiled since everything is open source, but I think my point here is Cisco doesn't seem to offer much support to people trying to certify in their products? They're more then happy to sell you a book on CiscoPress though

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Comments

JavonR

This is one of the reason's why Cisco certs have become so valuable, they certify you for actual real world router/switch experience... Granted, it can be set up in GNS3 but you should probably be practicing on real equipment anyway. When doing any MS/Linux exams you will be working with the actual hardware/software, why not Cisco?

Mrock4

JavonR wrote:

... Granted, it can be set up in GNS3 but you should probably be practicing on real equipment anyway. When doing any MS/Linux exams you will be working with the actual hardware/software, why not Cisco?

Using an actual cisco image in dynamips isn't using "real" software?

mamono

Mrock4 wrote:

JavonR wrote:

... Granted, it can be set up in GNS3 but you should probably be practicing on real equipment anyway. When doing any MS/Linux exams you will be working with the actual hardware/software, why not Cisco?

Using an actual cisco image in dynamips isn't using "real" software?

Having access to a Cisco IOS image requires a Cisco license agreement. So, technically, its considered gray space concerning the legitimacy. You own hardware or have paid for the license, then it doesn't matter, at least that's what I remember having read...

Mrock4

You can argue legitimacy..but that doesn't take away the integrity of the image. When it's all said and done, that same IOS image I use here, is the same one at work we use. That's all I'm saying..that it is no different than "hands-on" in most cases, with the exception of swapping power supplies and troubleshooting memory errors of course!!

shednik

Mrock4 wrote:

JavonR wrote:

... Granted, it can be set up in GNS3 but you should probably be practicing on real equipment anyway. When doing any MS/Linux exams you will be working with the actual hardware/software, why not Cisco?

Using an actual cisco image in dynamips isn't using "real" software?

The one issue I have with using only dynamips/dns3 at the ccna level and no actual hardware is that you never have an hands on with the gear....ie cabling, setting things up, and things like that. I think having access to the gear when you're starting out is critical if you aren't already working in the networking field.

dynamik

Talic wrote:

...I think my point here is Cisco doesn't seem to offer much support to people trying to certify in their products? They're more then happy to sell you a book on CiscoPress though

Have you looked at the CCNA Prep Center?

bighornsheep

shednik wrote:

The one issue I have with using only dynamips/dns3 at the ccna level and no actual hardware is that you never have an hands on with the gear....ie cabling, setting things up, and things like that. I think having access to the gear when you're starting out is critical if you aren't already working in the networking field.

Ditto, similar to the argument of rocket scientist vs. astronauts.

A CCNP/SP walks into a data centre, points at the 7th blade of a 6509 and says

Why is it all lit orange?

You can simulate all you want, but real-world experience that is practical and EVALUATED is what separates the men and the boys. It's sad that I've spoke to CCNA/DA who can't tell the different between SC & LC fibre, how can you assist network operation or network design if you can't even pick up the right cable?

If you don't have all the equipment at home, at least google some photos of how these things look like. Especially all the variety of modules...for newer products, Cisco IP/TV always has them on demo by a product manager.

empc4000xl

It all depends where you work at. I have worked in a service providing since I've been doing IT. I have seen maybe a handful of routers and switches. But I have setup routing, dial peers and all types of other stuff on just about every current router model cisco is using. If I was doing this on dynampis, I wouldn't have noticed the difference.

Mrock4

Some people also don't have the opportunity to get hands-on real gear. This is what I'm talking about. If they don't have money to spend on gear, then Dynamips is a viable alternative.

It's never been argued that real world experience trumps anything else, but if you cannot get it..what are you supposed to do? It's pretty fair to say if all of us had $10k for a rack, we'd have one. But that's not always the case..at least not for me..

bighornsheep

empc4000xl wrote:

It all depends where you work at. I have worked in a service providing since I've been doing IT. I have seen maybe a handful of routers and switches. But I have setup routing, dial peers and all types of other stuff on just about every current router model cisco is using. If I was doing this on dynampis, I wouldn't have noticed the difference.

Mrock4 wrote:

Some people also don't have the opportunity to get hands-on real gear. This is what I'm talking about. If they don't have money to spend on gear, then Dynamips is a viable alternative.

Absolutely, no doubt that these two points are valid. But I've think we've all seen our fair share of the posts

"woh, I did all the CCNP/CCIE labs on dynamips with no real gear! p'0wn"

The point is, I would hate to see networking turn into "development work" like software/web development. They don't see the hardware, they rarely understand the server architecture, all they are concerned with is code.

But to the OP about SDM, I would recommend a 1721 or a 1710 for this. These routers are relatively cheap and actually a good alternative to your out-of-the-box home router. They also support SDM.

dynamik

Have you looked at this: http://rjaouen.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/how-to-use-sdm-with-dynamips/

It's even easier in GNS3. What are you having problems with?

famosbrown

SDM is all over the ICND1 Exam Topics, but I didn't get any questions about it on my exam that I can remember. Not one simulation for NAT or DHCP using SDM...nothing. Not saying it isn't important...maybe it just wasn't pulled from the test pool for me

.

SDM is pretty cool, but make sure you can do the same things using CLI as well.