Going crazy about which IOS? Please Help

I need your help. Going by Odom's suggestion http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/24916 says 12.3 should be good.

Should I only be looking at stuff on ebay that runs 12.3 and higher for CCNA?

I am so frustrated at Cisco for making it so dang hard for people to buy a good setup that can carry over to CCNP. I would pay a small fee to update the IOS for the used products. I don't want to spend $400 on a 3640 router with 12.2 IOS and then find out that for CCNP you need 12.4 features.

Thanks

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Comments

ilcram19-2

just get 12.4 has the commands from 12.3 plus new ones and 12.4 is the one that you would need for CCNP

tech-airman

armory wrote:

I need your help. Going by Odom's suggestion http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/24916 says 12.3 should be good.

Should I only be looking at stuff on ebay that runs 12.3 and higher for CCNA?

I am so frustrated at Cisco for making it so dang hard for people to buy a good setup that can carry over to CCNP. I would pay a small fee to update the IOS for the used products. I don't want to spend $400 on a 3640 router with 12.2 IOS and then find out that for CCNP you need 12.4 features.

Thanks

armory,

It depends. According to the current CCIE Routing and Switching Track - Lab Equipment and IOS Version list, it states...

CCIE Routing and Switching Track - Lab Equipment and IOS Version wrote:

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.
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 Services

My advice is that unless you've got too much money to spend on a "future proofed CCNP" level lab, for CCNA level studies, I'd just concentrate on at the bare minimum at least two routers and two switches. Better would be three routers and three switches. Even better would be three routers because at least one needs to become a frame relay switch for the inevitable frame relay topic for the CCNA. For a proper CCNP level lab, it's going to get more expensive than a CCNA level lab because there's wireless, security, and more topics to be covered. Hey, if you've got the money, why not go all the way to a CCIE level lab that should probably be good for CCNP and CCNA level studies. Did this post help you at all?

Source:

CCIE Routing and Switching Track - Lab Equipment and IOS Version - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/ccie/rs/lab_equipment.html

armory

Thanks guys for your help. I have decided to buy equipment that meets the hardware requirements for either 12.3 or 12.4 and then magically cough cough find those IOS images which Cisco holds on to for dear life.