Redwarrior's BCMSN Lab Plan...ideas?

redwarrior

Now that I'm done with ONT and ISCW, I'm excited to be getting into the real "meat" of the CCNP track...and I'm thinking about the lab I want for the next exam, BCMSN. I'm luckier than many in that my job has a great collection of either retired equipment or spare equipment to play with when it comes to setting up my lab, but I'm trying to figure out exactly what I might want/need out of this. Here's what I've got so far...

Core Layer:
6509-E - This is a spare that is cleared for lab use. It happens to have a Sup720-3b in it already along with a FWSM, IDSM, and a WLAN module. I will need to scavenge and find a module with ports for cabling switches, though.

Distribution Layer:
Here I have a choice. I can either use some older, retired 3550's or I can use a couple of spare 3560's. I'm thinking 2 should be sufficient with a port-channel between them and connections to the 6509. I can then set up HSRP on these two and have a routed distribution layer from them to the core.

Access Layer:
Again, here I have a choice. I can use an odd assortment of older switches or I can disable routing on a few of our 3560-G spares. I'm thinking of going with just older switches that we've swapped out so that the only equipment I have to worry about losing if something in the production network goes down are the 3560's in the distribution layer. (I have yet to see one of our 6509's go down, so I think that's pretty safe.) I'm thinking 4 of these, each with a connection to each of the distribution switches so I can test HSRP?

As far as wireless goes, I'm hoping my CCNA-Wireless studies will help out there and also the time I'm putting in at work dealing with a deauthentication flood issue on our LWAPP network.

Please give me any comments/ideas here, except for my 1710 I used for SDM study for the ONT and ISCW, this is my first stab at a real lab.

Mrock4

As for the 3550 vs. 3560 choice, it really won't matter for your BCMSN studies. As long as you can configure an etherchannel, the rest could even be done on 2950's really. If you have them, I would opt for those 3560-G's you said you have for the access. They might be a little overkill, but they'll definitely get the job done. Having 4 will allow you to play with STP elections, which is important on the BCMSN. All in all, if you go with any combination you mentioned you will have more then enough to lab any scenario out you'd need for the BCMSN.

redwarrior

Attached is a jpg of what I'm thinking as far as topology for all this. All links are layer 2 except those from distribution up to the 6509 and even those I might play with layer 2 for some labs and then convert to layer 3. I'm thinking 2 connections between the distribution switches to play with portchannels, etherchannels, and HSRP. Let me know what you guys think.

aragoen_celtdra

That looks really nice! I think that setup will be enough for the BCMSN. Then, of course, I'm also just starting my studies so I haven't really seen all the exercises I will encounter. But from what I've gathered from canvassing several threads about lab requirements, yours look plenty sufficient.

I have these:
2 x 3550s (they're en route to be delivered any day now)
3 x 2950s
1 x 2924

I'm thinking these would be enough.

kalebksp

I used two 3550s and two 2950s, which happens to be the same setup that is used in the BCMSN Lab Portfolio. It worked out quite well as I was able to do all the labs. Can't hurt to have more/better equipment, especially if you like to create your own scenarios.

Forsaken_GA

redwarrior wrote: »

Attached is a jpg of what I'm thinking as far as topology for all this. All links are layer 2 except those from distribution up to the 6509 and even those I might play with layer 2 for some labs and then convert to layer 3. I'm thinking 2 connections between the distribution switches to play with portchannels, etherchannels, and HSRP. Let me know what you guys think.

This is more than enough. Realistically, you can learn the majority of what you need to know with a pair of 2950's. If you can toss any layer 3 switch into the mix, it'll get you the majority of the rest of it. BCMSN was alot easier than I thought it was going to be.

kpjungle

I used two 3560's along with two 2950's. Seemed to do it just fine. There are really not a whole lot gained from 3560's compared to 3550's. Having 4 switches in all allows you to practice some more complex STP scenarios, which is nice.