Is anyone getting the NEW Cisco NetSim?

armory

CCENT 640-822 Network Simulator: Software Download - $74.99

I have almost no money at all. This seems like a cheap option. Any thoughts?

I couldn't find any other posts about it.

petedude

armory wrote: »

CCENT 640-822 Network Simulator: Software Download - $74.99

I've thought about it, so I can work on sims away from home (I have actual routers en casa).

It's been mentioned here earlier.

jscimeca715

Be careful if you're getting it for INCD2. They sent me an e-mail earlier this month saying that wouldn't be ready until June.

mikej412

The full product was already 6 months "late" when they were promising the April 1st date (ha ha April Fools).

If you can get by with just the CCENT Simulator, then it may be worth it. But I wouldn't count on the ICND2/CCNA version until it is finally (if ever) delivered.

Edit: I will admit the price does make it tempting to try out.... I was tempted to get it before April 1st to take advantage of the "free" ICND2 download (when available). I guess I'll wonder off and see if that "free offer" has been extended until the new full product ship date.

mjones

I have read other forums where people were disappointed and some even disgusted about the 640-822 Cisco sim. I was going to purchase it however I am going to wait and go to the Cisco Academy so that I can download Packet Tracer sim which i hear is the best and closet thing to real equipment. By the way I downloaded the Boson 640-802 sim and it was horrible. No commands worked. It was a total waste of time for me.

astorrs

mikej412 wrote: »

Edit: I will admit the price does make it tempting to try out.... I was tempted to get it before April 1st to take advantage of the "free" ICND2 download (when available). I guess I'll wonder off and see if that "free offer" has been extended until the new full product ship date.

Purchase CCENT 640-822 Network Simulator and receive the CCNA ICND2 640-816 Network Simulator Upgrade (ISBN: 1-58720-240-9) when it is available in June. This upgrade provides you with an additional 152 labs, a $74.99 value, absolutely free. This offer is only available to those who purchase the CCENT 640-822 Network Simulator before June 1.

Looks like they extended that offer until June 1st since it's delayed (yet again). Note how they didn't mention the year, just "June 1".

mikej412

I'm a Cisco Network Academy Alumni and have the latest Packet Tracer -- and it doesn't even do all the things you need to learn for the CCNA. Maybe someday.... It's fine for a bunch of the ICND1 stuff. It is a great tool for Academy Instructors to give their students homework assignments. And it's definitely better than nothing for 3rd World Network Academies that don't have the proper hardware available for all their students.

Boson -- the real product, not the lobotomized demo -- does at least cover most (if not all) of the important stuff you need to learn for the CCNA. But you hit the software bugs when you try things that aren't part of their scripted labs. If you learn the CCNA stuff well, you can think of finding the software bugs trying to lab up some of the popular book exercises as proof that you've truly learned the CCNA material. But you can build a good home Cisco Lab with real hardware for just a little more than the simulator cost -- plus the real hardware keeps working after a year or two (Boson when to a subscription model, right?).

Some people rave about GNS3 -- which is a memory/performance sucking graphical version of Dynagen (which works with Dynamips). But since Dynamips is emulating a MIPs processor and running a real IOS image, you need access to a supported image (which violates the Cisco Software License). But since the CCNA covers routing AND SWITCHING and Dynamips has poor switching support, I don't get why people rave about for the CCNA. I do think Dynamips/Dynagen is great for the BSCI, BGP, and MPLS exams where you might want to run scenarios with a larger number of routers then you bought for CCNA studies. Once you know what you're doing with real Cisco Hardware, then using Dynamips/Dynagen with real Cisco Switches and a couple real Cisco Routers is a fine way to save money building a nice CCNP/CCIE Lab (and even parts of a CCVP & CCSP lab). Since the current GNS3 install doesn't mess up an existing Dynagen/Dynamips install, I do have it loaded on one of my laptops -- but I'm still not impressed enough to give up my notepad created .NET files. The PEMU support in GNS3 (for PIX/ASA emulation) does make it tempting for portable use when I don't want to VPN home to try something on a real hardware PIX or ASA device.

astorrs wrote: »

Note how they didn't mention the year, just "June 1".

That's what I was thinking when I saw it

rwwest7

I purchased this. It did help with ICND1. I'm putting off ICND2 untill July 1st, since I want to use the ICND2 part of this simulator, which as you know isn't out yet.

It's a bunch of labs broken down into sections. So if you're not familiar with RIP, then you go and do the eight RIP labs over and over until you've got it. Then you can use something like Packet Tracer to build a network from scratch (since this program doesn't allow to do that, it only has preconfigured networks) and test your memory. I think it was well worth the price.

jscimeca715

rwwest7 wrote: »

I purchased this. It did help with ICND1. I'm putting off ICND2 untill July 1st, since I want to use the ICND2 part of this simulator, which as you know isn't out yet.

It's a bunch of labs broken down into sections. So if you're not familiar with RIP, then you go and do the eight RIP labs over and over until you've got it. Then you can use something like Packet Tracer to build a network from scratch (since this program doesn't allow to do that, it only has preconfigured networks) and test your memory. I think it was well worth the price.

I agree. I used the NetSim to learn the process then I used a combination of Boson and Packet Tracer to practice real world scenarios.

armory

I just got a reply from Pearson Education asking to explicitly tell the date,

Here is their response,

Yes, to receive this upgrade offer, you must purchase the 640-822 simulator by June 1, 2009.

Netwurk

It sounds like a good deal if you are going for the CCENT. Then hopefully you'll get the free upgrade in time for the second test.

Heck, I already have the CCNA and I'm tempted to get it since they have the free upgrade thing going. It might be a good refresher course thingie before I start the BCSI.

rwwest7

armory wrote: »

I just got a reply from Pearson Education asking to explicitly tell the date,

Here is their response,

Yes, to receive this upgrade offer, you must purchase the 640-822 simulator by June 1, 2009.

Who did you contact? I've sent several emails about when the heck my "free upgrade" will be available and haven't heard back. They told me June 8th, here we are on the 25th and still no "free upgrade". Sure would be nice to start preparing for that ICND2 exam I have scheduled for late August with this product I paid good money for.

armory

I haven't talked to them since my last post. I've been too busy to study for CCNA. I will try to talk to them in the next couple weeks.

it2b

I placed an order in early June for the CCNA 640-802 Network Simulator from CiscoPress.com. It was supposed to be available 6/24. Haven't received any order status update yet.

I'm hoping it will be decent.

armory

Just got an email today saying

The CCNA ICND2 640-816 Network Simulator Upgrade (Software Download) is now available and has been added to your Account page.

Just log in at Login or InformIT: Login to download your software.

We appreciate your business.

Sincerely,
Cisco Press

it2b

Just got an email that it shipped today.

megatran808

I really wish these Simulators could support GRE Tunneling. We use it a lot at work and I sometimes need to do test lab to make sure certain things work.

I am disappointed that the updated 5.0 packet tracer still does not support it.

tiersten

megatran808 wrote: »

I really wish these Simulators could support GRE Tunneling. We use it a lot at work and I sometimes need to do test lab to make sure certain things work.

I am disappointed that the updated 5.0 packet tracer still does not support it.

If it isn't on the basic CENT/CCNA then it isn't in the sim. Use dynamips if you want to do anything unusual.

it2b

I installed it last night and it works pretty good. There is a command interface at the bottom of the window and a network map at the top. The 250 labs are selected from a side window. A PDF with the lab steps opens separately.

You can install it on up to 4 PCs which is great. The Sybex one I bought won't let you do that.