3500XL for BCMSN lab?

colink24

Hi guys

Im fortunate enough to have some hardware knocking around at work that I can "borrow" to setup a home lab. I am using Cisco' recomended home setup of

1 low end router
1 PC with wireless card
2 2950 12 port 10/100
2 3560 24 port 10/100/1000 4 x SFP
2 3560 as above but PoE

I currently have
1 x 2600 router
1 x 3560 PoE

I have a whole bunch of 3500XL (354 sitting around but I am not really sure how limited I will be when it comes to completing the labs (aside from me having to utilise the router a lot more for the vlan routing!).

As I am typing this I am thinking I should just buy some L3 switches!

mikej412

The 3500XL (if it's the Enterprise software version) would be okay as a 3rd switch in a CCNA Lab.

And it would be okay in a CCNP Lab as the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th switch (since you'd have your 2 2950s from the CCNA Lab and hopefully 1 layer 3 switch for the CCNP) if you felt like testing a large STP topology -- but that isn't really necessary.

They are still nice switches to use for a home network if you want to run fiber from your basement and utility room data centers to your living room work area and upstairs office.