Home Lab Advice
FluxCapacitor
Member Posts: 40 ■■□□□□□□□□
I am a sophomore in college majoring in network security. I am hoping to finish up my CCNA and then sit for the CCNA:Security exam. I have funds available to purchase a home lab for my studies but I would like to save as much money as possible since I'm a poor starving college student. I'm getting the impression that I will need to buy the following:
Two Cisco 2620XM 128/32 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 128/32 12.4 Router
Three Cisco 2950 Switches
I perfectly agree with buying (3) 2950 switches but I'm hesitant to spend so much money on the routers. Do I really need to have (3) SDM capable routers in my lab or could I just buy one router that has enough memory to run SDM? I've decided to go with all XM's because they run IOS 12.4. I plan to eventually work towards CCNP so I'd hate to buy equipment now that will be useless when I need a lab for CCNP. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Two Cisco 2620XM 128/32 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 128/32 12.4 Router
Three Cisco 2950 Switches
I perfectly agree with buying (3) 2950 switches but I'm hesitant to spend so much money on the routers. Do I really need to have (3) SDM capable routers in my lab or could I just buy one router that has enough memory to run SDM? I've decided to go with all XM's because they run IOS 12.4. I plan to eventually work towards CCNP so I'd hate to buy equipment now that will be useless when I need a lab for CCNP. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Comments
-
mikem2te Member Posts: 407FluxCapacitor wrote: »I am a sophomore in college majoring in network security. I am hoping to finish up my CCNA and then sit for the CCNA:Security exam. I have funds available to purchase a home lab for my studies but I would like to save as much money as possible since I'm a poor starving college student. I'm getting the impression that I will need to buy the following:
Two Cisco 2620XM 128/32 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 128/32 12.4 Router
Three Cisco 2950 Switches
I perfectly agree with buying (3) 2950 switches but I'm hesitant to spend so much money on the routers. Do I really need to have (3) SDM capable routers in my lab or could I just buy one router that has enough memory to run SDM? I've decided to go with all XM's because they run IOS 12.4. I plan to eventually work towards CCNP so I'd hate to buy equipment now that will be useless when I need a lab for CCNP. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I think 2 SDM routers are good for the CCNA:S - allows some messing around with VPNs.Blog : http://www.caerffili.co.uk/
Previous : Passed Configuring Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (70-630)
Currently : EIGRP & OSPF
Next : CCNP Route -
blackninja Member Posts: 385If you are looking to using the lab for completing your CCNA and then for your CCNA:S then to save some money you can just get:
3 Cisco 2620XM 128/32 12.4 Routers (don't really need a 26x1xm)
2 Cisco 2950 Switches (a 3rd one is a luxury)
Cisco 2521/22 (to use as a frame relay switch and to tie your lab together)
If you spend that little bit extra on routers with 128/32 memory it will cheaper in the future as memory sticks tend not to be cheap (well not in the UK anyway)
You only need 2 Cisco 2620XM 128/32 & 1 2950 to be enough for a CCNA:S lab
P.S> I have a few 17xx routers (2 x 1751, 1 x 1721 & 1 x 1720) and they are pretty good and best of all cheap
I bought a couple of them just for the WIC cards but now use them in the lab.Currently studying:
CCIE R&S - using INE workbooks & videos
Currently reading:
Everything. Twice -
mikem2te Member Posts: 407blackninja wrote: »P.S> I have a few 17xx routers (2 x 1751, 1 x 1721 & 1 x 1720) and they are pretty good and best of all cheap
I bought a couple of them just for the WIC cards but now use them in the lab.Blog : http://www.caerffili.co.uk/
Previous : Passed Configuring Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (70-630)
Currently : EIGRP & OSPF
Next : CCNP Route -
CiskHo Member Posts: 188I used 2 2611XMs, 2 2950s, and a PC running XP for my CCNA:Sec lab. I don't recall needing anything more than that.My Lab Gear:
2811(+SW/POE/ABGwifi/DOCSIS) - 3560G-24-EI - 3550-12G - 3550POE - (2) 2950G-24 - 7206VXR - 2651XM - (2) 2611XM - 1760 - (2) CP-7940G - ESXi Server
Just Finished: RHCT (1/8/11) and CCNA:S (Fall 2010)
Prepping For: VCP and CCNP SWITCH, ROUTE, TSHOOT -
Corndork2 Member Posts: 266The 2600XM series is really nice. I have a few of them and love them. However, if you're strapped for cash, FOR SURE pick up a 1721 with 32MB flash. I got mine for $20. It is the cheapest solution to get a router that will run 12.4 advanced security, and also works great for dirt cheap VPN practice at the CCNP level. Good luck man!Brocade: BAIS, BACNS, BAEFS Cisco: CCENT, CCNA R&S CWNP: CWTS Juniper: JNCIA-JUNOS
CompTIA: A+ (2009), Network+ (2009), A+ CE, Network+ CE, Security+ CE, CDIA+
Mikrotik: MTCNA, MTCRE, MTCWE, MTCTCE VMware: VCA-DV Rackspace: CloudU