Starting my journey to CCNP

logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
Hi Guys,

So i took taking an extended long break after CCNA Security now i have decided to start with CCNP. I am thinking of starting with ROUTE, then SWITCH and TSHOOT and this is the lab equipment i am getting.

Lab Equipment
1)Four 2620XM 128/32 Routers
2)Four 3550 EMI Switches
3)2511 terminal server



Some WICs and Nm-4a/s for Frame relay etc.

Just for fyi the lab will cost me about $4000

Books
Official certification guides for ROUTE by Odom, SWITCH by Hucaby and TSHOOT [ these are the only books available in my country do let me know if any other suggestions]

So wish me luck and do let me know if any other suggestions for lab\ path to CCNP come to your mind and i hope everyone will support me with any doubts queries etc like always :)

Comments

  • shodownshodown Member Posts: 2,271
    thats kinda pricy. I was able to get 2651XM for close to 200 and 4 3550s for around the same price each.
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  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    dude im in India icon_smile.gif
  • peanutnogginpeanutnoggin Member Posts: 1,096 ■■■□□□□□□□
    WOW!! $4000 is extremely expensive. I'm not really aware of the prices in India, but if you can afford it... by all means do it. That's an excellent lab for your CCNP studies and you should be able to perform everything you need with the exception of Private VLANs (need a 3560 or higher). Good luck in your studies... One last suggestion... Checkout Jeremy Stetch's Packetlife.net which is a free community lab with an extremely good lab of equipment. Again, best of luck to you... HTH.

    -Peanut
    We cannot have a superior democracy with an inferior education system!

    -Mayor Cory Booker
  • NetwurkNetwurk Member Posts: 1,155 ■■■■■□□□□□
    3350's?

    Did you mean 3550's ?

    Not sure how the currency works in India my friend, but hopefully you make it to your next port of call.

    :)
  • davidspirovalentinedavidspirovalentine Member Posts: 353 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Ouch 4 grand!!!

    For that I would get... hmm... a Macbook pro with a corei7 proc, 8 gigs of RAM and run GNS3!!!

    But as posted above, if you can afford it go for it!

    When I did my CCNP I used GNS3 for routing and real switches from work.

    Good Luck,

    REgards,
    David
    Failure is a stepping stone to success...
  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    WOW!! $4000 is extremely expensive. I'm not really aware of the prices in India, but if you can afford it... by all means do it. That's an excellent lab for your CCNP studies and you should be able to perform everything you need with the exception of Private VLANs (need a 3560 or higher). Good luck in your studies... One last suggestion... Checkout Jeremy Stetch's Packetlife.net which is a free community lab with an extremely good lab of equipment. Again, best of luck to you... HTH.

    -Peanut


    yeah it is expensive as hell , i did consider 3560 but they are like $1600 each here so icon_rolleyes.gif

    I did check Packetlife.net however unfortunately some guy from India abused the lab by making multiple accounts , so my ISP is blocked\ banned. icon_redface.gif
    My ISP is banned.

    Yeah for Private VLan i'll probably book 3-4 hours @ gigavelocity or someplace else
  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Ouch 4 grand!!!

    For that I would get... hmm... a Macbook pro with a corei7 proc, 8 gigs of RAM and run GNS3!!!

    But as posted above, if you can afford it go for it!

    When I did my CCNP I used GNS3 for routing and real switches from work.

    Good Luck,

    REgards,
    David

    hmmm.......... thats a good suggestion as well :D. Tell me for SWITCH will i only require switches , i mean lets say i am implementing router on a stick lab so the router emulated via GNS3 how will it be connected to the real switches?? forgive me if its a noobish question i have only used Packet Tracer for this till nowicon_redface.gif
  • peanutnogginpeanutnoggin Member Posts: 1,096 ■■■□□□□□□□
    hmmm.......... thats a good suggestion as well :D. Tell me for SWITCH will i only require switches , i mean lets say i am implementing router on a stick lab so the router emulated via GNS3 how will it be connected to the real switches?? forgive me if its a noobish question i have only used Packet Tracer for this till nowicon_redface.gif

    You can definitely use GNS3 and real switches together. If you check the forums (or even the web) for GNS3 with real switch configurations, you'll be sure to find your answer. As another idea, you can run an image for a router and use a 16 port switch module in the router and have it act the same way as a switch. You still will not be able to private vlans, but you can configure pretty much anything else. HTH.

    -Peanut
    We cannot have a superior democracy with an inferior education system!

    -Mayor Cory Booker
  • Ryuksapple84Ryuksapple84 Member Posts: 183
    Hey,
    Good luck! I started studying for my Swtich exam and I don't think I will be labbing up for that one. However, the Route exam is going to require a lab.
    Eating humble pie.
  • peanutnogginpeanutnoggin Member Posts: 1,096 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Hey,
    Good luck! I started studying for my Swtich exam and I don't think I will be labbing up for that one. However, the Route exam is going to require a lab.

    Do you plan on reading the book and taking the exam without hands on? If so, more power to you... I recently took that exam and I can't imagine passing the exam without hands on. As the saying goes... "to each his own"! Good luck icon_thumright.gif

    -Peanut
    We cannot have a superior democracy with an inferior education system!

    -Mayor Cory Booker
  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Hey,
    Good luck! I started studying for my Swtich exam and I don't think I will be labbing up for that one. However, the Route exam is going to require a lab.

    Good luck to you dudeicon_thumright.gif, but honestly without a lab and hands on it just doesn't fells right to me
  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    hi guyz,

    Would you all recommend replacing real routers by emulating in GNS and i buy these four 3550 in order to reduced the cost??
  • Forsaken_GAForsaken_GA Member Posts: 4,024
    Some WICs and Nm-4a/s for Frame relay etc.

    You don't need to worry about frame relay for the CCNP specifically, as it isn't covered, so if you have other interface options you'd be ok to take them.

    Using a frame relay switch does give you alot of flexibility in designing your topologies though
  • logicmyfootlogicmyfoot Member Posts: 82 ■■□□□□□□□□
    just wanted to cover it for future endeavors icon_smile.gif
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