CCENT : Importance of having personal lab?

How important is it to have access to equipment ( one's personal lab ) when preparing for
1) CCENT
2) ICND2

I've read enough threads and forums to know a person can pass CCNA ( either single test or dual tests ) without using hardware.

I'm currently studying for CCENT. I have following:

CCENT/ICND1 - Odem 2nd edition
CBTNugget Videos ( CCENT/CCNA )
Boson ExSim Max ( icnd1 & icnd2 )
NetSim 8 for CCNA
Cisco CCNA Network Simulator 640-802
Cisco CCNA Portable command Guide

Above should be sufficient to get through ICND1... however, i am debating / struggling with whether or not i should invest heavily now for CCNA lab so i can practice while studying for CCENT... ( struggle because of finance / budget / cost ).

Equipment isn't so expensive, but it appears re-licensing from Cisco to get correct IOS that supports all the hands on lab exercises for CCNA is.

Problem i've encountered, is one can purchase used / gray market equipment either standalone or in kits. However, cisco's licenses are not transferable.

To get the correct IOS version that contains features for all the hands on labs for CCNA ( IPv6, VLAN, STP, etc... ), will require IOS upgrade on each piece of equipment.

Upgrading IOS ( re-licensing ) from Cisco appears to cost more than all equipment including rack, cables, etc...

I'm thinking of getting following in 12U or 16U rack:

Two Cisco 2610XM 256/48 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 256/48 12.4 Router
One 3550 Layer 3 Switch
Two Cisco 2950 Switches

Not sure whether it's necessary this early ( for CCENT ) or should postpone until ICND2. I do know learning is key.

For me, the Journey ( knowledge i gain ) is just as important and significant as the Destination ( obtaining certificate ). I want to know, understand and be able to articulate & explain what I’m learning as I’m learning. I want to be able to implement and demonstrate what i've learned.

Also not sure if should purchase used ( third party / gray market ) or from Cisco refurbish...

If purchased used, then i have to purchase separate license for each piece of equipment

If i purchase equipment from cisco refurbish, it comes with license

Truly appreciate advice from anyone who has purchased and put together a CCNA lab...

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Comments

ehnde

If I was more familiar with equipment, software, etc… and had more time, I would probably purchase each item separately and attempt to get better deal…

You could start researching equipment now. Buying equipment can actually contribute to your knowledge. You might not learn much that would lead to you passing the exam, but you'd gain knowledge that would help you if you are serious about using the Cisco certifications to advance your career. And it's a bit cheaper buying the hardware used off of ebay.

I bought the lab book off of CiscoKits and it's been a wonderful aide in my studying, but you really pay too much for the convenience of having your lab pieced together for you. I'm not meaning to rip on this vendor, I love their lab book.

If you will consider buying your equipment yourself off of ebay, you could buy two 2600XM routers and 3 Catalyst 2950s. You're looking at roughly $600, and that's on the high end! These 3 routers and two switches will carry you through CCNA, CCNA:Security, and CCNP...possibly more.

Netwurk

A lab is probably not a necessity for CCENT, but it couldn't hurt.

Rather than going overboard and buying everything all at once, why not start with something simple like two routers and a switch? I started with just one router. My thought was that if labbing was not for me, I would only have spent $25

Anyhow, good luck with your lab and your studies.

simply

Qord,

Agree with you, many people have passed complete CCNA without any hardware.

If goals are simply to pass and nothing else, then hardware isn't necessary, but if goal is to learn, understand be able to implement, and demonstrate one's mastery of subject matter, then hardware is necessary...

I've learned and gained so much already just researching purchase of equipment.
* talked with cisco license - relicense & inspections
* talked with cisco refurbs
* becoming familiar with individual hardware pieces, model#s etc...

By time i finish studying ICND1 & ICND2 and possibly before 2nd exam, i suspect i will have already done following at home:

1) connect equipment ( lab ) directly to internet ( ISP cable )
2) setup security / firewall
3) setup NAT for intranet within home ( TV, XBOX, laptops, IPAD, etc... )
4) setup VLAN for use within home
5) setup VPN so i can access equipment remotely
6) and who knows, maybe setup VoIP ( research separately )

Perhaps i'm being overly optimistic; however, by time i pass both ICND1 & ICND2, i want to be able to walk into any small business or company and know how to do following:
1) have ISP bring connection to company
2) know what network equipment needs to be purchased
3) know how to connect network equipment to internet
4) purchase and assign several public / external IP's
5) setup security / firewall
6) setup NAT for intranet ( internal ) use
7) setup vlans to segment network / resources

setup VPN so users can log in remotely

For me the Journey is just as important as the destination.

simply

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions...

Below is complete list of items for ~$1200

Don't forget to include MAXED out memory in routers...

It's a bit expensive, but significantly less than a week long class.

When you figure in time to locate deals, etc... I suspect it will balance out...

As mentioned, haven't purchased anything yet, so i'll sleep on it over weekend and probably all next week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Price:

$1075 - Premium Plus CCNA & CCNA Security Combo Lab Kit
$0182 - Three year warranty - not sure what comes with this
$0055 - CBT DVD - CCNA 640-802
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hardware:

Tested and Guaranteed working!!
Two Cisco 2610XM 256/48 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 256/48 12.4 Router
One 3550 Layer 3 Switch
Two Cisco 2950 Switches
One NM-4A/S Serial Module
Two WIC-1T Serial Modules
Two DTE/DCE back to back cables
Six Power Cables
Console cable kit
Two Ethernet Crossover Cables
Five Etherent Patch Cables
30 Day Warranty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional items:

Cisco Academy CCNA Security Lab Workbook($39.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Security Lab Workbook($39.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Lab Workbook($29.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA CRAM Sheet($14.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Study Poster($9.99 value)
12.4 IOS on CD
CiscoKits CCENT Test Engine
CiscoKits ICND1 & 2 Test Engine
CiscoKits CCNA Test Engine($29.99 value)
CiscoKits BSCI Test Engine
CiscoKits BCMSN Test Engine
CiscoKits ISCW Test Engine
CiscoKits ONT Test Engine
50+ articles covering Cisco Test concepts
TFTP Server
Subnet Calculator Trial Tool
Port Scanner Trial Tool
Password Recovery Trial Tool
CCNP Pix Firewall & IDS Trial Tools
CCNP IOS Configuration Trial Tools
CCNP Router & Switch Simulator Trial Tools
CCNP Network Design Trial Tool
CCNP VOIP Packet Sniffer Trial Tool
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Netwurk

One way I've found good deals is to go to computer dealer's shows. By that, I mean the guys who set up tables and sell the latest motherboards and video cards - all that cool stuff.

Some of them actually have Cisco gear that they will sell for pennies on the dollar as that is not their forte and they just want to get rid of their inventory.

The only drawback is that they will most likely not offer any warranty but most of them will give you a 7 day DOA deal.

jbylsma

Two words my friend: Packet Tracer

Get your hands on Cisco Packet Tracer. Love it, learn it. Make it a hobby.

This tool can take you through the CCNP

mikej412

jbylsma wrote: »

This tool can take you through the CCNP

The Cisco Network Academy doesn't think so -- and it's their software.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/62148-bare-minimum-materials-requirement-pass-ccent-ccna.html#post490551

Q. Can Cisco Packet Tracer be used to replace the lab bundles for the CCNA curricula?
A. No, Cisco Packet Tracer is not a replacement for lab equipment. We recommend the use of physical
equipment for hands-on learning. This is a key differentiator relative to other programs. Cisco Packet Tracer
simulations, which are embedded in the CCNA curricula, are supplemental and designed to provide learning
opportunities within environments that cannot be replicated in the classroom.

Here's the link to the FAQ if you want to see it for yourself.

jmc012

jbylsma wrote: »

Two words my friend: Packet Tracer

Get your hands on Cisco Packet Tracer. Love it, learn it. Make it a hobby.

This tool can take you through the CCNP

Although it is a good tool, you will have to leave it behind for CCNP. As an example it has exactly 2 neighbor commands in BGP, my old 3550 has about 30. I agree with making it a hobby, but with a real lab. Real engineers use real equipment.

This will get you to page 2 of the BGP book.

Router(config-router)#neighbor 1.1.1.1 ?
next-hop-self Disable the next hop calculation for this neighbor
remote-as Specify a BGP neighbor

simply

This forum really rocks...

I appreciate feedback from everyone...

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

-simply