Packet Tracer Woes

darkerz

After months of using real equiptment, I tried packet tracer. After 5 bug encounters and a strange DCE/DTE clock bug, I shut it down and went into my access server.

Hint of advice kids,

Use the real thing. Once you use it in work extensively and studied it on real stuff like I have...

It's almost fun to be able to go into PTracer and ***** a little. That's my personal "I understand this" moment.

Thought I'd share. Any more fun stories with emulators?

pogue

darkerz wrote: »

After months of using real equiptment, I tried packet tracer. After 5 bug encounters and a strange DCE/DTE clock bug, I shut it down and went into my access server.

Hint of advice kids,

Use the real thing. Once you use it in work extensively and studied it on real stuff like I have...

It's almost fun to be able to go into PTracer and ***** a little. That's my personal "I understand this" moment.

Thought I'd share. Any more fun stories with emulators?

As far as Routing is concerned, GNS3 essentially IS the real thing.. Real lab equipment is cool and everything, but modules cost, and once someone hits the CCNP level of studies, the labs get seriously big if you want to REALLY learn the more sophisticated real world example topologies.

For all intents and purposes, what real equipment can teach you above and beyond GNS3 is how to hook serial and ethernet cables in between devices.

Russ

craigaaron

I just really enjoy using the real thing compared to a program/software that trys to act like it is

pogue

craigaaron wrote: »

I just really enjoy using the real thing compared to a program/software that trys to act like it is

I know what you mean, man.. All I am saying is that I have worked as an actual Systems/Network Administrator for about 14 years or so, and when working with Routing in GNS3, the routers are pretty much indistinguishable from real routers. GNS3 does not simulate routers, it is actual virtualized router images passing packets between each other. GNS3 also allows you to reset an entire lab topology to a base configuration for each device with the click of a button. (I do so with a batch file that overwrites the working config file location with the base configurations.)

I really really do understand that you like getting your hands on the physical devices. One thing I have noticed however, is that I can lab twice the material in GNS3, as in a real lab setup, hour for hour. There is a LOT of value to being able to download a frame relay topology + lab workbook in minutes from the GNS3 community, as opposed to reconfiguring your home lab to get the same effect, and your lab may or may not match the lab workbook, and it will take a lot longer either way.

I have an INE CCIE lab topology for GNS3 that allows me to practice any routing technology in the CCNA/CCNP track, plus almost any routing technology for the CCIE lab. It has so much stuff in it you'd need a pretty decent server to run everything at once, but it allows me to start up 4-8 routers at a time, and lab out some pretty crazy scenarios.

Either way, good luck in your studies, man... I would definitely recommend GNS3 to anyone who has a limited amount of study time, because it trims so much of the redundant stuff out of lab configurations, and allows one to concentrate on learning the nuts and bolts of the various protocols.

Russ

CodeBlox

Gripe I have is with the missing commands. I understand that it's a simulation though. Also, frame relay isn't completely supported. They have a frame relay "Cloud" instead of letting you configure one of your routers to act as a switch.

I guess I DO have a woe though haha: I forget that I put packet tracer in simulation mode and configure the router. I check the configs and nothings changed. I spend 20 minutes wondering why nothings changing and finally realize that I forgot to change back from simulation mode haha.

I prefer GNS3. I have some hardware but I use GNS3 more than it because it's quicker and I'm too lazy sometimes to set the hardware up(Have no rack.)

darkerz

pogue wrote: »

For all intents and purposes, what real equipment can teach you above and beyond GNS3 is how to hook serial and ethernet cables in between devices.

Russ

You would be absolutely surprised how lacking many of our candidates are staff are in cable management, identifying standards and safety precautions...

I know a few Technicians who work entirely in datacenter environments. They are magic and well worth the 50k+ salaries they demand.

alxx

one of our guys left power cables tightly coiled up on operating equipment and couldn't understand why one melted and started smoking (luckily no fire or any damage)