Cisco Labs

Mammoth

Hi

I have just passed my CCNA and my ambition is to get certified in the following areas.

CCNA Voice
CCNA Security
CCNP Route Switch and T-Shoot.

I have decided that I need a home lab so that I achieve these qualifications.

I have £1200 to spend and I currently have the following equipment:

2x 2620xm 128M DRAM 32M Flash (WIC T1 in each)
2x 2950 Switch
1x 1760 64M DRAM 32M Flash (No cards)

I seller on ebay has put together a Lab for me. This is what he is offering for £1200.

1x 3550-24-SMI Switch
1x 3550 Power Over Ethernet Switch 3550-24PWR-SMI
1x 2811 Router with VPN Module, PVDM2-16 Module, VIC-2FXS and VIC-2FXO card, 2 FE and 2 Serial Ports
1x 1841 Router with VPN Module, 2 FE, 2 Serial Ports
1x 8-port Serial Card for 2620XM you have
1x 32MB Flash memory for 1760 and 128MB DRAM
1x VIC-2FXO card
1x VIC-2FXS card
1x 2-port serial card
6x back to back serial cables

Can you please give me your thoughts on whether the equipment is suitable and is it value for money. I have searched online for hours for documents and forums to help but I am still confused.

Thanks

NetworkVeteran

Mammoth wrote: »

I have decided that I need a home lab so that I achieve these qualifications.

To clear up a misconception, a home lab is not necessary, nor the most efficient means to master the CCNPl. For example, I was able to setup the thirteen-device CCNP/TSHOOT topology in about thirty minutes using GNS3 and then focus all my attention on the L2+ stuff that's actually covered by the exam and not so much on finding a good deal / waiting for parts / hardware troubleshooting, etc. But I do notice folks new to the field seem really excited by physical hardware.

As far as your setup's adequacy for the CCNP:

+ You'll need L3 images on those 3550s for the CCNP/SWITCH and CCNP/TSHOOT.
+ You need at least one more router (six total) for CCNP/TSHOOT
+ You need at least two more serial cards (one for each and every router) for CCNP/TSHOOT
+ You need at least two servers and two clients for CCNP/TSHOOT

Roguetadhg

How do you study for SWITCH? Aren't the differences between GNS3 w/ etherswitch different enough to be a pita?

Mammoth

Hi NetworkVeteran

I have never used the GNS3 before and to be honest I would not know where to start. I have read through the threads on GNS3 and people complain about not been able to do switching on GNS3. Instead they have to buy the switching equipment seperate and connect GNS3 through multiple nic cards.

IS this what you did? Also can I do the security and voice using GNS3?

Thanks

NetworkVeteran

Mammoth wrote: »

Hi NetworkVeteram

I have never used the GNS3 before and to be honest I would not know where to start.

You can install it in under ten minutes, like most software. You drag and drop the chassis you want, choose its modules from a dropdown list, and then draw links between devices. The only tricky part is you have to provide a real IOS image because GNS3 only simulates the HW and you're using real, live IOS images.

and people complain about not been able to do switching on GNS3. Instead they have to buy the switching equipment seperate and connect GNS3 through multiple nic cards.

That's what many do to prepare for the CCIE R&S exam. For the CCNP exams you don't need anything so elaborate.

For CCNP/ROUTE - GNS3 emulates all the topologies in the CCNP Route lab manual.

For CCNP/TSHOOT - GNS3 emulates the 13 device topology fairly easily using an Etherswitch module (some routers allow you to insert switches into them). I'll note, there was one tricky link, that took about 15 minutes. Still, having the setup fully up and running in 30 or 45 minutes if you prefer is awesome compared to physical hardware.

For CCNP/SWITCH - Do not use GNS3. It's a router simulator, after all! For this exam, I spent $30 to purchase a month of rack time on a rack with 2x3550 and 2x2950 and a couple clients and no setup hassles.

For CCIE R&S - This is where people often tie physical switches and GNS together to harness the benefits of each! You didn't mention being interested in this exam, but if so, rememeber to get 3560s instead of 3550s.

Physical HW works, too! No worries on that bit. It's just not as time-efficient for mastering the exam material.

I will not comment on the current CCNA Voice/Security. I did one Cisco security exam using GNS3 before. It supports Cisco's pain-in-the-neck SDM as well (or poorly) as any physical device.

7of9

I'd echo the comments on not purchasing a home lab. I had a small home lab for my CCNA studies, about 4-5 years ago. I just recently sold off the last of my equipment. I find that a combination of emulation software and renting rack time is a lot more efficient for me and I have the bonus of not having a rack in my house to deal with.

Also, most places I have worked have had some spare equipment and been willing to let me set up small labs here and there. Once you start working, it also often makes less sense to have a home lab.

Your mileage may vary.

Mammoth

Hi,

I am not planning to study for the CCIE exam. I currently do not work with Cisco I work with Sat Comms, I am looking to change career in the next 18 months. I need to get hands on which is one of the main reasons for choosing physical kit. Would Rack time be cost effective for this over an 18 month period for 1.5 hours per night?

What spec of PC do you need to run GNS3?
How much does the Rack Rental cost and can you recommend any sites?


Thanks

NetworkVeteran

Mammoth wrote: »

Would Rack time be cost effective for this over an 18 month period for 1.5 hours per night?

Everyone's definition of cost-effective is different. I found GNS3 for ROUTE/TSHOOT and rentals for SWITCH to strike the right balance for me. If a company were funding my studies, I very likely would have found a different balance.

How much does the Rack Rental cost and can you recommend any sites?

This site blocks me when I attempt to name who I used, but their fee was $30/mo for upto 4hrs/day on a CCNP-capable lab plus an online textbook plus practice questions plus study notes plus support forums. If you google 'cisco' 'rack' 'rental' you'll see all sorts of providers with rates vs. reliability all over the place, including who I used. Most places have rates that work best if you're prepared to use larger blocks, say six hours two days a week rather than two hours six days a week.

What spec of PC do you need to run GNS3?

Each of my simulated routers eats 128MB of RAM, and the parent process eats 64MB of RAM. For the CCNP TSHOOT with 13 devices you need a system with at least 2GB of RAM. For the CCNP ROUTE, you can make do with 1GB of RAM. Modern systems generally have at least 3GB of RAM which allows you to have web browsers, videos, and/or PDF files open.

7of9

Most hiring managers aren't going to count rack time as "hands-on" time experience, so if that's your reason for wanting a home lab over GNS3 or renting rack time, you may be disappointed.

I think the size of PC needed to run GNS3 varies widely with the size of lab you plan on running. The more devices in your topology, the more resources you will need. I'm currently running a quad-core 2.4Ghz processor and 8Gigs of RAM, but that is likely overkill.

Rack rental costs vary and you often get what you pay for in terms of reliability and ease of use. Several of the companies that do rack rentals for CCIE study also have labs available for CCNP. A quick google search will likely give you some ideas.

Good luck!