Lab for CCNA then CCNP

Hi.

I need to change career back to IT although due to my partner having Breast Cancer this has been delayed a little while she was undergong treatment.

I was previously a Senior Field Support Engineer in a past life

a few years ago and was involved with basic network support (swap and reconfigure routers/switches etc). I got the inhouse company CCNA course from a CCIE but we did not get the exam.

So I'm going for CCENT/ICND1 in about 3 weeks followed asap (probably another 3 to 4 weeks) after with ICND2 for CCNA. I then plan on going for CCNP fairly rapidly after.

So I was looking at the following kit for CCENT/CCNA -

CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Router 32mb Flash / 128 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with 4 Serial Interfaces
CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface
Cisco 2620 FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface

(2 x WIC-1T for the 2600 routers (100% Genuine Cisco)
(1 x NM-4A/S comes with 2600 Router 100% Genuine Cisco)
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS

Cables & Other Stuff to go with the Lab.
2 x Back to Back DCE/DTE Serial Crossover Cable,

3x Cat 5e Straight through Crossover Cables,
5 x UK power cables (uk/ireland),
3x Cat 5e Crossover Cables,
1 x Console Cable

I can get it for around £250 from ebay (it's a 12 Port Networks kit) CISCO Lab CCNA CCENT CCNP CCIE(Router Switch WIC-1T 2610XM 2600 2620 2950 ) | eBay

So I think it should be ok for CCNA but what would I need to add/change for CCNP?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

James

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Comments

alan2308

The equipment you're considering is fine, but we generally recommend staying away from the prebuilt kits and looking at piecing the lab together yourself. You usually save money doing it yourself. But I'll leave it to someone from the UK to chime in on whether or not that's a good price for the equipment.

For the CCNP, you'll probably need one more router and a couple of L3 switches (you may be able to get away with one, but most generally recommend 2). The 3550 or 3560 are the commonly used models.

matt333

Save your money, CCNA doesn't require a physical lab.. i used packet tracer and passed without any problem.

Packet tracer is GREAT. free, portable and easy to use. personal I dont see the appeal of spending money on physical equipment on a "entry-level" cert if I dont HAVE to, you can always buy it later. Up to you tho

CCNP, yes you should get a lab together Packet tracer doesn't have L3 switches

antohesorin

Well, he said that he will go for the CCNP after he gets his CCNA. I also saw this on ebay uk, is 235 GBP a good price for this package?

Dashik

Thanks for that Guys.

I'm thinking of getting the starter kit as its always good to have some 'Hands on' and I can use it pretty much straight after CCNA for CCNP with the addition of a couple of L3 switches

Somnipotent

Dashik wrote: »

Thanks for that Guys.

I'm thinking of getting the starter kit as its always good to have some 'Hands on' and I can use it pretty much straight after CCNA for CCNP with the addition of a couple of L3 switches

you'll eventually want an access server (a 2511 or a 26XX with an NM16AS) and something dinky for a Frame Switch + 8/16 port module installed. You won't really even need hardware until you hit SWITCH. but i'm a rack junkie myself so hardware FTW.

JeanM

Yep, if you have room and cash for even the lowly 2950/26xx you can't go wrong with these for lab/practice

zrockstar

matt333 wrote: »

Save your money, CCNA doesn't require a physical lab.. i used packet tracer and passed without any problem.

Packet tracer is GREAT. free, portable and easy to use. personal I dont see the appeal of spending money on physical equipment on a "entry-level" cert if I dont HAVE to, you can always buy it later. Up to you tho

CCNP, yes you should get a lab together Packet tracer doesn't have L3 switches

Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?

X10MMX

I agree with Alan.. I would defo put the lab together yourself. My lab I brought 5 2950's for £95 and 5 2611xm for £150. The other bits and pieces you can get separately. It depends if your patient enough to keep looking around on eBay. I manage to pick up a 3550 for £70 as well..

petedude

zrockstar wrote: »

Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?

You could also buy a simulator such as the ones from Boson, or rent rack time.

But rockstar, let's be reasonable-- the people who are using GNS3/Dynamips aren't completely following the rules either.

alxx

gsn3 it works very nicely for the routers
CBT Nuggets

If you can get all 2600xm's , preferably the 2621xm's or 2611xm's with two FE ports, you'll need it for ccnp.

Avoid prebuilt kits unless you like getting ripped off.

Other option is use the free online labs like packetlife.net and freeccnaworkbook.com
or pay for some rack time.

Paying for racktime should get you access to much newer equipment.

Don't forget ine has their ccna vids for streaming for free at the moment.

radix

alxx wrote: »

gsn3 it works very nicely for the routers
CBT Nuggets.

i get this Server not found: rtmpte:///cfx:80/st/ when i access the link

Dashik

Ok so I'm happy to go the build it all myself route but as I understand it I need at least IOS 12.4 for most of the kit.

So seeing as the routers and switches for these home labs are end of life/2nd hand where do I get a 12.4 IOS if none of the kit I buy has it already?

I'm assuming I can of course backup the IOS on say a 2610XM and then use that to flash the others etc.

Thanks again for the replys guys

Darthn3ss

zrockstar wrote: »

Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?

If thats the case I sure hope he's got a service contract with Cisco for those IOS images.

Dashik

Ok so I just pulled the trigger on this lot

CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Router 32mb Flash / 128 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with 4 Serial Interfaces
CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface
CISCO 2620 FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface

(2 x WIC-1T for the 2600 routers (100% Genuine Cisco)
(1 x NM-4A/S comes with 2600 Router 100% Genuine Cisco)
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS

£253 Delivered and I've had the memory etc maxed out.

I know you can shop around and get a slightly better deal, and while I'm far from made of cash, what with my partners pending Cancer op, I decided just to get it and save faffing around for weeks trying to save £20.

I'll add another couple of the Routers and a 3550 L3 Switch, which according to Wendel Odom's site CCNP Build Lists (who writes the Cisco CCNA Cert Guide) Gives me pretty much everything I need for a Large CCNP build after I get CCNA out of the way.

Thanks for the feed-back guys its been very useful.

I'll post pic when it all arrives.