Good CCENT/CCNA Lab?

Nytrocide

I guess I'm just asking what the best configuration would be to start out with CCENT/CCNA. If internet is available, that's best I assume?

networkjutsu

veritas_libertas wrote: »

If you do go with GNS3, avoid 2600 series IOS like the plague. GNS3 will constantly crash with it. The 3725 IOS is VERY stable.

I have a very stable IOS for 2691 (2691-ADVENTERPRISEK9-M, Version 12.4 (25d)). Was able to run about 8 routers with no problem. The trick is finding the right IOS to work with GNS3.

veritas_libertas

networkjutsu wrote: »

I have a very stable IOS for 2691 (2691-ADVENTERPRISEK9-M, Version 12.4 (25d)). Was able to run about 8 routers with no problem. The trick is finding the right IOS to work with GNS3.

Good point. I only have a 2651XM image at my disposal.

veritas_libertas

Nytrocide wrote: »

I guess I'm just asking what the best configuration would be to start out with CCENT/CCNA. If internet is available, that's best I assume?

If you have spare time, sure. There is so much to memorize, learn, and practice that I would focus on what your reading material bothers to teach you. The CCNA covers a lot and you don't want to get on a Rabbit trail. Don't get too much deeper than what the material is presenting.

mapletune

As veritas said, Cisco CCENT CCNA wants you to know how to manage a small business network. It focuses on the LAN side of a company + maybe some WAN lines to satellite locations. So you need to know how setup all the hardware and configure it appropriately.

As for needing internet to configure things, nope. As previously mentioned, you can access a switch or router directly through console. What you actually need to know (what is used) is to configure the router/switch for remote management with telnet/ssh. And then you can telnet/ssh manage anything from inside your network. no internet required.

hope that helps!

JeanM

What they said. You can manage it via console port, you can manage it via console server, you can manage these through vlan / management ip if you have connectivity to these from your internal lan, or you can do it from outside as well. Starts with the basics

stlsmoore

I'm going to go against the grain here and say if you've NEVER touched Cisco before I highly recommend pricing out and building out a hardware lab from scratch. It's a great learning experience and will teach you a lot of real world stuff that you just won't get no matter how many virtual routers you have configured in GNS3. Learning how to upgrade the IOS, figure out password recovery, configure T1's are basic tools that you're expected to know how to do. I bet you'll run into at least one of these issues if you buy your own equipment! Even though it can be frustrating and possibly cost extra $$$ it's worth it and I doubt you'll spend as much as it would cost for a kit even if you goofed up majorly on a purchase.

Also there's no reason to not do both, just a small simple hardware lab to play with and GNS3/Packet Tracer for the bigger lab scenarios would do the trick. It's pretty fun to build a lab anyways along with satisfying once you see your little network interconnect and work with each other. I'm working on building my voice lab now and while it's sucks because it's so expensive to build one, I know it'll be worth in the end for the extra knowledge and $$$ I'll gain in the future. I'll probably have about $2000 worth in the Voice Lab I'm building now.

veritas_libertas

I have to agree. I'm spending a lot more time now on GNS3, but that's because I can use it at work.

NetworkVeteran

Nytrocide wrote: »

As far as software simulators, are Packet Tracer and GNS3 the only options?

A couple points--

First, GNS3 emulates the hardware, but the software is a real IOS image. The Cisco exams are 98% software focused, which is why GNS3 is suitable for learning all the way through CCIE.

Second, there is a third option called Boson Netsim. This simulates IOS, so it's only suitable for CCENT/CCNA. However, it provides many pre-made topologies of routers and switches, a series of labs that tell you what to try to do to learn what you need to know, plus a lab auto-grader.

You don't need real hardware to master the material covered by the Cisco exams nor to apply that in the real world. But, if real hardware excites you, there are some lessons to be learned. Personally, if I were drawn to spending extra money and time on hardware rather than learning what I need for my job and career as efficiently as possible, I'd focus on buying three good switches. That's where simultors are the weakest, and three is a magic number.

networkjutsu

There's another option Cisco IOU.