Howdy, new here with a question.

MTciscoguy

Howdy all, I have just recently decided I need to finally get my network certifications, I have been working on network stuff since before there was an internet as we know it, I have supported my wife's internet company for over 16 years now and am looking to set up a data center in our small town to help her expand her business.

So I have picked up a few pieces of equipment so I can get hands on experience in a lab environment, what I currently have is 5 2950 switches with one of those being a 24 port, 2950G EI version and 4 2950 24 all of them running the latest version of IOS, I also have 2 2503 routers as well as 2 1841 routers running IOS 15.1, 2 WIC 2A/S 2 port serial cards, 1 WIC 1T serial port card, 2 WIC - 1DSU-t1 V2 cards, 2 DTE/DCE back to back cables, several cat5e crossover cables as well as straight through cables, Both 1841 routers have 384mb of memory and I am running 512k compact flash cards in them. I also have several console cables, and a USB to DB9 adapter cable set up. I plan on getting several certifications before I am done, including security and voice as well as working on wireless and of course the CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, etc.

Many of you folks have far more experience in getting your certifications than I do, what I was wondering, what do I need to add to my lab to acquire the various certifications I am after? I am basically coming out of retirement to do this, so I do have the means to purchase the equipment I need, but don't just want to go along willy nilly buying things I don't need. As far as computers, I have 4 running XP Pro, 3 running windows 7 64 bit as well as a computer running windows 8, so I have the computer power I need, I use putty for accessing my switches and routers.

Also, was wondering, where is a good place to take your tests, if I have to I will fly somewhere to take my tests, when you guys take tests, where do you go? Our local community college does not offer the testing for the types of certifications I am after.

Anyway, glad to be here, look forward to learning as much as I can, and look forward to any advise anybody can offer.

Thanks

DaveP[h=1][/h]

Jon_Cisco

Welcome Dave!
You found a great site as there is always an active community looking to help others.

If you enjoy video training I would recommend CBT Nuggets. It's a fairly easy was to get a good grasp on the topics you need to study. I was never a fan of video training until I started working on my CCNA last year while taking several other college courses. I was reading to fast and missing important points. I kind of restarted two months ago and I find it much faster and easier to read the books after I have watched the video series.

As for equipment you have plenty to get started. The one thing that you will probably want to add is a access server to switch between your different devices without moving cables. I also recommend that you try putting the actual equipment in a separate room from you computer setup. It gets loud and hot.

Good Luck.

MTciscoguy

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the quick answer, when you are talking about an access server, is this the same as a console server? I am contemplating turning one of my computers into a console server to manage the switches and routers.. I do agree, the noise and heat can be something to deal with as I have found out already!

Jon_Cisco

The 2509 and 2511 cisco routers are build to be access servers to console into multiple devices.
There are a lot of options out there that will be cheaper. I have not looked into the other options much but I am sure you could set something up with a computer.

I went with the 2511RJ version because I wanted to make my own console cables. My rack is in the basement and I just have a console cable to the access server. Then I ran two network cables to switches so I could add computers to the setup.

MTciscoguy

Thank you Jon, Ok, now I see what you talking about, it looks like those could be quite nice for controlling all of my equipment.

Thank you again.

santaowns

Hi MT welcome. Cisco can be overwhelming sometimes. In regards to testing you will need to go to the prometric website to verify the closest testing center. For training you can use the old hardware you have just fine to learn hands on. You can also use software based lan technology such as packet tracer and gns3. For console connections I cannot think of a better solution than a Digi cm32 which you connect to your network and then connect rj45 to the console of your switch.

I would love to hear more about your data center idea. Have you guys thought about costs of cooling, the proper amount of bandwidth such as ds3 etc redundant links. There is a lot to think about. Datacenters worth using are far above a basement type establishment, not saying yours is at all.

mikeybinec

santaowns wrote: »

Hi MT welcome. Cisco can be overwhelming sometimes. In regards to testing you will need to go to the prometric website

pearsonvue.com

MTciscoguy

santaowns wrote: »

I would love to hear more about your data center idea. Have you guys thought about costs of cooling, the proper amount of bandwidth such as ds3 etc redundant links. There is a lot to think about. Datacenters worth using are far above a basement type establishment, not saying yours is at all.

Well if we set up a datacenter, it won't be a basement operation, we have been looking at locations in our town and there are a few that would suit the purpose, I am actually quite versed in datacenter operation, before I went to my career, I helped a friend set one up many years ago, when the internet was very new to all of us and now that I am retired, I would like to set one up for my wife's business, which I know will be expensive and require cooling and bandwidth that normally cannot be addressed in a home environment, one of the locations we are looking at, is exactly 1 block from the local telco and already has the bandwidth requirements installed, it was a previous datacenter that went out of business, what is nice, is all of their equipment is still in place and we have been in contact with the original supplier about costs to upgrade the blades.. So believe me, it won't be a basement operation.

Thanks for the information.

santaowns

Awesome, you see a lot of people trying to make a datacenter out of their basement because they have a 50mb fiber connection. I was not attempting to put you down or anything just informing in case you did not know.

In regards to your cisco studies i would check out Chris Bryant's videos for CCNA 100-120 which covers the ccent and ccna. He also has videos for CCNP.

MTciscoguy

Currently I am reading Chris Bryant's ICND1 study guide, have went through Paul Browning's In 60 Days book, have a CCNA command line reference book, in addition to reading and doings tasks from a lot of online resources..

santaowns

What I found with Paul Browning, is that he is more of a "sales" oriented person. He even has classes on how to get people to buy your product etc. So I wasn't sure if he would be blowing smoke sometimes. It seems like Chris and the guy from cbtnuggets have actually worked in the field to me. The Todd Lammle and Wendell Odom books are very well written. The videos helped me sink the items deeper into my head because of the repetition of the subjects after reading about them in books. Looks like you are heading in the right direction, do you have a time period planned for when you will be taking the first exam?

MTciscoguy

I am hoping to get my first exams done in the next couple of months, I am hoping to be able to learn the material for a couple of different exams so I can maximize my time when I go to the facility to take the exams, I would like to have as much done as possible with in a year, once I get through the Cisco stuff, I am going to be working on Windows Server certifications, I am very well versed in unix already as I have been managing my wife's internet servers for many years now in addition to setting up many unix/linux servers over the years here at home as well as for friends and business associates.. As I am retired, I have plenty of free time to study and do labs. I am fortunate, that a good friend of mine is the head guy for IKON here locally and teaches their employees on Windows server, so I can work with him and he can proctor the exams on Windows for me. It looks like I will have to travel to either Spokane or Missoula to take my Cisco exams.

Paul's stuff is alright, I am not in favor of his teaching methods, but his information is actually good and down to the point, you have to be able absorb it on your own, because asking him questions often times is an exercise in futility, so I would not recommend his course, for those who have little or no experience as it can be overwhelming.

martell1000

Amazing task setting up your own datacenter! The equipment you have seem also more than enough to start with. But you also should considering getting into GNS3 in case you quickly want to setup some topologies for advanced routing stuff you might need when you enter the CCNP level.
There is a good video series how to get started with it by CBT Nuggets.

Sure nothing beats real gear - but i you are training for an exam it might come handy to get a topology up and working in seconds instead of fiddeling around with the cabeling on your rack for every seup you want to practise.

MTciscoguy

Thanks, as I stated in another thread, I am using GNS3 as well as Packet Tracer, in addition to my own equipment, I am in a good position to spend as much time as I need learning all of this, being retired allows me a lot of flexibility to spend time learning.

Thanks again.

NetwrkRaynzz

I'm currently CCENT Certified and working on ICND2 for my CCNA. I currently use Cisco Packet tracer. CBT nuggets. Pearsonvue IT training software and I have physically two 2950s switches and one 1841 that is used to route my internal network with RIP and other technoglies. I also setup VLANs for other things in my network. It helps to see it physically in action. They are relatively cheap too.

Here a couple links to help you out

Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Cisco CISCO1841 1841 Integrated Services Router

Amazon.com: Cisco Dual 2501 16/16 Router & 2950 Switch CCNA R&S 200-120 Kit: Electronics

I would recommend using Cisco packet tracer mostly however for CCENT and CCNA. CCNP you need the equipment and the above is a good place to start

MTciscoguy

Thanks, what is nice, is the equipment I have got for learning all of this stuff the right way finally, is completely separate from the internet business my wife owns, she has her own servers, computers and routing systems. Her web servers are set up in a co-located server racks in Los Angeles and I remotely connect as she does to work on situations that come up with the internet stuff. All of the stuff I have picked up is only for what I am learning right now.

The reason I am working on this, as I have said is so we can set up a data center here locally, that I can manage and not be tied to what someone else thinks is a good idea. The bank thinks I need these certifications to run things correctly, kind of like getting a college degree, which I already have one, just in a different area of study, I have a masters in Geology as well as an associates in marketing.. This is just another step in life, I guess.

Thanks again.

NetwrkRaynzz

I would start with a CO type rack and then get some equipment and go from there. Its hard to know exactly what cert you need because it would depend on what you want to do. I would think if you want networking then I would go the Cisco route and if your thinking hosting type service I would think Linux, Windows and then Comptia certs A+ , N+ etc.

Good luck!

MTciscoguy

I am already certified in Linux/Unix have been for many years as this is what our web servers run on, I am working on Windows server as I am working on the Cisco certifications, I currently have a windows 2008r2 set up here at the house and working on that, I have windows 7 certification and will have windows 8 certification in the next week or so. I have been a member of the Microsoft developers network for a long time now. I am also very well versed in Apache as well as MYSQL, my wife is certified in Access Database management.

We set our first servers up in 1996, so have worked on those for a long time now.

MTciscoguy

Wo ho, I am thrilled, just picked up a fully loaded Dell Poweredge server loaded with a 1 year warranty for less than a $100, that will be a nice addition so I can set up a Windows 2008 r2 server and start learning about it while I am doing my labs for CCNA. So now, I will be able to manage both a Windows as well as a Unix server here at my home!

I am stoked.