CCVP home lab...Is this enough?

Hi,

I would like some input from those who may be aware, I am looking to set-up a voice lab for use while studying for my CCNA voice and CCVP after that right now I have the following

4 - Cisco 7960s
1 - IP communicator
1 - 2650XM 48F / 256DR (CME soon to be installed)
1 - 1760-V 32F / 96DR FXS / FXO cards installed (thinking about putting CME on here also, need to upgrade memory first)
1 - 3524
1 - 2924

Not sure if any of the remaining devices I used during my CCNA studies can be used, nonetheless I have listed them below

1 - 2610
2 - 2501
1 - 2924

Am I on the right path??

Thanks in advance for your comments

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Comments

mikej412

Did you read the CCVP FAQ

Use the IP Telephony Deployment Models as a guideline. While it would be nice to have a couple of CallManager Clusters to practice with, most people settle for a single CallManager and go with the Multi-site Deployment Model with Centralized Call Processing.

Digital and Analog interfaces all around to support the topology and study topics. If you build your own PSTN Cloud using another router (or two), it adds to the lab cost, but it also adds to the learning, skills acquired, and some good experience.

To save money you can move equipment around, rather than having dedicated equipment for all tasks. A fax machine in each "lab office" would be nice, but a couple old fax machines or laptops with modem and fax software would work fine. Shuffle the phone around between lab offices, depending on what your studying and try to lab. Analog phone are cheap -- I just grabbed a couple (with Caller ID) for each lab location and my PSTN cloud -- but you could probably survive just having 1 (and call it from an IP Telephone).

bigga12

Actually I just got back from browsing that link. Thanks..

I just want to be able to emulate the proper scenarios using the equipment I listed in my original thread. For example I'm still a little unclear on whether I will need to have a NM module installed in my 2650XM to support the 4 IP phones I will have registered to it.

Also will the switches I have support voice vlans, qos, etc...(I think so, but not clear)

mikej412

bigga12 wrote: »

I'm still a little unclear on whether I will need to have a NM module installed in my 2650XM to support the 4 IP phones I will have registered to it.

Support them to do what?

The IP phone can be configured to call between themselves by setting up dial peers on any basic voice router with an Ethernet port. You don't need anything installed in the NM Slot to do that.

If you want those phone to call outside your local network or interact with analog devices, or connect to your local phone company using an analog phone line, then you'd look at adding an NM-1V or NM-2V to support those analog interfaces (VIC-2FXS and/or VIC-2FXO) . If you wanted your local IP phones to interact with the rest of the worlds phones via T1 through your local phone company, then you might add an NM-HDV and VWIC-1MFT-T1.

There are lots links under the Hardware Documentation section of the FAQ that goes over most of the analog and digital voice interfaces that would be useful in a home lab.

bigga12 wrote: »

Also will the switches I have support voice vlans

Let's see.... Yes, the 12 port 3500-XL running the Enterprise Edition Software does.

S3500-1#show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C3500XL Software (C3500XL-C3H2S-M), Version 12.0(5.2)XU, MAINTENANCE INTERIM SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1986-2000 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon 17-Jul-00 18:29 by ayounes
Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x00301F3C

ROM: Bootstrap program is C3500XL boot loader

S3500-1 uptime is 0 minutes
System returned to ROM by power-on
System image file is "flash:c3500XL-c3h2s-mz-120.5.2-XU.bin"

cisco WS-C3512-XL (PowerPC403) processor (revision 0x01) with 8192K/1024K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID FAFAFAFAFAD, with hardware revision 0x00
Last reset from power-on

Processor is running Enterprise Edition Software
Cluster command switch capable
Cluster member switch capable
12 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
2 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)

32K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.
Base ethernet MAC Address: 00:04:C1:42:33:00
Motherboard assembly number: 73-4100-09
Power supply part number: 34-0851-02
Motherboard serial number: FAFAFAFAFAF
Power supply serial number: PHIPHIPHIFS
Model revision number: A0
Model number: WS-C3512-XL-EN
System serial number: FAFAFAFAFAE
Configuration register is 0xF

S3500-1#config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
S3500-1(config)#interface fa0/1
S3500-1(config-if)#switchport ?
access Set access mode characteristics of the interface
mode Set trunking mode of the interface
multi Set characteristics when in multi-VLAN mode
priority Set 802.1p priorities
trunk Set trunking characteristics of the interface
voice Voice appliance attributes

S3500-1(config-if)#switchport voice ?
vlan Vlan for voice traffic

S3500-1(config-if)#switchport voice vlan ?
<1-4094> Vlan for voice traffic
dot1p Priority tagged on PVID
none Don't tell telephone about voice vlan
untagged Untagged on PVID

S3500-1(config-if)#switchport voice vlan 88 ?
<cr>

S3500-1(config-if)#switchport voice vlan 88
S3500-1(config-if)#
S3500-1(config-if)#

bigga12 wrote: »

qos, etc...(I think so, but not clear)

No. QoS support varies by switch and is even different between recent models.

I used my 2950 & 3550 switches -- and those worked fine for my Layer 2 and Layer 3 Switches -- but you'd want to check the blueprint (and maybe the suggested course syllabus) to see if there about any hints about moving to 3560/3750 or 2960 switch specific features.

bigga12

mikej412 wrote: »

If you want those phone to call outside your local network or interact with analog devices, or connect to your local phone company using an analog phone line

Hey I don't want to turn this into a full blown training session, but I do have one more question regarding the comment above. One of the scenarios I am looking to setup will be to have the IP phones registered with CME on the 2650XM make calls to a analog phone(s) connected to the 1760's FXS port. Do I need to have a NM module installed in the 2650 to make this possible?

We are still talking home lab here.

mikej412

bigga12 wrote: »

One of the scenarios I am looking to setup will be to have the IP phones registered with CME on the 2650XM make calls to a analog phone(s) connected to the 1760's FXS port. Do I need to have a NM module installed in the 2650 to make this possible?

No NM module needed on the 2650.

The magic happens on the 1760. You install a PVDM there to supply the needed DSP resource to the analog port.

If you had the VIC-2FXS installed in an NM-1V module installed in the 2650, it's the DSPs built in the NM-1V that do the magic.

But if you don't have the PVDM installed in the 1760, it doesn't matter what you put in the 2650, the analog port on the 1760 won't work.

bigga12 wrote: »

We are still talking home lab here.

But the T1 scenario is more likely for anything other than a small office. In your home lab you'll simulate this by building your own PSTN cloud -- hopefully long before you start making 911 calls.

mikej412

Hey -- there's a link in the CCVP FAQ to the Cisco 2900XL and 3500XL Switch QOS FAQ

Quality of Service on Catalyst 2900 XL and 3500 XL Series Switches Frequently Asked Questions - Cisco Systems

bigga12

Mike you have been a Great Help..Thanks for the feedback!

catalyst

I am just starting to study for the CCVP. I am planning on doing CVoice first, but would like to build out a lab that will support all labs I will do in the CCVP. Any recommendations on what I gear I should get? I have access to all kinds of new Cisco equipment so if you were to just goto Cisco.com and buy anything you wanted for a CCVP lab, what would that be?

tiersten

Unless you can pass your CCVP before June 23 2009, you're going to have to get CCNA: Voice first.

catalyst

tiersten wrote: »

Unless you can pass your CCVP before June 23 2009, you're going to have to get CCNA: Voice first.

Interesting... I didn't know that was the deadline. Thanks for the info. I will plan on taking the CCNA:Voice first. Not a big deal. Any recommendations on equipment?

mikej412

catalyst wrote: »

I have access to all kinds of new Cisco equipment so if you were to just goto Cisco.com and buy anything you wanted for a CCVP lab, what would that be?

If I was spending your money, I'd get a UC520 for the CCNA:Voice, and 3 2811 routers (configured for voice with both digital and analog ports), and a 4th 2811 (with digital and analog ports) to act as the lab PSTN. Then pick out a nice CallManager/Unified Communications Manager server and software. I don't think Cisco sells fax machines, so you may still have to toss in some non-Cisco equipment (like a couple laptops with FAX Modems). Then grab a couple of the latest IP Phones, maybe 2 or 3 each for your Lab HQ and each of the 2 branch offices. For the analog phones for each location you may just want to run out to a local discount store -- I got my analog phones (with caller id) for $5 each.

catalyst

mikej412 wrote: »

If I was spending your money, I'd get a UC520 for the CCNA:Voice, and 3 2811 routers (configured for voice with both digital and analog ports), and a 4th 2811 (with digital and analog ports) to act as the lab PSTN. Then pick out a nice CallManager/Unified Communications Manager server and software. I don't think Cisco sells fax machines, so you may still have to toss in some non-Cisco equipment (like a couple laptops with FAX Modems). Then grab a couple of the latest IP Phones, maybe 2 or 3 each for your Lab HQ and each of the 2 branch offices. For the analog phones for each location you may just want to run out to a local discount store -- I got my analog phones (with caller id) for $5 each.

Thanks Mike... sounds like I've got most of what I need already. Just put in an order for a few digital/analog cards and some DSPs for my routers, but I'll start with the UC520.

Fish!

I have to agree with Mike. As much as a UC520 costs, having some hands on with it sure would have made CCNA:Voice a LOT easier. I did CCNA:Voice with a 2650xm with max mem running CME 4.1, a 1760 with PVDM and FXS card, pots phone, a 2950-24 switch, a 7961, 7941, and CIPC. All of that was FANTASTIC to solidify the concepts, but you really have to get inside the UC520 GUI to be successful. I did it with lots of reading the documentation, but hands on would have made it SOOOO much easier.

mikej412

catalyst wrote: »

sounds like I've got most of what I need already. Just put in an order for a few digital/analog cards and some DSPs for my routers, but I'll start with the UC520.

Will you be my new best friend?

I'm guessing you either work for (or own) a nice sized Cisco Business Partner.... or the Cisco Mother Ship.

catalyst

mikej412 wrote: »

Will you be my new best friend?

I'm guessing you either work for (or own) a nice sized Cisco Business Partner.... or the Cisco Mother Ship.

I do work for Cisco, so that is how I have access to this gear.

Flyingput

wow, 2811 x 4 gears.... I wish I could have....yada yada.
By the way Mike, could you explain a little more on "...a 4th 2811 (with digital and analog ports) to act as the lab PSTN..."? Thanks in advance!

mikej412

Flyingput wrote: »

could you explain a little more on "...a 4th 2811 (with digital and analog ports) to act as the lab PSTN..."?

Just like you toss a router (or multiple routers) acting as a frame relay switch into your CCNA/CCNP home lab to pretend to be a service provider (or multiple service providers connected together) frame relay network so that you can practice frame relay configurations, you can do the same for simulating analog and digital connections to your local telephone company offices.

Configuring a router to act as your frame relay cloud for a home lab isn't tested on the CCNA (or CCNP) exams -- and setting up routers to pretend to be the Phone Company (or phone companies) or a PBX isn't tested in the CCVP exams. But for voice, a lot of the individual configurations you'd need to do to simulate the Plain Old Telephone Network are things you'll eventually be tested on in one CCVP exam or another. But while it's good practice, it can be a daunting task when you are just starting out.

I explained it a little bit more in this thread... http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccvp/34932-mc3810-avm6.html#post245674
.... and you can check out the link in there to NLI's (CCBootcamp) PSTN Router configuration. I think I've mentioned their voice racks (and links to their equipment & topology) and this link in other posts. It's a pretty standard configuration and matches the Multi-site Centralized CallManager configuration I usually suggest for a home lab.

With the CCNA:Voice being a prerequisite for the CCVP, you can toss your CCNA:voice Lab CME Router into the PSTN Cloud for your CCVP Lab to make your initial PSTN Cloud Configuration easier.

Flyingput

Both threads saved as PDF files on my CCVP folder. I will have some good readings this weekend, Mike!

Netwurk

catalyst wrote: »

I do work for Cisco, so that is how I have access to this gear.

Wow. Can you set up a discount program at Cisco so that us folks at TechExams can buy gear at drastically reduced prices?