CCNA Security Home Lab + Normal CCNA Support

Hey guys,

Time to build a lab so I can take my CCNA + CCNA Security.

(my ccna expired a while back, so need to re take it, I sold all my equipment, so I have to rebuy).

So from SCRATCH... What's the BEST setup you can imagine?

What all is needed exactly for the CCNA security over the plain CCNA (I took the CCNA in early 07 or late 06 (can't remember, but it was before the new tests came out).

So I'm going to be taking both (the ccna + the ccna security)

I was thinking I could get by with the following (any suggestions would be appreciated).

(I've been researching this for about 2 weeks or more and this is by far the best setup I've created for it, I just hope this will work!)

Rack -> Amazon.com: OnStage RS7030 Rack Stand: Musical Instruments (what I used last time).

Routers ->

2509 or 2511 (whatever I can get cheapest) so I can connect to multiple routers without changing cables.

2611xm (dual FE so I can connect to the "real" internet, as well as my internal networks) (any other suggestions) as this looks like it'll be around 180$ (heck I paid 200 for my 2610xm's a while back). I will be using the NM-4A/S Serial Module so I can do frame relay stuff.

Here's the tricky part, I know I need a router capable of doing the advanced security stuff, I'm wondering if I need 2 routers that run SDM or if I can get by with one?

I was thinking of grabbing a couple 2620xm's off ebay with SDM running (they cost about 130 shipped). And throw in a couple of WIC-1T's so I can do frame relay.

Or buying 1 of those and something else? (like a regular 2620xm or a 2620xm with CME)

Switch ->

3 2950 EI's (or is 2 enough?)

Should I grab anything else? Am I missing something obvious? Any way this could come out cheaper or better?

Recap:

2509 Access Server
2 2620xm's with SDM with WIC-1T's
1 2611xm with a NM-4A/S
3 2950 EI switches

Total cost is about 1k, is this enough equipment? I know it's enough for the CCNA, but I also want to use it CCNP and CCNA Security. I may need to buy more later on (for CCNP), but I'd prefer to not need to buy anything else for CCNA Security (unless I just NEED an ASA 5505, but I'm hoping I can do without...?)

Thanks!

(PS also will be using 3 pc's for the lab (2 laptops 1 desktop)).

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Comments

mikej412

Your proposed setup is fine for the CCNA and CCNA:Security. You've got everything covered (SDM, router-on-a-stick, hub & spoke frame relay, 3 switches for STP/VTP, etc)

2 Routers and a switch should be enough for the CCNA:Security

I mentioned the required IOS images for the routers or Dynamips (Dynagen/GNS3) in this thread - http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-security/51366-lab-setup-ccna-security-gns3-real-equipment.html#post384650

Corndork2

You could also consider 1721's for a really cheap 12.4 Adv Security platform. Just make sure they have 32MB flash

tiersten

Corndork2 wrote: »

You could also consider 1721's for a really cheap 12.4 Adv Security platform. Just make sure they have 32MB flash

Just don't get a 1720 expecting it to be similar to a 1721. They don't support SDM and you're stuck with IP Base + ADSL.

notgoing2fail

I'm looking at my 1720 right now, it's so useless....if it had more DRAM and Flash it could be more useful as well as a network interface slot....for an extra ethernet port...

tiersten

notgoing2fail wrote: »

I'm looking at my 1720 right now, it's so useless....if it had more DRAM and Flash it could be more useful as well as a network interface slot....for an extra ethernet port...

They're not useless. I've got one as they were throwing it out at work. Even with the 8MB flash, you can squeeze in 12.4 IP Base and I had spare memory from my 2600XMs that work in the 1720 so it has 48MB. The two WIC slots let you expand it as well.

They're still a decent router if the limitations of 12.4 IP Base only and no SDM doesn't affect you.

The downsides are that nearly all the 1700 range has that annoying plastic case and the PSU plug is awful but that isn't specific to the 1720.

notgoing2fail

tiersten wrote: »

They're not useless. I've got one as they were throwing it out at work. Even with the 8MB flash, you can squeeze in 12.4 IP Base and I had spare memory from my 2600XMs that work in the 1720 so it has 48MB. The two WIC slots let you expand it as well.

They're still a decent router if the limitations of 12.4 IP Base only and no SDM doesn't affect you.

The downsides are that nearly all the 1700 range has that annoying plastic case and the PSU plug is awful but that isn't specific to the 1720.

That's great, but it's useless for me. My flash is 4 megs!! The cost of getting it upgraded, I might as well get a whole 1720 off eBay that comes with 32mb flash and 48ram for cheap...

My point is, the cost of ram/flash is just about the same as the unit itself. There's actually some websites that sell the ram/flash for 3x more than the device itself. Only a sucker would pay that! LOL...

As for SDM, right now I am hating SDM as it's giving me so many problems....so I am fine without having SDM....

At first I like the way the 1700's look, I still think they look kinda cool, but a pain when you have all your devices rackmounted and this unit just sits to the side somewhere on ontop of another 1U device...

tiersten

notgoing2fail wrote: »

That's great, but it's useless for me. My flash is 4 megs!! The cost of getting it upgraded, I might as well get a whole 1720 off eBay that comes with 32mb flash and 48ram for cheap...

Its a pain since you'll have to do it each time you restart it but you can TFTP boot it so all that matters is the amount of RAM you've got.

If you reformat the flash with squeeze disabled then you'll get slightly more available space. I know 12.4 fits on a 8MB flash card if you disable squeeze support but it'll complain at you about the lack of space for a crash ****. I guess you're kind of stuck with a 4MB flash card as you'll have to run an extremely old IOS to fit into that.

notgoing2fail wrote: »

My point is, the cost of ram/flash is just about the same as the unit itself. There's actually some websites that sell the ram/flash for 3x more than the device itself. Only a sucker would pay that! LOL...

The flash in a 1720 is special card and I've never seen it used anywhere else. For some reason, Cisco decided not to use a standard CF card. The RAM is a 72 pin EDO SIMM if I remember correctly and as I said, it is the same as the 2600XM.

notgoing2fail wrote: »

As for SDM, right now I am hating SDM as it's giving me so many problems....so I am fine without having SDM....

You'll need SDM for some parts of CCNA:S so you'll eventually need to get it working properly.

There isn't anything particularly special about the 1720 in regards to SDM support but Cisco don't support it so SDM refuses to work when it queries the model number of the router. In theory you could patch it to allow the 1720 but I've never bothered since I've got other routers that do work with SDM.

notgoing2fail wrote: »

At first I like the way the 1700's look, I still think they look kinda cool, but a pain when you have all your devices rackmounted and this unit just sits to the side somewhere on ontop of another 1U device...

I put it on its side and just left it on the top most router in my rack. It lives next to a 7960 phone and a AP1242AG. It is an annoying shape though to put into a rack. They were never designed to be rackable but thankfully Cisco now designs all these small routers to be rackable if you have the kit.