Post Your Lab (PICS)

Hey Everyone,
I couldn't find any other thread similar to this after searching for a while, so I wanted to get one going. It would be great if everyone could post pictures of their current home or work lab (Big or Small). Hopefully we can get the CCNP/CCIE folks to post in here as well.

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mikej412

Monkerz wrote: »

Found this, thought I would share.

I wish people would stop reposting pictures of my home lab basement data center. That's an old picture and I've cleaned things up a bit.

Just kidding -- I haven't cleaned it up.

TheShadow

Monkerz wrote: »

Found this, thought I would share.

Management must admire the Borg. Feral cats can stop the rats from nesting in there. I only have one cat; since we don't have basements out here my lab has not grown to meet my expectations. Mikej412 on the other hand has a few cats I believe, and a growing lab.

bertieb

mikej412 wrote: »

I wish people would stop reposting pictures of my home lab basement data center. That's an old picture and I've cleaned things up a bit.
Just kidding -- I haven't cleaned it up.

Who are you kidding? Your basement DC is faaaarrrrrrrr larger than that

pitviper

mikej412 wrote: »

I wish people would stop reposting pictures of my home lab basement data center.

Basement data center, or bedroom? :P

captobvious

2620 w NM 16A - Terminal Server
2950T
2950T
3550-24PWR-EMI
2950T
2950T
3550-48-SMI
2620XM
2621XM
2611XM
2611XM
2611XM
2620 w NM 8A/S - Frame Switch
CyberPower CPS-1215RMS
(3) 3640

All Routers max memory
Various WICs and NM modules

okplaya

captobvious wrote: »

2620 w NM 16A - Terminal Server
2950T
2950T
3550-24PWR-EMI
2950T
2950T
3550-48-SMI
2620XM
2621XM
2611XM
2611XM
2611XM
2620 w NM 8A/S - Frame Switch
CyberPower CPS-1215RMS
(3) 3640

All Routers max memory
Various WICs and NM modules

Very nice! You put my lab to shame lol

Android FTW

Patel128

Not the best picture of my in the works lab because I took it with my phone. This is what i have done with my lab as of now. I just got in the rack a few days ago, so now i have to go back and rewire everything.

Equipment:
(3) 2610XMs with WIC-2T and WIC-1DSU-T1
(1) 2620XM with WIC-2T and WIC-1DSU-T1
(1) 2611 with NM-4A/S
(3) 2950 EI
(1) AS2509 RJ

Jas21

racking question - are you guys router 'innys' or 'outies'?

(back of router at the back, or the front?)

ZeroHunter

Jas21 wrote: »

racking question - are you guys router 'innys' or 'outies'?

(back of router at the back, or the front?)

I did 'inny' purely for cosmetic reasons and compensated for it by a patch panel in the front for the LAN connections and an Console Server for the Console Connections, Yes I still have to turn the rack around for the WIC Connections but that is not that often.

Patel128 & CaptObvious those are some sweet rack setups!

Patel128

Jas21 wrote: »

racking question - are you guys router 'innys' or 'outies'?

(back of router at the back, or the front?)

I also did innys just for looks.

@ZeroHunter
Thanks! Yours looks freaking amazing. Question though. What is the device at the very bottom of your rack that is showing 55?

Excellent1

Patel128 wrote: »

I also did innys just for looks.

@ZeroHunter
Thanks! Yours looks freaking amazing. Question though. What is the device at the very bottom of your rack that is showing 55?

That's his flux capacitor. He wasn't quite to 88 yet, which is why the blinds directly behind it were not yet on fire. It happened moments after this picture was taken. Let's have a moment of silence for the carpet.

ZeroHunter

Patel128 wrote: »

I also did innys just for looks.

@ZeroHunter
Thanks! Yours looks freaking amazing. Question though. What is the device at the very bottom of your rack that is showing 55?

An ONEAC UPS / Line Conditioner, it works fine, but I would never suggest it to anyone, its Heavy as all get out, LOUD LOUD LOUD, its backup time is not that great, communication interfacing is weird.

Only pluses are I got it cheap and it uses a pretty standard battery so replacement batteries are not expansive, if I was to suggest something I would suggest CyberPower their customer service is second to none, and if you jest want the standard it works with everything then get APC.

Also the 55 is % of duty cycle, so with all my Cisco Rack units running I am at 55% of the capacity of the UPS

Patel128

Excellent1 wrote: »

That's his flux capacitor. He wasn't quite to 88 yet, which is why the blinds directly behind it were not yet on fire. It happened moments after this picture was taken. Let's have a moment of silence for the carpet.

With the way his setup looks and how clean and full it is I think that it is his flux. Now the real question is where did you get the plutonium from?

A another question that is on topic. Does everyone crimp their own Ethernet cables or do yall see buying them to be just a heck of a lot easier. I crimp my own cables. I got a box of 500 ft cabling for about 45$ shipped, and I bought the 200 ends and end boots for like 10$ shipped. It saves a good chunk of money, but I am terrible right now at crimping (with practice I will get better, but dang I waste more and more ends every time).

jmc012

I always liked this picture.

mess.jpg

jmc012

Patel128 wrote: »

With the way his setup looks and how clean and full it is I think that it is his flux. Now the real question is where did you get the plutonium from?

A another question that is on topic. Does everyone crimp their own Ethernet cables or do yall see buying them to be just a heck of a lot easier. I crimp my own cables. I got a box of 500 ft cabling for about 45$ shipped, and I bought the 200 ends and end boots for like 10$ shipped. It saves a good chunk of money, but I am terrible right now at crimping (with practice I will get better, but dang I waste more and more ends every time).

I hardly ever use pre-made cables, mainly because they are never the right length. Try using the feed through RJ-45's, the individual wires go all the way through the connection and stick out the front and are cut off when you crimp the connection. It makes it easy to check your color code before crimping, I haven't made a bad connection in a year. Another useful tip is to unwrap the wire about one wrap and then stick a small screwdriver in between and pull, it will un-wrap the pair and the wire will be perfectly straight.

Patel128

jmc012 wrote: »

I hardly ever use pre-made cables, mainly because they are never the right length. Try using the feed through RJ-45's, the individual wires go all the way through the connection and stick out the front and are cut off when you crimp the connection. It makes it easy to check your color code before crimping, I haven't made a bad connection in a year. Another useful tip is to unwrap the wire about one wrap and then stick a small screwdriver in between and pull, it will un-wrap the pair and the wire will be perfectly straight.

Oh wow i have not seen those kinds of connectors. I will def buy them and not use the ones I have now. Thanks for the tip

Edit:
I looked on eBay for the connectors. Is it called EZ-RJ45? And if so can i use the normal rj-45 crimping tool i have now or do I need one that is make for EZ-RJ45? Thanks

ZeroHunter

Patel128 wrote: »

With the way his setup looks and how clean and full it is I think that it is his flux. Now the real question is where did you get the plutonium from?

A another question that is on topic. Does everyone crimp their own Ethernet cables or do yall see buying them to be just a heck of a lot easier. I crimp my own cables. I got a box of 500 ft cabling for about 45$ shipped, and I bought the 200 ends and end boots for like 10$ shipped. It saves a good chunk of money, but I am terrible right now at crimping (with practice I will get better, but dang I waste more and more ends every time).

I got a source for the Plutonium ( eBay where else)!

I usually buy 100ft lengths of Cat5e off an eBay seller out of California and then cut that to make the custom lengths that I want, I find I get good quality cable cheap and get two ends/boots for free outta the deal.

Not the really short cables you see on the front the green and read ones, those I bought pre-built again eBay like are like a buck each. And well worth it for the effort it takes to make the shorter cables.

jmc012

Patel128 wrote: »

Oh wow i have not seen those kinds of connectors. I will def buy them and not use the ones I have now. Thanks for the tip

Edit:
I looked on eBay for the connectors. Is it called EZ-RJ45? And if so can i use the normal rj-45 crimping tool i have now or do I need one that is make for EZ-RJ45? Thanks

That's it, EZ, you do need different crimper that has a blade on the end to cut the wires off. I think they cost about $40. Worth it though if you put many connections on!! You will be an expert in no time with those connections.

mikej412

The EZ-RJ45s and crimper has cut down on my failed cable attempts.... but I'm still a strong believer in buying pre-made cables in bulk for my home lab.

nerdydad

After seeing some of these pictures I feel unworthy, but I am still proud of what I have built so far, pardon the mess.

3 x 1721
2 x 2950
1 x 3550
1 x 2509
1 x 2008 server running 3 xp virtual machines as PC1, PC2 & PC3

I am in the final stretch to my CCNA at the University of Cincinnati, which is a Netacad facility.

Thanks to everyone here for all your help.

photo 2.jpg

photo 1.jpg

ZeroHunter

nerdydad wrote: »

After seeing some of these pictures I feel unworthy, but I am still proud of what I have built so far, pardon the mess.

3 x 1721
2 x 2950
1 x 3550
1 x 2509
1 x 2008 server running 3 xp virtual machines as PC1, PC2 & PC3

I am in the final stretch to my CCNA at the University of Cincinnati, which is a Netacad facility.

Thanks to everyone here for all your help.

Looks like you are off to a GREAT start; and everyone loves Ikea!

See I have the Ikea Printer Stand (aka the coffee table $20.oo)

Ikea%20printer%20stand.jpg

millworx

ZeroHunter wrote: »

I did 'inny' purely for cosmetic reasons and compensated for it by a patch panel in the front for the LAN connections and an Console Server for the Console Connections, Yes I still have to turn the rack around for the WIC Connections but that is not that often.

Patel128 & CaptObvious those are some sweet rack setups!

Thats a Nice Lantronix SCS 1620! My old mans an engineer there. Good products.

ZeroHunter

His Names Not Gary is it? That guy was a major help with getting it up and running again.

Patel128

I just ordered the EZ-RJ45s. I watched a few videos before i got all of the equipment, and dang does it seem like its going to be a lot easier now to make cables in lengths that i need. Thanks for the tip.

odysseyelite

Finally got my lab together. Using a entertainment center my father built years ago. No other use for it since it only holds a 25" CRT tv. Works great for a technology center for my cisco stuff, my printers and my VMware box.

2511 RJ-45 access switch (worth every penny)
4 x 2950T's
3 x 2500's
1 x 3640
1 x 2620XM
1 X 2650XM
1 X 2610

Various NM's.

Patel128

@odysseyelite Nice setup man. I totally agree on the terminal server. It might be considered lazy but for all of the time it takes to change the console cable i could be labbing or studying plus i don't really want to plug in and out the cable all the time to break the port.

Fiber-Optics

Here is my setup its actually over at a datacenter so I don't have to hear the constant sound.

Cisco 6506 Chassis with Sup2 MSFC2 engine
48 port - 10/100 copper blade

4 = Cisco 3640 Routers
1 = Cisco ASA 5505 ASA Firewall
1 = Cisco 2611 Router
2 = Cisco 7940G IP Phones
1 = VMWare Cisco Call Manager 7

http://files01.centauricom.com/ciscolab/2011-01-11%2001.53.54.jpg
http://files01.centauricom.com/ciscolab/2011-01-11%2001.54.16.jpg

jwashington1981

Here's a picture of me at my school in our networking lab. We also have another mini lab in one of the other classrooms that I'll take a picture of when I get the chance to.

School Lab.jpg

alan2308

jwashington1981 wrote: »

Here's a picture of me at my school in our networking lab. We also have another mini lab in one of the other classrooms that I'll take a picture of when I get the chance to.

Me thinks its time for your school to do a little upgrading.

ZeroHunter

alan2308 wrote: »

Me thinks its time for your school to do a little upgrading.

Oh I am going to have to get you a pic of my schools setup, his is amazing compared to what we have! And I paid 15k$ to go there to get MCITP & CCNA. Herzing University, we have rows and rows of computers and pretty much garbage for labs.