CCNA Security Lab

Hey,

I am planning to buy CCNA Security Lab. What you guys recommend? there are so many ebay deals, I don't know what should I look for? please help.

btw I am thinking of using same equipment for future studies in CCNP.

Thanks.

Muhammad

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rogue2shadow

There are some pretty nice setups listed in some of the existing threads in this section.

A few good materials are:
Packet Tracer (if you're a Cisco Networking Academy alumni or student) http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/course_catalog/PacketTracer.html
GNS3 (GNS3 | Graphical Network Simulator)
Amazon.com: CCNA Security Lab Manual (9781587132490): Cisco Networking Academy: Books.

mzbagasra

I saw this on site. what you guys think?

One Cisco 2611XM 256/48 upgraded memory 12.4 Dual Ethernet Router
One Cisco 2610XM 256/48 upgraded memory 12.4 Router
Two Cisco 2950 Switches
Two WIC-1T Serial Modules
One DTE/DCE back to back cable
Four Power Cables
Console cable kit
Two Ethernet Crossover Cables
Three Etherent Patch Cables

ChooseLife

From my notes in this thread:

all you really need is 1 x 12.4 k9 IOS router, 1 x 12.x k9 IOS router, and 1 x 12.x IP base IOS switch.

ChooseLife

mzbagasra wrote: »

I saw this on site. what you guys think?

One Cisco 2611XM 256/48 upgraded memory 12.4 Dual Ethernet Router
One Cisco 2610XM 256/48 upgraded memory 12.4 Router
Two Cisco 2950 Switches
Two WIC-1T Serial Modules
One DTE/DCE back to back cable
Four Power Cables
Console cable kit
Two Ethernet Crossover Cables
Three Etherent Patch Cables

Hardware-wise, this kit will suffice. Software-wise, you want to ensure that the routers come with at least(*) Advanced Security version of the IOS (or that you can obtain it). Also, I cannot remember off the top of my head if IDS is included in Advanced Security, you may want to verify that through the Cisco Feature Navigator.

(*) See this scheme for IOS inheritance tree.

mzbagasra

Can I go with GNS 3 route? and which IOS will work, please help

Thanks.

geek4god

mzbagasra wrote: »

Do u think this will help me in future for CCNP?

Thanks.

For fun you can go here and look at what a CCIE Security Rack rental lab looks like.. Way more than you need at this point but intresting..

http://www.ine.com/downloads/security_rack_rental_hardware_specifications.v5.004.pdf

mzbagasra

Hmmm.... looks interesting

astrogeek

I'm also in need of switches so I'm also in your position. The 2950's I think would be good to have in any lab because they are so cheap, but they will not help you much with CCNP because they are not layer 3 switches. For that, you may want to consider 2 3550 switches, they cost more but are about the cheapest layer 3 switches you will probably be able to find. Just make sure you don't get a 3500XL switch, (IE 3548XL), these are layer 2 switches!!

Personally, I don't like GNS3. Its good if you can't get actual equipment, (be it cost or storage issues), but if you can there really is nothing like having an actual rack of Cisco equipment to play with. Simple things like backing up or loading a new IOS is something you just can't do in a simulator, and personally GNS3 is just too buggy to compare against having actual equipment. That's not to say I don't have it installed and use it, it's great to put on your laptop to take with you on the go! But for me, most importantly, working on actual equipment builds confidence that I would never get using a simulator.

Plus GNS3 doesn't natively emulate Cisco switches so at the very least you should be buying some layer 3 switches for your CCNP switch studies. I also have 2 2600XM series routers which so far seem to work ok for my CCNA Security studies, but I haven't yet tried to create a VPN tunnel and I read somewhere they may not be capable, (I'm hoping that's not true!). My school uses two 2801's and I think a 2611XM to connect the two....but the 2801's are really expensive, (bout $400-800 each), so good luck getting 2 of those!

mzbagasra

Thanks everyone, I passed the exam today.

ChooseLife

mzbagasra wrote: »

Thanks everyone, I passed the exam today.

Out of curiosity, did you end up putting a lab together, or did you pass without using one?

mzbagasra

I did use gns3 plus cisco 831 router for sdm. To practice IPS \ ZBF \ ACL thru sdm.

nethacker

mzbagasra wrote: »

I did use gns3 plus cisco 831 router for sdm. To practice IPS \ ZBF \ ACL thru sdm.

congrats bro

yallaen

mzbagasra wrote: »

I did use gns3 plus cisco 831 router for sdm. To practice IPS \ ZBF \ ACL thru sdm.

Just curious...when you set up GNS3, what IOS did you load into the sim?