CCNP SWITCH - Cisco 2950

My current "lab" consists of:

2 x 2620XM
3 x 2950

Wondering what the 2950 wont be able to do that's part of the SWITCH exam. Was thinking I'd just make use of the 2950s and use PacketLife for features that they don't support -- think that would work?

Thank you

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vinbuck

The 2950 won't do Layer 3 switching which is a very large portion of SWITCH. Packetlife is great but it stays pretty booked. Might want to check on some 3550s on ebay - they will do everything you need except private VLANs which you can then go over to PacketLife and practice

Netwurk

If you go for 3550's, you should look for the PoE (Inline Power) models. They usually cost about the same and are handy for powering up things like IP phones and access points.

Eildor

How many 3550's am I going to need?

And aren't there any other solutions, like a simulator program other than GNS3? Doesn't BOSON have some kind of a simulator for CCNP?

tokhss

x2 - 2950s

x2 - 3550

should be just fine for the exam.

i personally have 3750, 2960, 3550, 3524.

now you know. good luck. Simulators wont be able to give u full switching but they work just fine for routing.

Eildor

Ok, thank you all for your help.

Since I have GNS3 is there any point in me keeping my 2620XM routers? Was thinking I might as well sell them as I have all my routers and switches stacked up on my table and I don't think it can take another 2 switches! I don't even have enough power sockets haha.

Moeeed

You may wanna keep them, any hardware can always come in handy. I suggest you looking into 3550s. one or 2 are good. I have 2 3550 and 2 2950.

Rakurai

Boson Net Sim costs around $350. You can find 3550's for about $105 for non-PoE and $119 for PoE. Your 2950's are fine for some things for CCNP. And to note 3550's don't do PVLANS and and IPv6 (although a run through of the exam topic's, they don't have either).

lrb

Rakurai wrote: »

And to note 3550's don't do PVLANS and and IPv6 (although a run through of the exam topic's, they don't have either).

PVLANs are covered in the official course material from Cisco so they are fair game in the exam.

To the OP, a single EMI 3550 and 2 EI 2950 switches will probably do most of what you want other than a few things like PVLANs, UDLD (unless you have GBICs and/or SFPs) and obviously the 6500 sup redundancy stuff. There's probably more things but the core items (STP, VLANs, VTP, etc) you will be able to do with the equipment that people have mentioned.

Rakurai

Maybe it was just the IPv6...... that's what happens on night shifts where you get very little sleep before the shift.

Eildor

Rakurai wrote: »

Boson Net Sim costs around $350. You can find 3550's for about $105 for non-PoE and $119 for PoE. Your 2950's are fine for some things for CCNP. And to note 3550's don't do PVLANS and and IPv6 (although a run through of the exam topic's, they don't have either).

Regardless of how much it costs does it have all the features needed for CCNP SWITCH study?

Eildor

Moeeed wrote: »

You may wanna keep them, any hardware can always come in handy. I suggest you looking into 3550s. one or 2 are good. I have 2 3550 and 2 2950.

How are they going to come in handy? Since I have GNS3 what need would I have for the routers? I've heard it's possible to link up GNS3 to your physical switches (although I have never done it), if it's easy then I might as well just do that.

instant000

RouterGods - L2L3 IOU Racks V3 Part 1 - YouTube

instant000

Eildor wrote: »

How many 3550's am I going to need?

And aren't there any other solutions, like a simulator program other than GNS3? Doesn't BOSON have some kind of a simulator for CCNP?

RouterGods - L2L3 IOU Racks V3 Part 1 - YouTube

Eildor

instant000 wrote: »

RouterGods - L2L3 IOU Racks V3 Part 1 - YouTube

Pretty damn sweet... cheers!