Home Office | Computer Lab Suggestions - for an beginner IT Security Worker?

Hello Everyone. i'm a beginner in IT Security (InfoSec). I have a Security + and a SANS GCIH certification.

i found these two photo online it's not mine but ...i'm thinking my home office | computer lab will look something like this in the future

and i fully believe that i need to build up my home office as a sort of computer lab with lots of various software | hardware to be able to experiment with technology and practice with different.

off the the top of my head. i need a a server, a MAC, two PCs, a linux OS, Windows, Windows Server, and i'm trying to get an idea of building up a 'batcave | batcomputer' type of environment -

what are some must haves that a IT Security Professional should have in his home office | computer lab.

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MTciscoguy

Well in my lab, I have 5 switches(2950) 5 routers(3x1841, 2x2503)5 computers 1 x windows 8.1 and 4 x windows 7, 2 servers Dell PE 1950, Dell PE 1850, Lenovo NAS 4 gig raid, both servers are running Windows 2008 R2 and I also have an older acer laptop I can plug into the network. My main Lab computer will boot XP, Windows 7 enterprise and Linux Ubuntu. and I am also running 12 com ports on it via com port expansion card, I can add another couple of com ports via a couple of USB to com port adapters. I will be adding a couple of layer 3 switches in the very near future and then I will be upgrading a couple of routers so I can do voice. It seems to be a never ending battle when it comes to purchasing equipment.

gc8dc95

Depends on what you want. Here is what I have:

3 - servers running ESXi - clustered with several different OS's and applications
1 - file/storage server
1 - laptop connected to 3 displays, kb, and mouse
1 - EdgeRouter Lite
1 - Dell 1gbe switch

I used to have a decent Cisco lab, but have switched to using GNS3 when needed. I have found that I enjoy virtualization and it is more efficient in space, noise, and power.

MTciscoguy

Oh ya, do your shopping and pay attention to how noisy and hot this stuff gets, I get my routers and switches going and then turn on the Dell servers, it sounds like a 747 running and the heat feels like you are standing in the jet wash of the engines!

bkhayes

okay thanks fellas...solid advice.

anybody else? any more suggestions?

i got another question. Overall how much money have you guys spent on your home office | computer lab?

Deathmage

bkhayes wrote: »

okay thanks fellas...solid advice.

anybody else? any more suggestions?

i got another question. Overall how much money have you guys spent on your home office | computer lab?

8k and counting on mine so far including software licensing.... items listed in my blog below minus the G switches I need to update to blog.

hurricane1091

I've never actually met an IT person in real life that had a lab. I have some 3850 Cisco switches and a Cisco router + GNS3 + a linux box set up for my eventual Linux+ certs though. Anyways, how do people make it in the world out there? Do they just get all experience on the job or what? I know I'm not getting it (hence the self study + labs).

I probably won't ever spend $8k on a lab but if you're getting the CCNA you at least need to use GNS3 or packet tracer or something, and if you're using the MCSA you need to at least throw server on a VM. Can go much further than this but how do people escape the bare minimum here?

Jon_Cisco

I'm sure I'm over 2k in IT stuff. I doubt I needed to have any of it but I wanted it. Always something new to want to play with and I'm just getting started.

MTciscoguy

In this game, what you need and what you want are two entirely different things, I wanted my equipment and I like having my equipment, it allows me to tinker with things that won't happen in a simulator.