Appropriate Hardware for Cisco Training?

Nilatir asks: "I'm going to be starting on my CCNA and continuing on to CCNP and possibly CCIE. I know that there are virtual trainers and virtual labs available but I'm considering setting up a real hands-on lab to work with and I need advise from fellow /.'ers on what Cisco hardware to start out with."

Comments

Cisco Lab

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Well, you can get TONS of this stuff really cheap on eBay, ever since the Dot Com Kaboom...

I would start with a couple of routers, and at least two switches. Steer clear of the low-end 1700 series, unless you want to add this as a third router at some point. Better to get a 2600 series with 2 Eth 10/100's in it (the second eth is less that 150.00 on eBay) You can throw some of the cheaper 2500 series in here too. The go for about 4-5 hundred. These usually are featured with 1 10/100 and sometimes an AUI. You can set up HSSI between these - make sure you get the cables!

Switches? The 2900 series is great - but pricy. All the trunk/bridge/VLan madness you want can be practiced on the 2924XL. I would get one of these, and make up on an old 10bt switch for the others - 1724, etc...

Freesco

[Smoking]

I know it's not quite CISCO hardware, but there's this little floppy-based Linux distro called Freesco

I tried it while working for my CCNA and I was quite impressed: It emulates the CISCO command set almost completely, including access lists.

Ok it's not a 2600 but you might want to have a look at it.

Quentin
btw: 2nd post!

CCIE Equipment List

[gnomead]

Here is a list of the equipment on the CCIE lab exam.

• 2500 Series
  
• 2600 Series
  
• 3600 Series
  
• 4000 and 4500 Series
  
• 3900 Series TR Switch
  
• Cat 5000 Switch
  

I think the best all around lab choice would be to get 3-4 of the routers listed above concentrating on the modular routers as opposed to the fixed port routers as it is much cheaper to buy new interfaces than new routers.
I would also recommend that you get at least two ATM interfaces and at least 2 Token Ring interfaces.
Instead of the 5000 Cat switch, you should probably try to find a 2926 as it runs the same IOS and should be avaliable for a much cheaper price.
Don't forget cables too! Cisco uses a 60 pin connector on most routers, but modules available for the 3600's use a much smaller (also proprietary) connector and believe me these cables are not cheap!
Good luck!

Just got my CCNP...

[NetJunkie]

For the CCNA all you really need are a couple of 2500s and some serial cables. Just enough to connect a couple of routers and ping across. To be safe I'd get 3.

For the CCNP it takes a little more. You'll need several routers, some switches, and to do it right, and ISDN simulator. A big chunk of the CCNP is remote access and you can't practice much without the ISDN piece. You also need to make sure you buy the right switches, since the command syntax varies some between the different lines.

Instead of spending a fortune you may consider just renting lab time. Several places do it online and you just telnet right in and do your thing. Some people don't like that because you don't actually touch the gear, but I went to an excellent CCNP boot camp and we almost never touched the equipment. Just telnetted/consoled in and did our thing. The hardware building of a router takes a few mins...the configuration is what takes time.

Re:what you really need if you're serious...

[sphealey]

You will need the endpoint computers - it's not enough to route between routers, sometimes you need to route between networks. They are also useful for seeing the vagarities of odd protocols - you were going to learn IPX and Appletalk right - they're on the test.

Similarly, don't forget that whatever Microsoft may say, Novell still exists. I believe you can get a 2-license demo version of Netware for free from Novell; have at least one Netware/NDS server on your test net.

sPh

Re:Hardware is pretty optional, I'd say

[Ratbert42]

I got my CCNA and I'm about to finish the CCNP and have not touched a single router or switch...

Man, send me your resume. You sound exactly like all the IS guys my company has hired. You'll probably have to start out helping to rebuild all the servers infected with Nimda, but eventually you'll get time to screw up the firewall config.

No books needed

[alen]

CCNA you only need to read the books. Check the web for practice tests. CCNA is only very basic stuff. I did mine in a month without touching a router. Sybex sells a study guide with a virtual router program that I can't recall the name of. After CCNA go get a job. No point in getting an advanced cert like CCNP without experience.

software: virutal labs

[metalgeek]

sybex makes a virtual lab product that I belive simulates several routeras and a coupla switches.
h
heres it on amazon
it's actually just a toned down version of some other virtual router software made by router sim
there a hell of a lot cheaper than buying actual hardware.