CCNA Lab and equipment

[burtsbees]

Yo Gene

Point me in the right direction here...I am responsible for certing a bunch of NAs for my company...I need a good lab setup (equipment and topology) and a blueprint. I need to have like 10 NAs certified by the end of the year...

Since you're an AI, I fingered it would be easy (lazy me... ) for you to give me some links to the Cisco site stuff, as well as what books work best (besides Cisco press...we all know that they are good for teaching the Cisco way of networking, which is top notch, but as far as preparing for the lab, you might as well be reading Aesop's Fables).

Danka

Purty Burty Likey Workey and Turkey and Dirty Flirty women who squirty and hurty

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Technical Support:

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[CiscoGuy33]

Burt,

I still think the Sybex CCNA Study Guide by Todd Lammel is the best, he just came out with the latest edition in April 2011 - $30 at Amazon.

The Cisco Learning Network at

http://www.cisco.com

under "Training and Events" is a GREAT online site for lots of Cisco CCNA infomation and help in the forum.

As for labs if you need Packet Tracer 5.3 (sim) let me know and I will see what I can do ;-)

As for real Cisco labs, I would say at least 1 1841 and 2 26xxXM's and some WICs for WAN connections - 2 2950 switches should handle all the switching labs.

If you have the 1841 for all that it is needed for SDM, IOS 12.4, Fast Ethernet to the switches,etc. you really could get by with 2 26xx's for all the routing connections needed, 26xxXM's and 36xx's are just more useable if moving onto CCNP later!

Good luck and email me if you have any questions off Tek Tips !

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[burtsbees]

Should we not have 3 switches to simulate root bridge elections, broadcast storms, VTP, etc?

I have a CCO, CLN and Cisco Academy logins, so I can get PT 5.3...I have 5 point something...

I also have Dynamips and can get whomever I teach to set that up. Our company is a server hardware/config company, so every office has on average 50-75 fully-functioning whole-spare servers running, some with 8 quad-core procs and 64+GB PC8400 server-class RAM...so running Dynamips/GNS3 should not be too much of a problem

Having the CCO and plenty of IOSs to load, we can go with Dynamips.

Thanks for the advice, home slice!

I'm a poet...and I already know it!

I'm a dork...I know...
So?

Lol

Cisco IOS Software, C2600 Software (C2600-ADVENTERPRISEK9-M), Version 12.4(25c), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support:

http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Copyright (c) 1523-2010 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Thu 11-Feb-1539 23:02 by ßµ®†Šß€€Š

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(7r) [ÝØÝØMØÑ], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Edge uptime is 469¼

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Burt,

I don't think it could hurt having 3 switches to really understand root bridge elections, broadcast storms, VTP, etc. Seems that they always had a fairly easy switch congig if at all, most of the sims always tended to be around routing......but they do have questions about STP, VTP etc and that is where a great understanding - a "hands on" understanding will help!!

Sounds like you are good with Packet Tracer 5.3 as well as Dynamips and the different IOSs, we just got a Dell server with the 64 GIGS RAM so we can run Win 2008 Enterprise server, I don't think I will be able to load Dynamips on it :-(

Sounds like your people will be in GREAT shape !!

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[tomwil1001]

1841's are great, but they are still a bit expensive.
Frankly, I think that XM Routers are just as good for less than half the price.
If you need a complete kit, I would recommend the guys at Ciscoland.net

They have kits for all budgets and their kits include a Lab Guide!

I hope this helps. Take care.

 

[burtsbees]

I have any equipment already at my disposal...I have a monster 4-rack 12-server lab (TACACS+ and CSACS-E 11.3, and SMARTcare server. I have a fully populated 6509 with 3 different SUPs, Hybrid, H-converted to Native and just IOS. I also have a fully populated 4507, 3 3750s, one PoE, three 3560s and 3550s, a 3548XL, three 2924XLs, a 2950, four Catalyst 4000s (you have to set dip switches for duplex, fixed 10Mbps), a 4968-10GE, three 2980G-As, a 2620XM, an 1841, three 2610s, two other 2620s, three 1712s, a 1720, a 1750, and a 1604. Oh yeah--a PIX520 w/5 ethernet ports, an ASA5510 and a VPN Concentrator 3010, plus every network tool, Cisco, NMAP, Solar Winds, etc. known to man. Though I have yet to schedule it, I plan on taking the CCIE Security lab (passed the written in April. I am also a CCNA, CCNA Sec, CCNP, CXFS, A+ and Net+ (yeeeee-HAAA!!!). I am teachung CCNAs, not trying to certify

But thanks!

/ Cause

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[Quadratic]

How much time do you have to whip your crew into CCNAs? Personally I'd try to get Packet Tracert for them, give them some rigerous labs to do and drive the important points home. Router-on-a-stick, some NAT labs, basic procedural stuff like VTY line setup, banners, and some basic routing scenarios. You can do all that in Packet Tracer.

I know a lot of people will rebut with "it's not the same as real equipment!", but to be honest, for CCNA, it's good enough. You can't show me a valid CCNA-level lab question that can't be done in Packet Tracer. Sure, 5 years ago when PTv2 or v3 was around, you needed the real deal. Today, not really.

CCNP, CCDP, CCIP
Core Network Planner, ISP

 

[burtsbees]

Agreed, agreed, and already done! My colleague and I have 36 PT labs, one GNS3 lab and five Wireshark .pcap's to give to the students. Being a Cisco NetAcad Alumni, having a CCO and having membership in many forums, particularly this and CLN (Cisco Learning Network) as well as a few CCIE and CCIE Security forums---they all have their percs! When I was first studying for the CCNA (can't remember what PT version was out...mid '05) Packet Tracer wouldn't do hardly anything. So I used Boson's NetSim and some other one, and then Dynamips had the graphical front end (Dynagen), then GNS3...they all evolve.. When I downloaded Packet Tracer a little over a year again, I couldn't believe all that you could do! I was somewhat disillusioned when I first started playing around, because though it looked a lot cooler and there was more equipment, the commands were still not adequate---or so I thought...I dug a little further and was impressed when I saw the IOS files on the PCs, which meant that for the extra functionality, I could actually tftp an image from one of the pc's! That impressed me---there were a few, but the best one was Advanced Security...but all of the commands weren't available, to my dismay. I mean...you can't build a VTI tunnel? No IPS sig tuning? WTH???lol But yeah---that was a year and a half ago. These days on Dynamips/GNS3, you can emulate an IPS Sensor! Now THAT's cool! They just need to add an emulation engine for a lawnmower, cook, etc.

/ of Ginseng

10 ? "TIMMAY!!!"
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[Quadratic]

I've found most years, Cisco has a theme behind the new PT features. The last round was an attempt to get it up to snuff for CCNP ROUTE exam, the year before it was the push for CCNA Voice material, and before that it was CCNA Security.

My main reason for chiming in there, though, is that the apparent "need" for a real lab for CCNA stuff is a major peeve of mine. Good luck playing drill master!

CCNP, CCDP, CCIP
Core Network Planner, ISP

 

[burtsbees]

Yeah, I have seen that pattern with the few times I dealt w/PT. My sentimen on the live euipment-I look at it like this: the people looking to study have maybe not seen live equipment much, if even at all...so that is why I promote live equipment and/or a similar/emulator. But cessary? Not absolutely no, but before someone's gets out there in Job Land, they'd better have had touched a physical router! The best time to start and build experience with physical equipment would be while studying since the learning and practicing is directly linked in the brain. Now for someone already in the field, I actually recommend GNS3 for the realism and endless possibilities for setup, along with PT because of the pre-configured practice labs.

The guys I'll be teaching are a good group. One of the (suggested, actually) prerequisites was to have completed at least the ICND-1 online training at Cisco.com. I think a few guys in the company have actually taken and passed ICND-1, or whatever it is today (can't think, gotta pack, leaving tom. morning).

/- / / for the Hoooome Teeeaamm...

10 ? "TIMMAY!!!"
20 goto 10
run
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