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router simulators 1
- Thread starter sirbrutus
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1
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They have something called CIM modules. Routing, Routing protocols and some other things. I find them to be very expensive and they do not "teach".. they are more for practice with you reading the cisco docs.
The only package I have found that truely "teaches" is from Smartforce ( but they are NOT cheap but they ARE good.
Other options are to rent time on a online lab. Mentor is OK but pricy and while I have not tried them, Voxcomm.com looks very promising.
Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin
The only package I have found that truely "teaches" is from Smartforce ( but they are NOT cheap but they ARE good.
Other options are to rent time on a online lab. Mentor is OK but pricy and while I have not tried them, Voxcomm.com looks very promising.
Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin
- Thread starter
- #3
I have purchased smart-force it was expensive $4K...
It did not do what they told me it do... I was told it had an actual/virtual router to configure. What they have are very small, choppy exercises.
I have used the online labs, I got them cheap in an auction. They were not bad, but time constraints make them hard to deal with.
From what you described about the CIM, that is what I am looking for. A practice/virtual router. Something that I can sit down and configure a network any way I desire. Just for the practice, without having to buy routers and switches.
You see I have learned and know I am gtrying to get all the practice I can for my next certs. I already have my CCNA, getting ready for BSCN cert.
How much do you think the CIM costs? Is it limited or can it be expanded? Do you they give you labs to do?
Thanks for your help!!
It did not do what they told me it do... I was told it had an actual/virtual router to configure. What they have are very small, choppy exercises.
I have used the online labs, I got them cheap in an auction. They were not bad, but time constraints make them hard to deal with.
From what you described about the CIM, that is what I am looking for. A practice/virtual router. Something that I can sit down and configure a network any way I desire. Just for the practice, without having to buy routers and switches.
You see I have learned and know I am gtrying to get all the practice I can for my next certs. I already have my CCNA, getting ready for BSCN cert.
How much do you think the CIM costs? Is it limited or can it be expanded? Do you they give you labs to do?
Thanks for your help!!
Hmmm... I did not pay as much for SmartForce and I found the modules to be fairly well laid out. The "labs" were marginal, that I will agree with but the presentation of the raw info you need was pretty good.
The CIMs are not expandable.. The actual simulation was not bad.. you could do most of what you wanted to do.. unlike SwitchSim from the Routersim people which I consider a waste of money. The CIM has a complete lab.. the OSPF lab was 4 sim'ed routers with token ring and OSPF connections. That downside is there is very little online help to "learn" the commands and theories behind the lab. They offer up Cisco's own docs( big surprise) but they are more of a reference then a teaching aid. You get the answers but you never learn WHY you do certain things this way or that. That is a failing of almost all the CBTs I have used.
I've seen the CIMs going for ~100.00 US on eBay.. retail is something around 150-250 depending on which one you are talking about. I've used two of them personally.
It would be nice for anyone who has used a sim, CIM or CBT to post a "review" about it with details.. not just " I hate it" comments The quality seems to run all over the place and sometimes varies quite a bit even between CDs from the same vendor. Learnkey comes to mind. The MCSE CBT was decent but the Frontpage 2000 was pretty bad.
Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin
The CIMs are not expandable.. The actual simulation was not bad.. you could do most of what you wanted to do.. unlike SwitchSim from the Routersim people which I consider a waste of money. The CIM has a complete lab.. the OSPF lab was 4 sim'ed routers with token ring and OSPF connections. That downside is there is very little online help to "learn" the commands and theories behind the lab. They offer up Cisco's own docs( big surprise) but they are more of a reference then a teaching aid. You get the answers but you never learn WHY you do certain things this way or that. That is a failing of almost all the CBTs I have used.
I've seen the CIMs going for ~100.00 US on eBay.. retail is something around 150-250 depending on which one you are talking about. I've used two of them personally.
It would be nice for anyone who has used a sim, CIM or CBT to post a "review" about it with details.. not just " I hate it" comments
The quality seems to run all over the place and sometimes varies quite a bit even between CDs from the same vendor. Learnkey comes to mind. The MCSE CBT was decent but the Frontpage 2000 was pretty bad.Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin
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