Current Ccna Lab But Future Ccnp Lab [Archive]

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mac.zen

04-12-2008, 10:24 PM

I am in the process of building a CCNA/CCNP lab. I have already passed the first of the two CCNA exams. (916 in 25 minutes and the Lammle CCNA Study Guide as well as the IOS Command Reference were godsends!) If you are a Cisco NetAcademy student then the Lammle Study Guide is a must to compliment the third CiscoPress book!!! (I am not in the new course though so the third book may have improved).. Anyway...

My questions lie in what I should look for in a CCNA/CCNP lab... Anything I buy now I want to be able to use in the CCNP as well... This is what I have been considering...

1x 2511 (Access server)
1x Catalyst 3550 (Layer 3)
2x Catalyst 2950's (Standard Image.. Will the Enhanced QoS really matter for CCNP?)
2x 2610XM (12.4 IOS!!!)
1x 3640 (12.4)

I already have...
1x 2610 (I already have this 12.3 router..Frame Relay?)
1x catalyst 5500 (Just bought this for $100 from a friend... Layer 3)

Will this be sufficient??? And what network modules/cables etc will i need with this thing??? LOL I have always received good advice from this forum and from your books and consider you a trusted source...

Thanks in advance!!!

NOTES: More concerned with CCNP since I know that this will support the CCNA already... Also, I am familiar with Dynagen/Dynamips/GNS3 as well as Boson but want the actual hardware and experience of troubleshooting it... (Amber lights and all).. Thanks

crissa

04-13-2008, 01:34 AM

I am in the process of building a CCNA/CCNP lab. [...]

1x 2511 (Access server)
1x Catalyst 3550 (Layer 3)
2x Catalyst 2950's (Standard Image.. Will the Enhanced QoS really matter [...]

NOTES: More concerned with CCNP since I know that this will support the CCNA already... Also, I am familiar with Dynagen/Dynamips/GNS3 as well as Boson but want the actual hardware and experience of troubleshooting it... (Amber lights and all).. Thanks

Hello,
in his blog Wendell Odom is collecting the information about what hardware to buy/use for a CCNP lab: http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/3193/feed

In one of this posts he also explained the differences between 2950 Standard and Enhanced. With Enhanced you can use PVRST, MISTP and RSTP. Actually I read his posting after I bought two 2950 Standard on the same day (they are not delivered yet). (At the moment I have one 2504 and two 2516 routers. Instead of a access server I use a RS232 card with 16 connectors.)

I also use Dynamips/Dynagen (with the NM-16ESW module), but I also want to get some experience with real hardware and to do some labs I can't do with the switch module.
Bye, Tore
PS At the moment I'm preparing for BCMSN

mac.zen

04-13-2008, 12:28 PM

Thanks.. How would you rate the 2500 routers as far as preparing for the CCNP then? Where are you missing out with your current setup?

lammle

04-13-2008, 01:00 PM

crissa

04-13-2008, 03:19 PM

Thanks.. How would you rate the 2500 routers as far as preparing for the CCNP then? Where are you missing out with your current setup?

Hello,
all three routers have full memory and flash (16 MB), so I installed a c2500-is-l.123-24a.bin IOS. At the moment I only use them to repeat the CCNA routing stuff. With three routers I can setup a triangle.

But I can't rate them nor tell you what I miss with my current knowledge about the router part of the CCNP exam. My boss asked me to chosse the BCMSN as first exam, he pays the piper (books and exam) so he calls the tune.
Bye, Tore

lammle

04-13-2008, 03:39 PM

The CCNP with 2500 routers is doable, mostly.

You will miss the ISR/SDM capability that is objectives for all four CCNP exams.

However, you can get a new 12.3 IOS that supports all the other needed commands (QoS, etc).

You're better off with 1800 or 2800's....
Todd

zoltron30

07-30-2009, 10:38 PM

For the CCNA:

2500's are fine, standard image....2600's better, but not really needed.

2950 switches with standard image is fine....

For the CCNP:

1800 or 2800 routers (any ISR router) and 2960 and/or 3560 switches with enhanced image...

Cheers!
Todd Lammle

ah thanks Todd thats exactly the info i was looking for myself. i was thinking of picking up another 2600 series router but just wondering how long will those routers last when it comes to the constant change in the CCNA path. i guess all that matters is that the routers support ipv6... am i right?