CCNA/CCNP Lab

[Ginz]

I'm trying to build a Cisco lab to practice on for CCNA/CCNP and I was wondering what else I should buy.

 

So far I have one 2621XM router and two 2950T switches.

 

Thanks in advance.

[MblaZe7run]

Let me figure out what we use at my campus and I'll let you know   Layer 3 switches are a good idea as well, fyi.

[Sir Asvald]

I'm trying to build a Cisco lab to practice on for CCNA/CCNP and I was wondering what else I should buy.

 

So far I have one 2621XM router and two 2950T switches.

 

Thanks in advance.

Get another 2621XM router, make sure both of them have a WIC-1T (Serial card and with a DCE TO DTE Cable) 

 

 

 

[Dzzope]

Virtualization?

[MblaZe7run]

Get another 2621XM router, make sure both of them have a WIC-1T (Serial card and with a DCE TO DTE Cable) 

 

-snip-

 

I would recommend HWIC-2T cards, not the ones you listed. Those ones are no longer used in contemporary equipment as far as I know. They would be good to learn on, in the case that you move to an environment where they are still used in the real world, but the HWIC-2T are what is used in every environment I've toured (I've been to about a dozen local Cisco based companies, including two hospitals, a corporate chain retailer, a corporate chain bank, and an ISP).

 

[MblaZe7run]

I'll be using GNS3 for virtualization since I can't/don't want to get my hands on real equipment as I have it at the school.

 

Our school has 2901, 2811, and 1841 routers, and 2960 and 3560 switches. The 3560 are layer 3 switches. All of the routers also have at least 2 HWIC-2T cards in them.

 

Based on the labs I've done (in my last leg of the CCNA curriculum), I'd recommend one Layer 3 switch, three 2901 or 2811 (or any combo of those two.. We don't really use the 1841 unless the rest of the rack is in use), two other switches. Your 2950T will do, we have those on a pull-out cart which again, isn't used unless the racks are occupied, but I would try to get a 2960 just for funsies.

 

 

Hope that helps some!

[KTFO|SGTmoody]

I'm trying to build a Cisco lab to practice on for CCNA/CCNP and I was wondering what else I should buy.

So far I have one 2621XM router and two 2950T switches.

Thanks in advance.

One or two 2811 routers and a 3560 switch

There's no point in getting any more xm routers realy unless you plan to only do CCNA. The cost between those and the newer 2800 series is not that much.

There are more modules for the 2800 series they all take 4 hwic cards and one NME card.

You might as well get another serial card so you can do connections over serial as there will probably be at least one question on it.

[KTFO|SGTmoody]

but the HWIC-2T are what is used in every environment I've toured (I've been to about a dozen local Cisco based companies, including two hospitals, a corporate chain retailer, a corporate chain bank, and an ISP).

I have never seen serial used in a production environment before. All the coloration racks I have peeked in to I havent seen a a single module. Everything that I see now is all gigabit Ethernet or 10G fibre and DWDM stuffs with the occasional 2800 series router here and there. I could only have seen them using serial for management connections.

Interesting to hear that people are still using serial though

[MblaZe7run]

I have never seen serial used in a production environment before. All the coloration racks I have peeked in to I havent seen a a single module. Everything that I see now is all gigabit Ethernet or 10G fibre and DWDM stuffs with the occasional 2800 series router here and there. I could only have seen them using serial for management connections.

Interesting to hear that people are still using serial though

I've only seen them used for P2P WAN connections of routers very close together in remote areas of the network since they are relatively slow. However, they are used in every Cisco lab I've done in the last 3 years that requires more than one router. For his environment, they are a must.

[Ginz]

Thanks a lot for all your responses

[SOUTHwarrior]

Most of the new stuff in the CCNP Switch requires higher end layer 3 switches. Equipment for Stackwise and VSS can get expensive as the stackwise switches are a bit more expensive than usual switches. I personally didnt have any lab questions on VSS when I took the 300-115, but I did have questions about it. you might though which the only switches that support that are 4500's and up.

 

But what I used for everything else was a 3845 router, 2 3550g's, and a couple 2960's and that should cover everything you need to do besides what I mentioned.

[Metman2PSU]

Sounds like you are working with about the same thing I am.  I have a mini-lab on my desk at work with some of our spares.  It is two 2610XM routers and two 24-port 2960 switches.