Cisco Lab Guide

Studying for the CCNA certification is pretty straightforward. Take a class, watch a CBT or read a book. When it comes to hands on practice, it’s a different story. Some people will make up their own topology and go at it, but others, like me, need some guidance (I lack imagination, what can I say). So I started searching for pre-made labs, with clear objectives and I couldn’t find anything.

Now that I am more familiar with the IOS, and tasks to complete, I decided to write a Lab Guide to help others in their learning. The goal is to have a series of labs with predefined objectives to complete, followed by a walkthrough on how to complete those tasks. The idea is NOT to follow the walkthrough, but to use what you have learned to complete the tasks, and simply validate afterwards with the step by step walkthrough.

I hope it will be useful for someone out there, worst case, it’s awesome review for me! I will post the guide here once completed.

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Cisco lab update

I received most of the gear I was waiting for to complete my Cisco lab…

3 x 2950 switches

2 x 2620XM routers

1 x 2620 router

1 x 2610 router

3 x WIC-2T interfaces for the 2620XM and the 2610

1 x NM-8AS serial interface for the 2620

and all required cables Lots of fun ahead!

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Cisco CCENT certified!

Well I just came back from taking my first Cisco exam. I was a little apprehensive as I kept reading about people failing and how hard it was and so on… Well, after doing it, all I can say is those who failed more than likely didn’t prepare properly and had little to no experience in IT (still in school or something). With my background and overall understanding of telecom, this went fairly well.

Now on to study for ICND2 to obtain the CCNA certification. My plan is to go for the design certifications (CCDA and CCDP) and possibly CCNP. I don’t really plan on going all the way to CCIE, but who knows, I might get the telecom bug! I enjoy this so far…

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Cisco training update…

Well, things are moving along, I am writing the CCENT exam this friday. I have started to build a Cisco lab at home to get some hands on, after experimenting with simulators, I just wasn’t getting the feeling it was enough to learn properly. I bought a used WS-C2950-24 switch and within an hour, I think I got more hands on than with the sims

I upgraded the IOS 3 times, first I installed the latest IOS using TFTP. Then I realized I couldn’t configure SSH so I researched and found out I needed the Crypto version. So I loaded that. Then I tried to access the web configuration page… Which was a different image altogether lol. I loaded that one using the Cisco Assistant utility.

I connected that switch to my current ‘production’ switch so I could see the mac address tables being populated, etc. It’s fun stuff! (geeky I know). So in order to move further ahead, I ordered 2 more 2950G switches, a 2620 router, and I’m currently shopping for a 2520 to use as a Frame Relay switch, and possibly 2 x 2620XM routers to complete the lab.

Figuring out which components, WICs, cables etc is quite complex when you’re starting with this as you dont’ have a clue what you will be needing! General consensus though is that the 2520 is a great Frame Relay switch and the 2950 switches are the current best bang for the buck. On the router side, jury’s still out

I will try to post some of my labs and topologies as I experiment…

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Back on track…

Well, CAPM is fun (…) and all but I missed the technical aspect of things so I started studying for the CCNA certification to get back into it. I of course know all the basics (and a bit more) on switching and routing, but never had much work experience with telecom since oh… 2001? Interesting stuff!

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