Passing The CCNA and CCNP Exams: Cisco Home Lab FAQ
There is a real revolution today among CCNA and CCNP candidates.
More and more of you are turning your back on "router
simulators" and putting your own CCNA and/or CCNP Home Lab
together, which is the best way to totally prepare to pass these
tough Cisco exams.
I get hundreds of emails every month from CCNA and CCNP
candidate who are putting together their first lab or adding to
their existing one. I'm always glad to help with suggestions,
and I thought I'd list five common questions regarding home labs
here.
Do I have to spend thousands of dollars?
No! There are vendors all over the web, as well as on ebay, who
sell used Cisco routers and switches to Cisco exam candidates
like you every single day. They sell kits that consist of
multiple routers and switches, as well as single routers and
switches. You can add one piece at a time, or make a larger
investment. You can spend just a few hundred dollars and put
together a very nice lab.
What's an "access server"?
It's not what it sounds like. When I first heard the term, I
thought of a typical server like we see in LANs every single
day. An access server is actually a Cisco router that allows you
to connect to multiple other routers and switches without
continually moving the rolled cable around.
You don't have to have an access server right away, but once you
add a few more routers and switches to your lab, you'll get
tired of moving the rollover cable from console port to console
port. (The console port is used to directly connect your PC to
the router.) You'll find an access server is easy to set up and
configure, and will save you quite a bit of time.
What's a "frame relay switch"?
Again, it's not quite what it sounds like. A frame relay switch
is not a switch; it's a Cisco router that has been configured to
serve as a frame relay provider in your home lab.
This is very close to being a "must" for your home lab. You
don't need it right away if your budget allows for only one or
two routers to get started. To truly practice frame relay map
statements and see the effect of different frame relay
statements, you'll need a Cisco router to serve as a frame
switch. Again, the configuration is easy, and having a frame
relay switch in your home lab will give you practice that will
be invaluable on exam day.
Do I need a switch? What switch should I buy?
I recommend you get at least one switch in your lab; two if your
budget allows. Make sure that at least one of your switches has
an IOS; 1900 switches do not have an IOS and while they're
better than not having a switch, they're not going to give you
the practice you need to pass the CCNA and CCNP. Look to the
2500 family of switches.
I want to build my CCNP lab and then use it for the CCIE. What
should I buy?
It's impossible to tell what technologies and devices will be on
the CCIE lab, even if you zip through the CCNP and then take the
IE within six months. Cisco refreshing the CCIE lab blueprint
every six months, and different technologies can be taken off
the lab. While Cisco gives plenty of notice that these changes
are going to take effect, it can be a big pain in your wallet if
Cisco takes something off of the exam after you spend a bundle
to add it to your lab.
As an example, Cisco is in the process of removing ISDN and ATM
from the CCIE Routing & Switching lab. If you bought an ATM
switch for your lab, you've got an expensive paperweight right
now. While you may be able to practice your core protocols on a
CCIE home lab, it's going to be difficult and expensive to keep
your home lab totally current with the Cisco lab blueprint.
The decision to put together your own CCNA or CCNP home lab is
the best decision you can ever make - and I speak from
experience. With home labs becoming less expensive every day,
it's becoming more affordable as well. Start looking into used
Cisco router vendors today (ebay is a great place to find some
vendors, as is Google), and you can be practicing on REAL Cisco
routers and switches soon - and be totally prepared for CCNA and
CCNP exam success.