Building my CISCO (CCNP CCIE) Home Lab

Folks:

I am in the process of building my own moderate CCNP & CCIE home lab.

The basic design is taken from www.optsys.net and looks lik this:
************************************
One BASIC rack

Three Cisco 2501 routers, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
Two Cisco 2503 routers, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
One Cisco 2511 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
One Cisco 2514 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
One Cisco 2522 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
One 2620 router, 64MB Dram/16MB Flash
2x wic-1t (DB60 Serial Ports for 26xx router above)

Catalyst 3550 w/ emi software
ISDN Simulator

All routers with 12.x Enterprise Plus IOS
Rack ears for all routers
Power Cables for all Devices
Two octal cables
Twelve DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables
Eight Ethernet transceivers
DOC CD and console cable kit
************************************


Here are a few related questions:

* What is WIC?
* What is the name (and cost) of any BASIC rack that I would need to
support these devices of my CISCO lab?
* Why do I need 8 tranceivers and what purpose do transceivers play?
* Why do I need 12 DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables. What role do
these play?
* Why do I need 2 octal cables
* What is this EMI software for Catalyst 3550 Switch?
* For my 26xx routers, would I have to buy separate voice interface cards?
* I notice that some routers have 8/16/64 Mb memory. Can I use 64Mb for
all of my routers



Thanks,
John.

JohnNews

John,

Call me, 702-968-5100, or email me your phone #. I'll be happy to answer all
of your questions.

thanks,
-Brad Ellis
CCIE#5796 (R&S / Security)
Network Learning Inc

www.ccbootcamp.com/quicklinks.html (Cisco Training)
www.routerie.com (Cisco R&S CCIE Discussion groups)
www.securityie.com (Cisco Security CCIE Discussion groups)
www.optsys.net (Cisco hardware)
Voice: 702-968-5100
FAX: 702-968-5104
"JohnNews" <> wrote in message
news:Jc27b.393108$Ho3.59091@sccrnsc03...
> Folks:
>
> I am in the process of building my own moderate CCNP & CCIE home lab.
>
> The basic design is taken from www.optsys.net and looks lik this:
> ************************************
> One BASIC rack
>
> Three Cisco 2501 routers, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
> Two Cisco 2503 routers, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
> One Cisco 2511 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
> One Cisco 2514 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
> One Cisco 2522 router, 16MB Dram/16MB Flash
> One 2620 router, 64MB Dram/16MB Flash
> 2x wic-1t (DB60 Serial Ports for 26xx router above)
>
> Catalyst 3550 w/ emi software
> ISDN Simulator
>
> All routers with 12.x Enterprise Plus IOS
> Rack ears for all routers
> Power Cables for all Devices
> Two octal cables
> Twelve DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables
> Eight Ethernet transceivers
> DOC CD and console cable kit
> ************************************
>
>
> Here are a few related questions:
>
> * What is WIC?
> * What is the name (and cost) of any BASIC rack that I would need to
> support these devices of my CISCO lab?
> * Why do I need 8 tranceivers and what purpose do transceivers play?
> * Why do I need 12 DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables. What role do
> these play?
> * Why do I need 2 octal cables
> * What is this EMI software for Catalyst 3550 Switch?
> * For my 26xx routers, would I have to buy separate voice interface
cards?
> * I notice that some routers have 8/16/64 Mb memory. Can I use 64Mb for
> all of my routers
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> John.
>
>

> Here are a few related questions:
>
> * What is WIC?

WAN Interface card, this can be a serial, ethernet, adsl, etc.

> * What is the name (and cost) of any BASIC rack that I would need to
> support these devices of my CISCO lab?

Lots of brands available. Contact your local electronic/telco supplier,
you can generally get a rack for under 200$

> * Why do I need 8 tranceivers and what purpose do transceivers play?

You should probably look into some basic networking courses if you don't
know this one. CCIE is a great goal to have, but remember to learn your
basics.
Trancievers handle (some of)the physical layer aspects of networking.
Most older 2500 series routers with ethernet have AUI adapters for their
ethernet connection. This allows you the flexibility of using 10bT or
10b2, etc. Rather than being stuck with a single type of connection, i.e.
RJ-45

> * Why do I need 12 DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables. What role do
> these play?

These are here to connect your 2500 series routers back to back (i.e.
without other equipment like a CSU/DSU)

> * Why do I need 2 octal cables

The octal cables let you use the 2511 as a terminal server. This means
you have one device you can telnet to, that will connect you to the
console port of your other routers.
This is just a time saver. It keeps you from having to swich your console
cable out over and over between various routers. It also allows you to
have several routers open at the same time, without using any serial ports
on your computer.

> * What is this EMI software for Catalyst 3550 Switch?

EMI is just the (more) feature rich version of the 3550 software. Some of
the features only in that version will be covered on the CCIE test.

> * For my 26xx routers, would I have to buy separate voice interface
cards?

Yes, if you plan to incorporate voice into your labs.

> * I notice that some routers have 8/16/64 Mb memory. Can I use 64Mb for
> all of my routers

No. The 2500s max memory is 16, other routers have other max ram values.
Also if you happen to get a hold of a 2611XM (or any XM series), it's max
RAM is 128, not 64.

Hope this helps.

-Sean

Brad gave you a pretty neutral answer. After reading you question I was
tempted to respond with... Do you have a CCNA? If so how did you not learn
this stuff in doing that. I guess that if you just read books to pass then
you missed the experiance os hands on labs (I'll get my attitude checked
eventually...

> * What is WIC?

A Wide Area Interface Card, typically a T1 or Fractional T1 card (for the
2600 series router in this case)

> * What is the name (and cost) of any BASIC rack that I would need to
> support these devices of my CISCO lab?

I think they are simply grouping these devices into the "basic" catagory.
You could just pile these things one atop the other for a home lab.

> * Why do I need 8 tranceivers and what purpose do transceivers play?

A tranceiver is (http://www.hyperdictionary.com/computing/transceiver) used
to connect the 2500 series routers to an ethernet cable.

> * Why do I need 12 DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables. What role do
> these play?

The DTE/DCE cables simulate a WAN connection between serial interfaces.

> * Why do I need 2 octal cables

You don't need the Octal cables if you are sitting in the same room. These
just make it much easier to set up a console conection to all of those
devices. They would be used in conjunction with the 2511.

> * What is this EMI software for Catalyst 3550 Switch?

EMI is enhanced software (can't remember exatcly what the letters stand for)
it allows the 3550 switch to function as a router and I am sure adds other
features usefull for CCIE practice.

> * For my 26xx routers, would I have to buy separate voice interface
cards?

To work some of the practice labs for CCIE you will need FXS & FXO cards.
This will allow you to demo SRRT, survivable remote site telephony.

> * I notice that some routers have 8/16/64 Mb memory. Can I use 64Mb for
> all of my routers

If the router supports it, sure. I think the 2500 tops out at 16/16


Good Luck,
-Jeff C

Jeff C wrote:
> Brad gave you a pretty neutral answer. After reading you question I was
> tempted to respond with... Do you have a CCNA? If so how did you not learn
> this stuff in doing that. I guess that if you just read books to pass then
> you missed the experiance os hands on labs (I'll get my attitude checked
> eventually...

i had the same feeling..have you got CCNA ?
>
>
>>* What is WIC?
>
>
> A Wide Area Interface Card, typically a T1 or Fractional T1 card (for the
> 2600 series router in this case)
>
>
>>* What is the name (and cost) of any BASIC rack that I would need to
>>support these devices of my CISCO lab?
>
>
> I think they are simply grouping these devices into the "basic" catagory.
> You could just pile these things one atop the other for a home lab.
>
>
>>* Why do I need 8 tranceivers and what purpose do transceivers play?
>
>
> A tranceiver is (http://www.hyperdictionary.com/computing/transceiver) used
> to connect the 2500 series routers to an ethernet cable.
>
>
>>* Why do I need 12 DTE/DCE DB60 serial cross-over cables. What role do
>>these play?
>
>
> The DTE/DCE cables simulate a WAN connection between serial interfaces.
>
>
>>* Why do I need 2 octal cables
>
>
> You don't need the Octal cables if you are sitting in the same room. These
> just make it much easier to set up a console conection to all of those
> devices. They would be used in conjunction with the 2511.
>
>
>>* What is this EMI software for Catalyst 3550 Switch?
>
>
> EMI is enhanced software (can't remember exatcly what the letters stand for)
> it allows the 3550 switch to function as a router and I am sure adds other
> features usefull for CCIE practice.
>
>
>>* For my 26xx routers, would I have to buy separate voice interface
>
> cards?
>
> To work some of the practice labs for CCIE you will need FXS & FXO cards.
> This will allow you to demo SRRT, survivable remote site telephony.
>
>
>>* I notice that some routers have 8/16/64 Mb memory. Can I use 64Mb for
>>all of my routers
>
>
> If the router supports it, sure. I think the 2500 tops out at 16/16
>
>
> Good Luck,
> -Jeff C
>
>
>


--
Marcin Tadeusz Strzyzewski
CCNP/CCSP/SCSA

[timaz]

Hi Mr. Brad Ellie. I'm in the middle of the same problem like others in Building CCNP Home Lab! I Want you to really help me. I wanna exactly the equipments and their quantity to build the BSCI, BCMSN, ISCW and ONT Scenarios and I dont have alot money (less or more 5000$). my email is . please contact me