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Monday, February 06, 2012
Lab Gear * CCNP * Build Lists

CCNP Build Lists

Put 10 network engineers in front of a computer, ask them to build a home CCNP lab, and you probably get 10 different lists of gear to buy (build lists). There is simply no specific correct answer.  

 

This web page holds some sample build lists developed through past discussions in my blog. I will be renewing this discussion for 2010, starting late March. That series will include some discussion of build lists. The build lists residing here now are samples, and will doubtless change somewhat once I get into this latest lab gear blog series. For now, feel free to review the what’s here.

  

Note that the information listed here if for your reference, but there is no warranty as to its accuracy. See the site disclaimer for legalese.

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Small Build List

 

Equipment Needed Topologies Supported



  
 

 

  • Router Pair
  • Router Triangle
  • Solo switch
Pro  Con 
 
  • Support at least half the switch features
  • Three routers with serial interfaces, allowing triangle designs for labs
  • Most recent router IOS, with good security feature support with right feature set
  • Can do basic routing protocol experiments with some redundancy
     
  
  • I don't like the 1721 form factor!
  • With Frame Relay on one router, only two FR DTE's, so you miss learning with multipoint designs
Devices  
Device Qty Software Net Modules,
WICs per device		 Other Hardware Prices
(5/2010)
2950 1 Standard image None GBICs or SFPs as needed $75
1721 3 12.4T Adv IP 1 WIC-2T 1 power brick $270

  
Cables  
Straight Ethernet 4
Crossover Ethernet  1
Serial crossover 3
 Rollover (Console) 1
 Power 4 
 

 

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Medium Build List

 

Equipment Needed Topologies Supported


 

  
 

 

  • Router Pair
  • Router Triangle
  • Router LAN Square
  • Solo switch
  • Switch Pair
  • Switch Triangle
Pro  Con 
 
  • Three switches, which allows much more interesting STP labs
  • Support the more advanced STP features
  • A layer 3 switch for L3 switching config practice
  • Three routers with serial interfaces, allowing triangle designs for labs
  • Most recent router IOS, with good security feature support with right feature set
  • Four "routers” (including 1 3550) for routing protocol labs
     
  • 1721 form factor
  • With one router acting as Frame Relay switch, this build supports only two FR DTE's, so you miss learning with multipoint designs
  • Lack of support for some topologies that matter for CCNP
  • 4-router topologies must use the 3550, which may be confusing at first compared to most course and book references on routing
Devices  
Device Qty Software Net Modules,
WICs per device		 Other Hardware Prices
(5/2010)
2950 2 Standard image None GBICs or SFPs as needed $150
3550 1 EMI or IP Base None GBICs as needed $290
1721 3 12.4T Adv IP 1 WIC-2T 1 power brick $270

 
Cables  
Straight Ethernet 4
Crossover Ethernet  6
Serial crossover 3
 Rollover (Console) 1
 Power 6 
 

 

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Large Build List

 

Equipment Needed Topologies Supported


 

  

 

 

  • Router Pair
  • Router Triangle
  • Router WAN Square
  • Router LAN Square 
  • Solo switch
  • Switch Pair
  • Switch Triangle
  • 4 FR DTE
Pro  Con 
 

 

  • Three switches, which allows much more interesting STP labs
  • Support the more advanced STP features
  • A layer 3 switch for L3 switching config practice
  • Support for the router triangle and router WAN square topologies 
  • Most recent router IOS, with good feature support with right feature set
  • Five "routers” plus 1 Layer 3 capable 3550 for routing protocol labs
  • Supports Frame Relay topology with 4 DTEs

 

  
  • Could always use more routers!
  • Only 3 switches; 4 or 5 might be reasonably useful for STP practice
  • 1721 form factor
Devices  
Device Qty Software Net Modules,
WICs per device		 Other Hardware Prices
(5/2010)
2950 2 Standard image None GBICs or SFPs as needed $150
3550 1 EMI or IP Base None GBICs as needed $290
1721 2 12.4T Adv IP 2 WIC-2T 1 power brick $260
1721 3 12.4T Adv IP 1 WIC-2T  1 Power brick $270

  
Cables  
Straight Ethernet 10
Crossover Ethernet  6
Serial crossover 6
Rollover (Console) 1
Power 8
 

 

 Build Lists
 

 

  Discussions about Lab Builds

 
We’ve discussed lab builds near the end of several blog lab series over the years. Look to the Lab Gear blog series pages.

 

 CCNP Products

 


ROUTE Cert Guide
SWITCH Cert Guide
 
TSHOOOT Cert Guide		  
CCNP Cert Library
 
ROUTE Cert Kit		  
SWITCH Cert Kit

TSHOOT Cert Kit
ROUTE Command Guide

SWITCH Command Guide		  

 

 
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