What router(s) should you buy for CCNA or CCNP? What switches? For which exams?
For those of you who watch this space regularly, you've seen this for the better part of the spring. If you're just happening across this post... I spent some time this spring discussing some of those issues in the context of both CCNA and CCNP exam prep. It was a reprise of similar topics from 2008. I concentrated on some of the detailed issues back in 2008, like exactly what features were needed for each exam, what IOS feature sets and router models supported those features, and so on.
This page is a list of links for the lab-related posts this spring, just for convenience. It also lists the links to the two related series in this blog back from 2008. Enjoy!
Spring 2009 CCNA and CCNP Lab Series
Note that these are listed in the order in which they were posted (oldest entry is the first in the list)
2009 CCNA and CCNP Lab Build-out
Cisco cert lab prep: Sim vs Em vs Real
So - are the router prices lower, or not?
Which Switches for your CCNA/CCNP lab?
No Joke - Lab Used Switch Prices Way Lower
What CCNA Lab Would You Buy for $100? $200?
CCNP Lab Build - Product choices
CCNP Lab - for $750 plus cables
Next, here are the links to the Index pages for two related series back in 2008:
2008 CCNP Lab Series - Index Page
CCNP Lab Series - Master Links
2008 CCNA Lab Series - Index Page
Odom, CCIE No, 1624, splits time between writing books for Cisco Press and teaching classes for Skyline ATS. In his 25-ish years in the networking industry, he has worked as as a pre-sale and post-sale SE for a few networking vendors, as well as a network engineer implementing network technology. Wendell has spent the majority of the last 15 years teaching, consulting, and writing about networking technologies, most of which in some way relate to Cisco products. His books include titles on QoS, CCIE R/S, as well as several titles related to CCNA certification, including the September 2007 book CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802) (Read a sneak peek of chapter 7). Click for the list of current titles by Wendell.
Help Wendell
Hi Wendell,
I need some help setting up my CCNP lab, with scalability in mind for my CCIE.
What is the best Router to buy for my CCNP/CCIE LAB and who is the best seller on eBay to buy from?
I was thinking something like:
6 - 3640
with Max RAM & Flash NM-1FE2W, WIC-2T for each, And I need help picking the right “NM”
3 - 3550
I have a 3,500.00 budget to start with, help please.
Thank you in advance,
Manuel_A
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