At 2:30 PM +0000 11/22/02, Mic shoeps wrote: >Dear all. > >What would be the absuolute minimum lab equipment setup for the CCIE R&S lab >without sacrifying crucial key elements? Some say I only need three 2501s >and a 3550. Others say I would need five 2521s, two 2620s, and one 3550. >There are so many types of 2500 & 2600 series that I really don't know which >one to choose from.
I'd be inclined to say you need a second switch, or, minimally, a switch with dual Fast Ethernet interfaces so you can practice Fast EtherChannel, switch handling of VLANs, etc. That switch need not be a 3550. Six routers are pretty much the minimum to try out what the general wisdom says are adequately complex scenarios, especially since the two 3550s in the new lab have routing capability. A seventh router, which can be as simple as a 2501/2, adds a great deal of flexibility in generating test routes, etc. Depending on your UNIX skill level, a PC or two running Zebra might be just as, or more useful. Having two PCs for source and destination is really helpful for QoS practice, since you can only generate a limited range of traffic on the routers. Potentially, the PC can have a multiple serial card and handle the reverse telnet server function. You'd have to compare costs on what you have available. > >Lastly, now that Token ring is out of the lab exam, do I still need a router >capable of it? Friend of mine is trying to sell me four 2502s. These days >you can fetch 2502 cheaper than 2501. But I heard it has no place in CCIE >lab setup. As long as you are not dealing with VLANs, the difference between TR and Ethernet, for purposes of interconnecting routers, is trivial. You should have some Ethernet interfaces to be compatible with the switch, >Is this true? Instead, would I be better off with couple 2501s >or anything higher than 2504? Depends in part whether you feel you need to have your own facilities to practice ISDN, ATM, FastEthernet & VLANs, etc. You might decide these are things for which you'd want to rent rack time. Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=57914&t=57879 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
