Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial: Planning Ahead For IE Study

Candidates preparing to pass the CCNP exams are putting together Cisco residence labs like in no way before. With CCNA and CCNP residence lab equipment much more very affordable than ever, candidates have realized the importance of working on real Cisco routers and switches on the method to earning their certifications.

One question I get often from CCNP candidates is goes something like this: "I'm preparing on pursuing the CCIE after I get my CCNP. What sort of routers and switches need to I get now as a way to use the same equipment in my CCIE residence lab?"

This is going to sound strange coming from me, since I'm the #1 proponent of CCNA and CCNP candidates getting their own residence labs. In relation to the CCIE, though, I have to say that you are in all probability much better off working with rack rentals instead of investing major money now to buy much more highly-priced equipment with which to earn your CCNP.

You can find a lot of 2500 and 2600 routers out there which you can get to prepare fully for your CCNA and CCNP exams that may possibly not have the capability needed for IE preparation. (For instance, when 2500 routers are fantastic for CCNA and NP study, they shouldn't be utilised for IE study.) The concern with getting much more highly-priced equipment is that Cisco rightfully updates the CCIE lab equipment list twice a year, and these moves can prove very costly for those who get caught within the middle of these changes.

Let me provide you with an example that I lived through myself. When I began pursuing the CCIE Workbook, Catalyst switches were in use within the lab. I had a Cat 5000 that I utilised for practice. When I was within the middle of my preparation, Cisco introduced L3 switched towards the lab within the form of TWO 3550 switches. Not simply was the Cat now almost useless for IE study, the new switches went for about $5500 apiece, so if I wanted to keep up with the new lab changes, it was going to cost me $11,000.

Once more, I know that it's vitally crucial for today's CCNA and CCNP candidates to get hands-on expertise with residence labs. It's also good to believe ahead when you are earning your CCNP, and pursuing the CCIE is one of the greatest decisions you will ever make. Just keep this typical CCIE lab update in mind. I suggest which you keep your CCNP budget down when not investing in much more highly-priced routers with the IE in mind, and wait until you might have passed the CCNP and are actively engaged in CCIE study before producing the choice among rack rentals and putting together your own IE lab.