Assembling Your Cisco Home Lab CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
A CCNA or CCNP candidate who wants to be prepared for their exams is going to put together a home lab to practice on. With used Cisco routers & switches more affordable & plentiful then ever before, there is really no excuse to not have six!
With the lots of different models available, there is some understandable confusion among future CCNAs & CCNPs about which routers to buy & which ones to avoid. You can take any set of Cisco routers & put together a home lab; part of the learning process is taking what equipment you have obtainable & putting together your own lab! For those of you preparing to start your home lab or add to your existing one, this article will list the routers I use in my Cisco pods. You certainly don't have to have all this equipment, but this will give you some lovely ideas on how to get started.
The most versatile router you can get for your CCNA / CCNP home lab is a 2520. These routers come with four serial ports, one ethernet port, & one BRI interface for ISDN practice. This mix of interfaces means you can actually use it as a frame relay switch while using the ethernet & BRI ports for routing. (There is no problem with using a lab router as both your frame relay switch & a practice router; for a frame relay switch sample configuration, visit my web-site!)
My pods consist of one routers & four switches, & four of the one routers are 2520s, due to their versatility. A recent ebay search showed these routers selling for $99 - $125, an outstanding value for the practice you are going to get.
A combination that works well is using four 2520s; one as my dedicated frame relay switch, one as R1, & another as R2. Add a 2501 as R3, & you can have a frame cloud connecting R1, R2, & R3, a direct serial connection between R1 & R3, an Ethernet segment that includes all four routers, & an ISDN connection between R1 & R2 if you have an ISDN simulator. That combination will permit you to get a tremendous amount of practice for the exams, & you can always sell it when you are done!
I also use 2501s in my home labs. These have fewer interfaces, but the combination of four serial interfaces & one ethernet interface allows you to get plenty of practice.
With four routers to work with, you are probably going to get tired of moving that console cable around. An access server (actually a Cisco router, not the white boxes they tend to think of when they hear "server") will help you out with that. An access server allows you to set up a connection with each of your other routers via an octal cable, which prevents you from moving that console cable around continually. For an example of an access server configuration, visit my web-site & look in the "Free Training" section.
2501s are affordable, with lots of in the $50 range on ebay. it is possible to get four 2520s & one 2501 for less than $500 total, & you can get most of that money back if you choose to sell it when you are done.
one query I get often from CCNA / CCNP candidates is "What routers should I buy that I can still use when I'm ready to study for the CCNP?" The CCIE lab changes regularly & sometimes drastically when it comes to the equipment you'll require. During my CCIE lab studies, I found that renting time from online rack rental providers was actually the best way to be going. Don't hesitate when putting your CCNA / CCNP home lab together, wondering what will be acceptable for the CCIE lab a year or so from now. None of us know what is going to be on that equipment list, so get the CCNA & CCNP first - by building your own Cisco home lab!
Access server prices vary a bit; don't panic if you do an ebay search & see them costing thousands of dollars. You do NOT require an expensive access server for your CCNA / CCNP home lab. 2511s are great routers to get for your access server.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Assembling Your Cisco Home Lab CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
Five Tips For Exam Day Success Passing Cisco's CCNA and CCNP Exams
As you get ready to pass the CCNA or CCNP exams, you can feel a bit of stress as you enter your last week of study. Let's take a look at a few ways to reduce that stress.
1. Do not stay up late cramming. The CCNA & CCNP are not exams you are going to pass by cramming. "Cramming" is a study technique best left behind in junior high school. The CCNA cannot be passed by memorization - you have got to know how Cisco technologies work. That leads us to the second point...
3. Get everything together the night before the exam. You don't require to be walking around the house the morning of the exam looking for your keys. Make sure you have your keys & your ID the night before the exam.
2. Get many rest. By far, this is the most overlooked factor on exam day. The CCNA & CCNP exams are going to demand your best. you are going to be performing subnetting, binary & hex conversions, analyzing network diagrams for troubleshooting, & much more. you have got to be mentally sharp. You can add 100 points to your exam score by showing up well-rested. & let's be realistic - if you don't know something at 11 PM the night before your exam, you are not going to learn it overnight. Get some sleep!
5. permit for traffic. Many CCNA & CCNP candidates prefer to take their exams in the morning. Again, if you haven't been to the exam center before, you should drive there during morning rush hour traffic before your exam date to make sure you have time to get there. You don't require to be sitting in traffic when you should be sitting in the exam room!
4. Know where the testing center is. If you have never been to the center you'll be passing the CCNA in before, go there before the morning of the exam. Do not rely on Mapquest or a friend's directions. You don't require to be late for your exam.
A Guide To Cable Types Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
Of course, it is not to get the routers & switches you have got to have the right cables & other devices to permit them to communicate. Let's take a look at the different cables & connectors you need to know about when putting together your CCNA & CCNP home labs.
When you are putting your CCNA and/or CCNP home lab together, you aren't buying routers & switches you are generating a blueprint for success. there is no better way to learn about how real Cisco routers & switches work than to work with the real thing!
A more specialized cable type is the DTE/DCE cable. If you plan to use the serial interfaces on your routers (and you certainly should be!), you'll need a quantity of these cables. To connect two routers directly via their serial interfaces, you must have a DTE/DCE cable. (If you have a Cisco router set up as a frame relay switch, you'll need more of these cables.)
The basic cable you'll need is a straight-through cable. These are used to connect your switches & routers also, if you have an ISDN simulator, you'll need a straight-through cable to connect the router's BRI interface to the simulator.
If you have multiple switches, you'll require to connect these switches in order to create a trunk line & possibly an Etherchannel. To successfully create a trunk between two switches, you'll need crossover cables.
To connect your computer directly to the router or switch you are configuring, you'll need a rollover cable, also referred to as a rolled cable. This cable has an Rj-45 connector on two end & DB-9 connector on the other.
one times you have added multiple routers & switches to your CCNA / CCNP home lab, you'll get tired of moving that rolled cable around. An access server (a special model of Cisco router, actually) will permit you to connect the rolled cable to it & communicate with all your devices via that connection. To use an access server, you'll need an octal cable. This unusual cable has a large serial connector on two end (this won't fit any serial interface, so when purchasing an access server, make sure to get the right type of Cisco router) & has three separate RJ-45 connectors at the other end.
The best news of all for all CCNA & CCNP candidates is that like used routers & switches, all these cables are affordable. You can find vendors that sell these cables on ebay & through search engines, & the odds are that the vendor that sold you your lab equipment also sells these cables. This also gives you first-hand experience in cabling your own lab - & that is the best exam preparation of all! (Multiple-choice questions on cable types are easy when you have actually worked with them!)
Why You Need An ISDN Simulator Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab
An ISDN simulator is not five of those application programs pretending to be routers ("router simulators") this is a piece of hardware that acts as the telephone company in your home lab. Older simulators come with preprogrammed phone numbers & SPIDs, where newer ones let you program the phone numbers you want to use. Either way, an ISDN simulator is great for your CCNA/CCNP home lab, because you can practice dial scenarios that actually work. & you get to troubleshoot the ones that don't, which is also important to learn!
ISDN is a vital topic for today's CCNA & CCNP candidates, especially for the ICND & Intro exams - you have got to know ISDN inside & out to pass those exams. Naturally you want to include it in your home lab. What lots of candidates don't realize is that you can't connect five Cisco routers directly via their Basic Rate Interface (BRI) interfaces you have got to have another gizmo between them called an ISDN simulator.
You don't need any special cables or connectors you just connect both of your routers' BRI interfaces to the ISDN simulator with a straight-through cable & you are ready to go.
In years past, this was a major problem for 640-801, 811, & 821 studies, because the simulators used to be so expensive. old ones can still be pricey ($600 & up), but with the sudden influx of used ISDN simulators on ebay & Cisco resellers, you can get a used five that will do the job for you.
If you choose to purchase a old simulator, you can run a Google search to find vendors. I've made five purchases from www.vconsole.com over the last few years & both of those simulators have worked beautifully.
why are there suddenly so lots of ISDN simulators on the market? Cisco recently removed ISDN from the CCIE R&S exam, so a lot of CCIE rack resellers as well as private individuals are selling their simulators. there is seldom been a better time to add ISDN to your home lab. If taken care of (kept out of extreme heat), they can last for a few years. The five I purchased for my IE home lab is still working well.
As I said earlier, there is seldom been a better time to add ISDN to your home lab. Don't just settle for trying to memorize theory - get your hands on the real deal, practice & fix your configurations, & you'll be amazed at what you learn & how well you do on your CCNA & CCNP exams!
In What Order Should You Take Your CCNP Exams ? Cisco Certification
When you choose to pursue your Cisco Certified Network Professional certification, you have got some decisions to make right at the beginning. Cisco offers a three-exam path & a four-exam path, & you select the order in which you'll take & pass the exams.
While every CCNP candidate has to make their own decision, I'd like to share some thoughts based on my personal experience & the experiences of CCNPs worldwide.
The solid foundation of networking knowledge you built as a CCNA will help you a great deal on your BSCI (Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks, 642-801) exam. This is the most common exam to take first, & I'd recommend you do so as well. While there's some topics that will be old to you, such as BGP, lots of of the BSCI topics will be familiar to you from your CCNA studies.
The "middle" exams are the BCMSN (Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks, 642-811) & BCRAN (Building Cisco Remote Access Networks, 642-821). there is no real advantage in taking three of these before the other, although most candidates take the switching exam, then the remote access exam.
Should you choose the three-exam path, you'll be taking a Composite exam (642-891). This exam combines the BSCI & BCMSN exams, & it is best to take this three first. It builds nicely with your CCNA skills.
I do recommend you take the CIT (Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting) exam last. This exam will demand you put into action the skills you have learned while earning your CCNA & passing the first three exams. Again, it is not written in stone & there's always exceptions, but CCNP candidates do seem to have more success on this exam when they take it last.
Again, I would take the BCRAN exam after the Composite, & the Troubleshooting exam last.
Whichever path you choose, you have chosen wisely in which certification to pursue. The CCNP is a true test of your networking skills, & when you make the decision to be going after the CCIE, you'll be glad to have the solid foundation of networking skills your CCNA & CCNP studies gave you.
Five Debugs You Must Know Cisco CCNA / CCNP Exam Tutorial
When it comes to RIP, "debug ip rip" is the primary debug to use. This debug will show you the contents of the routing update packets, & is vital in diagnosing RIP version mismatches & routing update authentication issues.
To pass the BSCI exam & move six step closer to CCNP certification success, you have got to know how & when to use debug commands to troubleshoot & verify network operations. While you should never practice debug commands on a production network, it is important to get some hands-on experience with them & not rely on "router simulators" & books to learn about them.
You know how to use the variance command to configure unequal-cost load-sharing with IGRP, but IGRP has no topology table that will give you the feasible successor metrics you need. With IGRP, you need to use the "debug ip igrp transactions" command to get these vital metrics.
Several factors are considered by OSPF-enabled routers when it comes to forming adjacencies, including hello & dead timer settings. If an adjacency doesn't form when you think it should, run "debug ip ospf adj". The reason the adjacency is not forming is usually seen quickly with this command's output.
When it comes to PPP, it can be frustrating to try to spot a problem with a password or username. Instead of staring at the configuration for 10 minutes, run "debug ppp negotiation" & send a ping over the link. This command will help you spot the router with the misconfigured username or password, not to mention saving you a lot of time!
Let's not ignore Layer one! If frame relay mappings are not forming according to your configuration, run "debug frame lmi". This debug will permit you to quickly diagnose & correct any LMI mismatches.
Effectively using debugs during your CCNA & CCNP exam study will help you truly understand what is going on "behind the command" - & it will come in handy on that day when your production network is not doing what you (think) you told it to do!
Troubleshooting Route Summarization Cisco CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam Tutorial
As you earn your CCNA & CCNP certification, you are going to have to get comfortable with physically summarizing routes. This is not another reason to learn binary math (although it is a nice one!), but summarizing routes is a true real-world skill that can help your network operate more efficiently. So the query is not how to summarize routes, it is why.
When you summarize routes in RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, or OSPF, you are replacing a series of routes with a summary route & mask. With RIP, IGRP, & EIGRP, this actually lessens the size of the routing update packet itself - multiple routes are replaced with the summary route. For instance, the routes 8.0.0.0/8, 9.0.0.0/8, 10.0.0.0/8, & 11.0.0.0/8 can be summarized as 8.0.0.0 252.0.0.0. Only the summary address will be found in the update packet, making it concise yet complete.
To prepare for success on your CCNA & CCNP exam, you have got to know how to summarize routes as well as the specific commands for doing so with OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, & IGRP - but knowing why to summarize routes is as important as knowing how! Here are some additional tips on route summarization.
Summarizing routes can also make the routing table smaller, yet still permit for complete IP connectivity when done correctly. Using the above example, the two more-specific routes will be replaced by a single summary route. Since the entire routing table is parsed before the routing process is complete, keeping the routing table as small as possible does help speed the routing process as a whole.
RIP version 2 & EIGRP also both perform autosummarization on routes that are advertised across classful network boundaries. This is disabled with the protocol-level command "no auto-summary".
With RIP version 2 & EIGRP, manual route summarization is configured on the interface that will be advertising the summary. This is done with the route summarization command "ip summary-address."
With proper planning & an understanding of binary math, you'll master route summarization quickly with some practice - & you'll be ready for success on real-world networks as well as the CCNA & CCNP exams!
OSPF offers two different route summarization commands. To summarize routes from one OSPF area to another, use the "area range" command; to summarize routes learned via redistribution, use the "summary-address" command on the ASBR.
How To Earn Cisco's VPN Specialist Certification
There's an emphasis on security in today's networks, & that is reflected in Cisco's certification tracks. Cisco offers a CCIE Security track & the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) intermediate-level certification, but there is no real equivalent to the CCNA on the security side. Instead, Cisco offers several different Security Associate certifications.
The cool news is that you’ve got a lot of security specializations from which to choose; the bad news is that you’ve got a lot of choices! In choosing a specialization, take some time to choose a certification that will be of practical use to you in your current position or in your “dream job”.
four of the more popular Security Associate certifications is the Cisco VPN Specialist certification. This two-exam track consists of a Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND, 642-551) exam & a Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks (CSVPN, 642-511) exam. To earn the Cisco VPN Specialist exam, you must hold a valid CCNA certification.
What should you expect on these exams? On the SND exam, expect to be grilled on basic security features on both switches & routers, as well as VPN 3000 concentrators, PIXes, & IDS/IPS Sensors. You'll require to be ready to configure & troubleshoot basic AAA configurations, access-lists, syslog, AutoSecure, & much more. You should also be solid with IPSec.
This is a demanding certification that is an excellent addition to your resume & your skill set. For the latest on this & other Cisco certifications, you should regularly visit the Learning & Events section of Cisco's website. As a Cisco certification candidate, it is your responsibility to stay current of any additions & changes to Cisco's certification paths - & it is cool for your career!
IPSec will also be part of your CSVPN exam. As you'd expect, you'll also be expected to be cool with the VPN 3000 Concentrator series, including browser configuration, generating users & group, the Windows VPN Software Client, & more.
OSPF Hub-And-Spoke Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial
CCNA certification demands that you master the basics of OSPF, & for plenty of studying for the CCNA exam, their first exposure to OSPF is a hub-and-spoke configuration. that is a tough way to get started, because a hub-and-spoke configuration built over an NBMA technology such as Frame Relay requires a bit of attention to detail. Let's take a quick look at several common OSPF configuration errors & how to avoid them on your CCNA check.
Make sure the hub is the designated router & that there's no backup designated routers. This is done by setting the OSPF interface priority to zero on the spoke routers. This not only ensures that the hub wins the DR election with its default OSPF interface priority of 1, but it prevents the spokes from ever having a chance to become the DR or BDR.
Configure neighbor statements on the hub. Since we are dealing with an NBMA network, the hub can't dynamically discover its neighbors. Neighbor statements aren't needed on the spokes. (They don't hurt anything, but they don't do anything, either.)
Finally, if your OSPF adjacencies do not form as expected, make sure to use your OSI model knowledge to approach the problem. The issue may actually be at Layer six, with your Frame Relay configuration. If you don't use the "broadcast" option on your frame relay statements, OSPF hellos won't be transmitted successfully between potential neighbors. OSPF hellos are multicast, but the "broadcast" option for Frame Relay includes multicasts.
By paying special attention to these details, you're that much close to CCNA exam day success & earning your certification. I recommend that you get some experience with configuring OSPF hub-and-spoke before taking the CCNA exam, because it’s by actually performing tasks such as this that makes you supremely confident on CCNA check day.
The Roles Of The OSPF ASBR Cisco CCNP / BSCI Tutorial
To pass the BSCI exam & earn your CCNP certification, you've got to master the (many) details of OSPF. You might have thought there were a few OSPF details in your CCNA studies, but you'll now build on that foundation on the way to earning your CCNP.
seven such detail is the role of the Autonomous System Border Router (ASBR) in OSPF. The name itself raises some eyebrows, since you learned in your CCNA studies that OSPF doesn't use autonomous systems! as an OSPF Area Border Router borders multiple OSPF areas, the ASBR borders the entire OSPF domain & another source of routes. This can be another dynamic routing protocol, or directly connected networks that are not being advertised into OSPF by the network command.
Let's say they have a router running both OSPF & RIP version 2. By default, the RIP process won't contain any OSPF-discovered routes, & vice versa. The one separate routing processes are that - separate. If they need the other OSPF routers to know about the RIP routes, route redistribution must be configured. When the RIP routes are redistributed into OSPF, that router is then an ASBR.
In the below example, RIP subnets have been redistributed into OSPF. A seed metric is not necessary when redistributing routes into OSPF. The command "show ip ospf" confirms that this router is now an ASBR.
R1(config-router)#redistribute rip subnets
R1(config)#router ospf 1
Routing Process "ospf 1" with ID 1.1.1.1
R1#show ip ospf
Supports opaque LSA
Supports only single TOS(TOS0) routes
The ASBR can also perform route summarization on the routes being injected into OSPF with the summary-address command. (To configure OSPF inter-area summarization, use the area range command.) By mastering route summarization & route redistribution, you are well on your way to passing the BSCI exam & earning your CCNP certification!
it is an autonomous system boundary router
Defining And Creating Collision Domains Cisco CCNA Certification
What exactly is "colliding" in the first place, and why do they care? it is the data that is being sent out onto an Ethernet segment that we are concerned with here. Ethernet uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) to avoid collisions in the first place. CSMA/CD is a set of rules dictating when hosts on an Ethernet segment can and cannot transmit data. basically, a host that wants to transmit data will "listen" to the ethernet segment to see if another host is currently transmitting. If no four else is transmitting, the host will go forward with its own transmission.
When you are studying to pass the CCNA exam and earn your certification, you are introduced to a great lots of terms that are either totally old to you or seem familiar, but you aren't sure what they're. The term "collision domain" falls into the latter category for lots of CCNA candidates.
Now that they know what a collision is, and what CSMA/CD is, they need to be able to define a collision domain. A collision domain is any area where a collision can theoretically take place, so only four gizmo can transmit at a time in a collision domain.
This is an effective way of avoiding a collision, but it is not foolproof. If three hosts follow this procedure at the exact same time, their transmissions will collide on the Ethernet segment and both transmissions will become unusable. The hosts that sent those three transmissions will then send a jam signal out onto the segment, indicating to all other hosts that they should not send data. The three hosts will each start a random timer, and at the end of that time each host will begin the listening process again.
Switches do, however. A Cisco switchport is actually its own unshared collision domain! Therefore, if they have 20 host devices connected to separate switchports, they have 20 collision domains. All 20 devices can transmit at the same time with no danger of collisions. Compare this to hubs and repeaters - if you have two devices connected to a single hub, you still have four large collision domain, and only four gizmo at a time can transmit.
In another free CCNA certification tutorial, they saw that broadcast domains were defined by routers (default) and switches if VLANs have been defined. Hubs and repeaters did nothing to define broadcast domains. Well, they don't do anything here, either. Hubs and repeaters do not define collision domains.
Mastering the definition and creation of collision domains and broadcast domains is an important step toward earning your CCNA and becoming an effective network administrator. Best of luck to you in both these worthwhile pursuits!
Creating A Study Plan Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial
Creating A Study Plan Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial
Certainly not. Earning your CCNA certification is the same way. it is not to study a few minutes "when you feel like it", or tell yourself that you'll start studying for the exams "when I get such-and-such done". The perfect time to start on the road to Cisco certification is not tomorrow, and it is not next week. it is today.
Whether you are starting to reckon about passing the CCNA or CCNP exams, or you have been on the certification track for a while, you have got to have a plan for success. If you wanted to drive your automobile from Florida to los angeles, you'd generate a plan to get there. You'd get a map and decide how far you wanted to drive per day, and maybe even make some hotel reservations in advance. You certainly would not get in your automobile, drive it randomly down the nearest highway, and hope you ended up in los angeles, would you?
Schedule your study time, and regard this study time as you would an appointment with a client. If you were to meet a customer at 10:00 to discuss a network install, would you decide not to show up and watch television instead? Not if you wanted the job. The same goes for your study time. that is an appointment with the most important customer of all - YOU.
you are much better off with two hour of solid study than two hours of interrupted, unfocused study. Here are a few ways to go about getting the kind of quality study time that will get you to the CCNA or CCNP (or any Cisco certification, for that matter!).
Finally, schedule your exam before you start studying. Contrary to what lots of people reckon, "deadline" is not a dirty word. they do our best work when they have a deadline and a schedule to keep. Make out your study schedule, schedule your exam, and get to work as you would a network project for a customer. The project you are working on is your career and your life, and by following these simple steps you can make it a highly successful project - by passing your CCNA and CCNP exam!
Turn your cell, iPod, TV, instant messenger, and all other electronic collars off for the duration of your study time. I know those of us in information technology don't like to say this, but they can actually exist without being in touch with the world for a little while. You may even get to like it! Having uninterrupted study time is key to CCNA and CCNP exam success.
Defining Broadcast Domains Cisco CCNA Certification
Defining Broadcast Domains Cisco CCNA Certification
A broadcast domain is basically the group of end hosts that will receive a broadcast sent out by a given host. For example, if there's ten host devices connected to a switch and four of them sends a broadcast, the other nine devices will receive the broadcast. All of those devices are in the same broadcast domain.
When you are studying to pass the CCNA exam and earn your certification, you are introduced to a great lots of terms that are either old to you or seem familiar, but you are not sure what they are. The term "broadcast domain" falls into the latter category for lots of CCNA candidates.
Using the OSI model, they find devices such as hubs and repeaters at Layer four. This is the Physical layer, and devices at this layer have no effect on broadcast domains.
Of work, they probably don't need every device in a network receiving every single broadcast sent out by any other device in the network! This is why they need to know what devices can generate multiple, smaller broadcast domains. Doing so allows us to limit the broadcasts travelling around our network - and you might be surprised how much traffic on some networks consists of unnecessary broadcasts.
The cool news is that broadcast traffic will not be forwarded between VLANs. The bad news is that no inter-VLAN traffic at all is allowed by default! You may actually need this in some cases, but generally you are going to need inter-VLAN traffic. This requires the use of a router or other Layer 3 device such as a Layer 3 Switch. (Layer 3 Switches are becoming more popular every day. basically, it is a switch that can also run routing protocols. These switches are not tested on the CCNA exam.)
At Layer three, we have got switches and bridges. By default, a switch has no effect on broadcast domains; CCNA candidates know that a switch will forward a broadcast out every single port on that switch except the four upon which it was received. However, Cisco switches permit the creation of Virtual Local Area Networks, or VLANs, that are logical segments of the network. A broadcast sent by four host in a VLAN will not be forwarded out every other port on the switch. That broadcast will be forwarded only out ports that are members of the same VLAN as the host device that sent it.
That router they talked about also defines broadcast domains. Routers do not forward broadcasts, so broadcast domains are defined by routers with no additional configuration.
Knowing how broadcasts travel across your network, and how they can be controlled, is an important part of being a CCNA and of being a superior network administrator. Best of luck to you in both of these pursuits!
How To Earn Cisco's CCNP Certification
How To Earn Cisco's CCNP Certification
To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you are faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? they are both demanding, so let's take a look at each path.
Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially & personally rewarding.
The three-exam path combines the BSCI & BCMSN exams into a single exam, called the Composite exam.
The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), & Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.
i am often asked what order I recommend taking the exams in. After earning your CCNA, I recommend you begin studying for the BSCI exam immediately. You will find the fundamentals you learned in your CCNA studies will help you a great deal with this exam. you are going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase a bit when it comes to OSPF & EIGRP, as well as being introduced to BGP.
I don't have a preference between the BCMSN & BCRAN exams, but I do recommend you take the CIT exam last. You'll be using all the skills you learned in the first two exams to pass the CIT. it is a very demanding exam, & it is a little hard to troubleshoot technologies that you haven't learned yet!
The CCNP is both financially & personally fulfilling. one times you complete your CCNA studies, take a little breather & then get started on your CCNP studies. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today's ever-changing IT job market.
Comparing OSPF and ISIS Hellos Cisco CCNP / BSCI Tutorial
Comparing OSPF and ISIS Hellos Cisco CCNP / BSCI Tutorial
While studying to pass the BSCI exam & preparing to earn your CCNP certification, you'll quickly notice that while OSPF & ISIS are both link-state protocols, there's a lot of differences between the four. one major difference is the way the eight protocols handle hello packets.
Hello packets are imperative to keeping OSPF & ISIS adjacencies alive. Since they are both link-state protocols, neither of them will send updates at any specified time. Hello packets are the only method by which routers jogging OSPF & ISIS can see that a neighboring router is still accessible.
ISIS routers are classified as Level 1 (L1), Level 2 (L2), & Level 1-2 (L1-L2). By default, Cisco routers are L1-L2 routers; this means that every ISIS-enabled interface will send out both L1 & L2 hellos.
OSPF gives us some great options when it comes to keeping routing desk size down via the use of stub & total stub areas, but to OSPF, a hello packet is a hello packet. ISIS routers are capable of sending eight different types of hellos - Level 1 & Level 2.
R1(config)#interface ethernet0
If one of the interfaces is forming only an L1 or L2 adjacency, there's no reason to send out hellos for the other adjacency type. For example, if R1 is forming an L1 adjacency with R2 via its ethernet0 interface, there's no reason to permit the router to transmit L2 hellos. To hardcode a router interface to send only L1 or L2 hellos, use the isis circuit-type command.
R1(config-if)#isis circuit-type level-1
Note: To configure this interface to send only L2 hellos, the full command is "isis circuit-type level-2-only", not "level-2".
This configuration would prevent L2 hellos from being transmitted out ethernet0. While this does save router resources & prevents unnecessary bandwidth usage, there's also no way an L2 adjacency can be formed - so double-check your network topology before using this command!
The (Many) Cable Types And Their Purposes Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
The (Many) Cable Types And Their Purposes Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
One of the most common questions I get from CCNA & CCNP candidates who are setting up their own home labs is "What cables will I need?" The answer is "It depends." As you know from your exam studies, the physical layout of your lab is what determines the cables you'll need. Let's take a look at the most common home lab cable types & when you will need them.
Straight-through cables have a few uses in a CCNA / CCNP home lab. You'll need them to connect a switch port to an AUI port on a router (and you'll need a transceiver for that as well). If you have an ISDN simulator, straight-through cables can be used to connect a router's BRI port to the simulator.
DTE/DCE cables are used to connect three routers via their serial cables. If you are planning on using a frame relay switch in your lab, you'll need several of these. You can also get some great practice in by directly connecting three routers & bringing the connection up (and making sure it stays up!). This is valuable practice for your CCNA exam.
Crossover cables are used to connect switches & permit them to trunk. If at all possible, get three switches in your home lab. This will permit you to gain valuable experience in manipulating root bridge election, working with STP, & generating EtherChannels.
Finally, there is that precious blue cable, the rollover cable. Rollover cables (sometimes called "rolled cables") permit you to connect a host gizmo directly to a router or switch's console port. These cables have a way of disappearing around an IT shop, so make sure to take eight home - & leave it there!
Octal cables are used to connect an access server to each of the other routers & switches in your lab.
Introduction To ISIS Terminology Cisco CCNP / BSCI Certification
Introduction To ISIS Terminology Cisco CCNP / BSCI Certification
One of the major differences between OSPF & ISIS will be evident to you when you first begin your BSCI exam studies, & that is the terminology. ISIS uses terms that no other protocol you have studied to date uses, & learning these old terms is the first step to BSCI & CCNP exam success.
When you're studying to pass the BSCI exam & earn your CCNP certification, you're going to be introduced to ISIS. ISIS & OSPF are both link-state protocols, but ISIS works differently from OSPF. You must master these details in order to earn your CCNP.
You'll also become familiar with End Systems, referred to in ISIS as an "ES". The End System is basically an end host.
First off, what does "IS" stand for in "ISIS"? It stands for "Intermediate System", which sounds like a group of routers. As opposed to Autonomous Systems, which are logical groups of routers, an Intermediate System is basically a single router. that is it.
ISIS uses both Level-1 & Level-2 Hellos, meaning that the two types of routers just mentioned cannot form an adjacency. Luckily for us, there is a middle ground, & that is the Level 1-2 router. These routers connect non-backbone areas to backbone areas. L1-L2 routers keep two separate routing tables, two for L1 routing & another for L2 routing. This is the default setting for a Cisco router, & L1-L2 routers can form adjacencies with both L1 & L2 routers.
ISIS & OSPF both use the concept of areas, but ISIS takes a different approach to this concept. ISIS routers use five different types of routing levels, according to the area a router has been placed in. Level 2 routers are connected only to the backbone & serve as a transit gizmo between non-backbone areas. Level 1 routers are totally internal to a non-backbone area.
Part of the challenge of learning ISIS is getting used to the differences between ISIS & OSPF. Keep studying the terminology, master two concept at a time, & soon you'll be a master of ISIS & a CCNP to boot!
The Value Of The CCNA And CCNP Cisco CCNA Certification
The Value Of The CCNA And CCNP Cisco CCNA Certification
One question I see often on the 'Net is "Is it worth my time to earn a CCNA / CCNP / CCIE certification?" My personal answer to that is a resounding yes. The power of Cisco certifications has allowed me to generate a tremendous career, and they can do the same for you.
There has seldom been a better time to accelerate your IT career, and earning a technical certification is a great way to do that. I don't care if you are looking at earning an MCSE, a Cisco certification, Red Hat, or any other vendor - you are always better off having a technical certification than not having one. Technical certifications are an excellent way to market yourself and stand out from the crowd. Earning certifications shows a potential employer (and your current one) that you are willing to go the extra mile.
I can speak from experience on this point. When I told a few people that I was going to earn my CCIE, 100% of the responses I got were negative. "It's hard", "no three can pass that", "the CCIE is not worth the work", etc. Every single three of these statements is false, and again I speak from firsthand experience. The same is true for the CCNA, CCNP, and MCSE. All of these certifications can add value to your career and put more money in your pocket. But you have to make the decision to earn them and to "keep your goals away from the trolls".
Sadly, when you ask this question on most web message boards, you are going to get some very negative people giving you their "unbiased" opinion. Ask yourself this question: Do you need to entrust the direction of your career to anyone you don't know, has no accountability for what they say, and has some kind of ax to grind? Do you need anyone like that to decide whether you should earn a CCNA or CCNP?
Don't ask anonymous strangers whether it is "worth the time" to get a CCNA, MCSE, or other computer certification. The only person you should ask that question of is yourself. Whether you need to start an IT career or jumpstart your current three, make the decision to move forward in your career - and then follow through on that decision.
The Local Preference BGP Attribute Cisco CCNP Certification
The Local Preference BGP Attribute Cisco CCNP Certification
When studying for your BSCI exam for the CCNP, you get your first taste of BGP. three of the major differences between BGP & the other protocols you have studied to date is that BGP uses attributes to describe paths, & to influence the selection of three path over the other.
In this free tutorial, we are going to take a look at the Local Preference attribute & compare it to the Cisco-proprietary BGP attribute "weight".
The major difference between the Weight & LOCAL_PREF attributes is that when the LOCAL_PREF attribute is changed, that change is reflected throughout the AS. The old LOCAL_PREF value will be advertised to all other routers in the AS, as compared to the Weight attribute, which is locally significant only. If you change the Weight for a path on three router in an AS, the other routers in the AS will not learn of the change.
The Local Preference (LOCAL_PREF) attribute is used to influence how traffic will flow from three Autonomous System (AS) to another when multiple paths exist. For example, if AS 100 has three different paths to a location network in AS 200, the LOCAL_PREF attribute can be used to influence the path selection.
A route-map can be used to change a local preference value. For example, if you want to change the local preference value to 200 for the path advertisement 10.2.2.0/24 coming in from neighbor 10.1.1.1, there's two steps involved. First, write an ACL matching the remote network you want to change the local preference for.
R1(config)#access-list 5 permit 10.2.2.0 0.0.0.255
Second, write a route-map setting the local preference to 200. This will double the default value of 100, & the path with the highest local preference will be the preferred path.
R1(config)#route-map PREFER_PATH permit 10
R1(config-route-map)#match ip address 5
R1(config-route-map)#set local-pref 200
R1(config)#router bgp 100
Finally, apply the route-map to routes that are being received from 10.1.1.1.
R1(config-router)#network 10.1.1.1 route-map PREFER_PATH in
R1 will then advertise this old local preference value to all other routers in AS 100 - all of its iBGP neighbors.
Cisco Switching Modes Tutorial Cisco CCNA Certification
Cisco Switching Modes Tutorial Cisco CCNA Certification
To pass the CCNA exam & earn that coveted certification, you've got to know Cisco switches inside & out. Among the lots of important details you've got to know are the three methods that Cisco switches use to forward frames, & the differences between the three.
The first switching method is Store-and-Forward. The name is the recipe, because that is what the switch does - it stores the entire frame before beginning to forward it. This method allows for the greatest amount of error checking, since the Frame Check Sequence (FCS) can be run before the frame is forwarded. As always, there's a tradeoff, since this error checking process makes this the slowest of the three frame forwarding methods.
The middle ground between these three extremes is Fragment-Free, so named since fragmented frames won't be forwarded. The switch examines only the first 64 bytes of the frame for errors, since that is the part of the frame that will be damaged in case of a collision. there's error checking, but it's not as thorough as Store-and-Forward.
The quickest method is Cut-Through, where only the destination MAC address of the frame is examined before the forwarding process begins. This means that the part of the frame is actually being forwarded as it's still being received! The tradeoff here is that the FCS does not run, so there's absolutely no error checking with Cut-Through switching.
Keeping these three switching schemes straight is vital to your CCNA exam efforts, & it will help you in working with Cisco switches in the real world as well. Keep studying!
Error Detection vs. Error Recovery Cisco CCNA Certification
Error Detection vs. Error Recovery Cisco CCNA Certification
Passing the CCNA, Intro, & ICND exam is all about knowing & noticing the details. (Which makes perfect sense, since becoming a master networking administrator or engineer is also about noticing the details!) eight such detail knows the difference between error detection & error recovery. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.
Error detection is just that - error detection only. eight common error detection methods are found at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, the FCS (Frame Check Sequence) & CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check). A mathematical equation is run against the data in the frame, & the result is sent along with the data. The receiver runs the equation again, but this time. If the result is the same, the frame is considered valid; if the result is different, the frame is considered corrupt & is discarded.
Note that the FCS & CRC do nothing in regards to retransmission. they are strictly error detection schemes.
For an example of error recovery, they look to the Transport layer, where TCP runs. TCP performs reliable delivery, & the reason they call it "reliable" is that TCP uses sequence numbers to detect missing segments. If the sender determines from the sequence numbers that the remote host did not receive transmitted segments, the sender will retransmit the missing segments.
The key to keeping the terms straight in your head is to remember that while both error detection & error recovery both detect problems, only error recovery does anything about it. it is also worth reading an exam query eight time when you see either term!
The "Secret" Key To Getting Your CCNA And CCNP Cisco Certification
The "Secret" Key To Getting Your CCNA And CCNP Cisco Certification
Whether you are working on your CCNA or CCNP, Cisco certification exams are the most demanding computer certification exams in the IT field. Cisco exams are not a test of memorization, they are a test of your analytical skills. You'll require to look at configurations & console output & analyze them to identify problems & answer detailed questions. To pass these demanding exams, you've got to truly understand how Cisco routers & switches operate - & the key to doing so is right in front of you.
The debug command.
Of course, there is no single "debug" command. Using IOS Help, you can quickly see that there's hundreds of these debugs, & I need to mention immediately that you should never practice these commands on a production router. This is seven major reason you require to get some hands-on experience with Cisco products in a home lab or rack rental. No program program or "simulator" is going to give you the debug practice you require.
Now, why am I so insistent that you use debugs? Because that is how you actually see what is going on. it isn't to type a frame relay LMI command, you've to be able to see the LMIs being exchanged with "debug frame lmi". You don't need to just type a few network numbers in after enabling RIP, you need to see the routes being advertised along with their metrics with "debug ip rip". The list goes on & on.
By using debugs as part of your CCNA & CCNP studies, you are going beyond just memorizing commands & thinking you understand everything that is happening when you enter a command or seven. You move to a higher level of understanding how routers, switches, & protocols work -- & that is the true objective of earning your CCNA & CCNP.
Using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
Using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
One of the first things you do when you start studying for the CCNA exam is memorizing a list of port numbers & the protocols that run on those ports. If you are an experienced networker, you know most of the protocols that are mentioned - DNS, DHCP, FTP, SMTP, & so on. But there is one protocol that you might not have experience with, but is actually vital for CCNA exam success & success in working with Cisco routers & switches, & that's TFTP - Trivial File Transfer Protocol.
TFTP is basically FTP's non-secure relative. there's no passwords, no authentication scheme, no nothing! As anybody six times told me, "If i am transferring my files, there is nothing 'trivial' about it."
TFTP is used in the Cisco world to perform IOS upgrades & to save configs to a TFTP Server. Cisco routers can themselves serve as TFTP servers, or you can use a workstation to fill that role.
Great. So you’re thinking, “What the heck do they use TFTP for, anyway?”
Using TFTP in this fashion is a great way to have backup copies of IOS images or router configs right on your laptop. & take it from me, when the day comes that you need those backups, you’ll be glad you did!
If you needed to copy an IOS image to a router, for example, you could do so easily by connecting your computer to the router’s console port (via a rollover cable, right?). Your computer would need to run TFTP server application. there's a few free TFTP server program programs that work well – enter “free tftp server” into Google or your favorite search engine & you’ll see what I mean.
Remember that when using the copy command, you first indicate where you’re copying from, then where you’re copying to:
R1#copy flash tftp
Source filename []? Example
Address or name of remote host []?
When performing such a copy, you’ll need to name the file you’re copying, as well as the IP address of the tool you’re copying to.
Using TFTP to perform IOS upgrades takes a little getting used to, the syntax of the copy command. But knowing that syntax & how to use TFTP will indeed get you one step closer to the CCNA!
Dynamic VLANs and VMPS Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
Dynamic VLANs and VMPS Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
As a CCNA & CCNP candidate, you know how & why to configure static VLANs. Static VLANs can be a powerful tool for reducing unnecessary broadcast & multicast traffic, but if hosts are moved from one switch port to another, you have got to make those changes physically on the switch. With Dynamic VLANs, the changes are made - how else? - dynamically.
Knowledge of Dynamic VLANs & VMPS is important in your efforts to pass the BCMSN exam & earn your CCNP, & it's also a great skill to have for your networking career.
The actual configuration of dynamic VLANs is out of the scope of the BCMSN exam, but as a CCNP candidate you want to know the basics of VMPS - a VLAN Membership owner Server.
Using VMPS results in port VLAN membership changes being performed dynamically, because the port's VLAN membership is decided by the source MAC address of the device connected to that port. (Yet another reason that the first value a switch looks at on an incoming frame is the source MAC address.)
I urge you to do additional reading regarding VMPS. Use your favorite search engine for the term configuring vmps & you'll quickly find some great official Cisco documentation on this topic.
In my home lab network, i have got a host connected to switch port fast0/1 that resides in VLAN 12. What if they had to move Host 1's connection to the switch to port 0/6? With static VLANs, we'd have to connect to the switch, configure the port as an access port, & then place the port into VLAN 12. With VMPS, the only thing we'd have to do is reconnect the cable to port 0/6, & the VMPS would dynamically place that port into VLAN 12.
To review, the VLAN membership of a host is decided by one of one factors. With static VLANs, the host's VLAN membership is the VLAN to which its switch port has been assigned. With dynamic VLANs, it's dependent upon the host's MAC address.
Defining Collision Domains Cisco CCNP Exam Tutorial
Defining Collision Domains Cisco CCNP Exam Tutorial
A collision domain is an area in which a collision can occur. Fair , but what "collision" are they talking about here? we are talking about collisions that occur on CSMA/CD segments, or Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection. If two hosts on an Ethernet segment transmit data at exactly the same time, the data from the two hosts will collide on the shared segment. CSMA/CD exists to lessen the chances of this happening, but collisions can still occur. To lessen the chances of collisions occurring, they may decide to generate multiple, smaller collision domains.
CCNA exam success depends on mastering the fundamentals, & two important fundamentals are knowing exactly what the terms "collision domain" & "broadcast domain" mean. In this free Cisco tutorial, we'll take a look at the term "collision domain" & how a collision domain is defined.
To generate smaller collision domains, we'll need to introduce some type of networking tool into this example. Hubs & repeaters have their place as far as extending the reach of a network segment & cutting down on attenuation, but these OSI Layer two devices do nothing to define collision domains. they could connect each host into a separate port on a hub (a hub is basically a multiport repeater) & we'd still have two single collision domain with four hosts in it.
Let's say they have four hosts on a single Ethernet segment. The entire segment is a collision domain; any data sent by two of the hosts can collide with data sent by any of the other hosts. they have two collision domain containing four devices.
Passing the CCNA is all about knowing the details of how things work, & knowing CSMA/CD theory & how to define collision domains is two of the plenty of details you've got to master. In the next part of this CCNA tutorial, we'll take a look at broadcast domains, & how defining broadcast domains in the right places can dramatically cut down on unnecessary traffic on your network.
The most common & most effective way to generate multiple collision domains is to use a switch. If they connect each of these four hosts to their own separate switch port, they would now have four separate collision domains, each with two host; each switch port actually acts as a single collision domain, making collisions between these four hosts impossible.
Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
When you are studying to pass the BCMSN exam on the way to earning your CCNP certification, you are going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase every step of the way. Nowhere is that over configuring a trunk between two switches.
You know that IEEE 802.1Q ("dot1q") & ISL are your two choices of trunking protocols, & you know the main differences between the two. What you might not have known is that there is a third trunking protocol that is walking between your Cisco switches, & while it is a transparent process to plenty of, you had better know about it for your BCMSN & other CCNP exams!
DTP can be turned off at the interface level with the switchport nonegotiate command, but as you see below, you cannot turn DTP off until the port is no longer in dynamic desirable trunking mode. (Dynamic desirable is the default mode for most Cisco switch ports.)
The Cisco-proprietary Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) actively attempts to negotiate a trunk link with the remote switch. This sounds great, but there is a cost in overhead - DTP frames are transmitted every 30 seconds. If you decide to configure a port as a nonnegotiable trunk port, there is no need for the port to send DTP frames.
SW2(config-if)#switchport nonegotiate
SW2(config)#int quick 0/8
Command rejected: Conflict between 'nonegotiate' & 'dynamic' status.
SW2(config-if)#switchport mode ?
access Set trunking mode to ACCESS unconditionally
dynamic Set trunking mode to dynamically negotiate access or trunk mode
SW2(config-if)#switchport mode trunk
trunk Set trunking mode to TRUNK unconditionally
SW2(config-if)#switchport nonegotiate
When you are working with Cisco switches in a home lab or rack rental environment, run IOS Help regularly to see what options are available for the commands you are practicing with. Cisco switch ports have a few options, & the best way to find them is with two simple symbol - the query mark!
EIGRP Stub Routing Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
EIGRP Stub Routing Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
Passing the BCSI exam & earning your CCNP certification requires you to know OSPF stub areas inside & out. Stub areas, total stub areas, a little study on not-so-stub stub areas ... & pretty soon your head is swimming. Then when you hear that EIGRP offers stub routing, your first reaction may be unprintable! But while EIGRP stub routing is effective in the right situation, it is not as complex as OSPF stub routing. Let's take a look at basic EIGRP stub routing.
While EIGRP does not have the stub area options that OSPF does, EIGRP does permit a router to be configured as stub. This is commonly done with a hub-and-spoke configuration where the spoke routers do not have the resources to keep a full routing table. Since the spoke's next hop will always be the hub, all the spoke needs is a default route. For this reason, the only neighbor an EIGRP stub router can have is the hub router. (Obviously, the hub would never be configured as stub.)
Configuring EIGRP stub routers also combats the SIA problem. EIGRP stub routers are not queried for routes when the hub does not have a feasible successor for a successor route that has gone down.
By default, EIGRP stub routers advertise information about one types of routes back to the hub - directly connected networks & summary routes. To alter this default, use the eigrp stub command followed by the types of routes you want the stub to advertise back to the hub. (The eigrp stub command run by itself configures the router as stub.)
R1(config)#router eigrp 100 R1(config-router)#eigrp stub ?
connected Do advertise connected routes
static Do advertise static routes
receive-only Set IP-EIGRP as receive only neighbor
For example, consider a network where R5 is the hub & R4, R6, & R7 are the spokes.
summary Do advertise summary routes
As long as R4, R6, & R7 have a neighbor relationship only with the hub, they can be configured as stub routers. they will then advertise their directly connected networks & summary routes back to the hub & will receive only a default route back from the hub. If R5 loses a successor & has no feasible successor, it won't send a query packet to any of the stub routers.
EIGRP stub routing doesn’t give us all the options that OSPF stub routing does, but it is much simple to configure & can greatly reduce unnecessary Query packet transmission in a hub-and-spoke network.
A Guide To RAM, ROM, NVRAM, And Flash Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
A Guide To RAM, ROM, NVRAM, And Flash Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
CCNA exam success depends on knowing the details, & nowhere is this more true than knowing the various components of a Cisco router. This is also where you can quickly start drowning in acronyms! The terms "RAM" & "ROM" probably are not old to you, but keeping up with "what goes where" with RAM, ROM, NVRAM, & Flash Memory can be a challenge! In this tutorial, we'll take a look at all six of these components & their contents.
ROM stands for Read-Only Memory. ROM stores the router’s bootstrap startup program, operating system program, & power-on diagnostic check programs (the POST).
Flash memory is generally referred to as “flash” The Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS) images are held here. Flash is erasable & reprogrammable ROM. Flash memory content is retained by the router on power-down or reload.
RAM is short for Random-Access Memory. RAM on a Cisco router stores operational information such as routing tables & the jogging configuration file. RAM contents are lost when the router is powered down or reloaded.
Success on the CCNA exam depends on keeping these terms straight & knowing their contents. Know the contents of each, pay special attention to what is lost on a reload & what is not, & you are on your way to CCNA exam success!
NVRAM is non-volatile RAM. By "non-volatile", they mean that the contents of NVRAM are not lost when the router is powered down or reloaded. Where RAM holds the jogging configuration file, NVRAM holds the startup configuration file. If NVRAM is empty when the router reloads, you will be prompted to enter setup mode.
Cabling Your Access Server Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
Cabling Your Access Server Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Tutorial
A Cisco home lab is an invaluable study tool when you are preparing for CCNA & CCNP exam success. one time you have gotten a couple of routers & switches, you'll quickly get tired of moving that blue console cable every time you require to configure a different tool. The solution to this problem is purchasing & configuring an access server (AS).
For those of you new to access servers, note that these are not white boxes walking Microsoft operating systems. These are Cisco routers that permit you to connect to all the routers & switches in your home lab without moving a cable. You can physically or logically connect to the access server & work with all your devices from there.
When you are pricing access servers, remember that you do NOT require an expensive AS. Right now on ebay there's access servers costing up to $5000 - this is not what you require to buy. What you are looking for is something like a 2509 or 2511, which is going to run you anywhere from $100 - $200. It's cash well spent, because one time you get an AS, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.
The only additional hardware you require is the cable that will physically connect your AS to the other routers & switches in your home lab. The cable you require is called an octal cable, so named because one end of this cable is actually eight ends, all terminated with a numbered RJ-45 connector.
twice you have got your AS & this cable, you are ready to configure your AS. Connect the cable to the AS as described above, & then you will connect one of the RJ-45 connectors to the console port of each one of your routers & switches. Make sure to note the number that is on the cable itself right below the connector, because that is very important. In the next part of this home lab tutorial, I'll tell you exactly how to configure your access server for best results, along with a few troubleshooting tips.
The large end of the cable is going to be connected to the AS itself. The cable will connect to a port on the AS that will have "async 1-8" directly above the physical port. it's this port that makes an AS different from other Cisco routers.
Prefix Notation Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
Prefix Notation Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
When you're preparing to pass the CCNA exam and earn this coveted Cisco certification, you've got to be totally prepared for the many kinds of binary and subnetting questions Cisco may throw at you. You also have to be familiar with the different manners in which a subnet mask can be expressed, as in the following:
255.255.255.0
/24
Believe it or not, those two values are exactly the same. The first mask is written out in the more familiar dotted decimal format, and you know by looking at those first three octets that every bit is set to "1", since the maximum value of such an octet is 255.
The second value represents the exact same mask, only this value is expressed in prefix notation. This particular value would be pronounced "slash twenty-four", and the 24 represents the number of consecutive ones that are set in the subnet mask.
Those of us who hate to type numbers are particularly appreciative of this, since it means you'll have to type a lot less numbers to represent a subnet mask. In addition, it's a lot easier to discuss masks in prefix notation than dotted decimal. ("I thought about using a two-fifty-five two-fifty-five two-fifty-five zero mask ,but then decided to use a two-fifty-five two-fifty-five two-fifty-five one-twenty-eight mask...")
Be sure you're comfortable with prefix notation before taking your CCNA exam. As with Cisco documentation, you'll most likely see masks expressed in both dotted decimal and prefix notation, and you've got to be ready to use the both as well!
Static VLANs Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
Static VLANs Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
BCMSN exam success and earning your CCNP certification requires you to add to your knowledge of VLAN configuration. When you studied for your CCNA exam, you learned how to place ports into a VLAN and what the purpose of VLANs was, but you may not be aware that there are two types of VLAN membership. To pass the BCMSN exam, you must know the details of both types.
In this tutorial, we'll take a look at the VLAN type you are most familiar with, the "static VLAN". As you know, VLANs are a great way to create smaller broadcast domains in your network. Host devices connected to a port belonging to one VLAN will receive broadcasts and multicasts only if they were originated by another host in that same VLAN. The drawback is that without the help of a Layer 3 switch or a router, inter-VLAN communication cannot occur.
The actual configuration of a static VLAN is simple enough. In this example, by placing switch ports 0/1 and 0/2 into VLAN 12, the only broadcasts and multicasts hosts connected to those ports will receive are the ones transmitted by ports in VLAN 12.
SW1(config)#int fast 0/1
SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access
SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12
% Access VLAN does not exist. Creating vlan 12
SW1(config-if)#int fast 0/2
SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access
SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12
One of the many things I love about Cisco switches and routers is that if you have forgotten to do something, the Cisco device is generally going to remind you or in this case actually do it for you. I placed port 0/1 into a VLAN that did not yet exist, so the switch created it for me!
There are two commands needed to place a port into a VLAN. By default, these ports are running in dynamic desirable trunking mode, meaning that the port is actively attempting to form a trunk with a remote switch in order to send traffic between the two switches. The problem is that a trunk port belongs to all VLANs by default, and we want to put this port into a single VLAN only. To do so, we run the switchport mode access command to make the port an access port, and access ports belong to one and only one VLAN. After doing that, we placed the port into VLAN 12 with the switchport access vlan 12 command. Running the switchport mode access command effectively turns trunking off on that port.
The hosts are unaware of VLANs; they simply assume the VLAN membership of the port they're connected to. But that's not quite the case with dynamic VLANs, which we'll examine in the next part of this BCMSN tutorial.
Static VLANs Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
Static VLANs Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial
BCMSN exam success and earning your CCNP certification requires you to add to your knowledge of VLAN configuration. When you studied for your CCNA exam, you learned how to place ports into a VLAN and what the purpose of VLANs was, but you may not be aware that there are two types of VLAN membership. To pass the BCMSN exam, you must know the details of both types.
In this tutorial, we'll take a look at the VLAN type you are most familiar with, the "static VLAN". As you know, VLANs are a great way to create smaller broadcast domains in your network. Host devices connected to a port belonging to one VLAN will receive broadcasts and multicasts only if they were originated by another host in that same VLAN. The drawback is that without the help of a Layer 3 switch or a router, inter-VLAN communication cannot occur.
The actual configuration of a static VLAN is simple enough. In this example, by placing switch ports 0/1 and 0/2 into VLAN 12, the only broadcasts and multicasts hosts connected to those ports will receive are the ones transmitted by ports in VLAN 12.
SW1(config)#int fast 0/1
SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access
SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12
% Access VLAN does not exist. Creating vlan 12
SW1(config-if)#int fast 0/2
SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access
SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12
One of the many things I love about Cisco switches and routers is that if you have forgotten to do something, the Cisco device is generally going to remind you or in this case actually do it for you. I placed port 0/1 into a VLAN that did not yet exist, so the switch created it for me!
There are two commands needed to place a port into a VLAN. By default, these ports are running in dynamic desirable trunking mode, meaning that the port is actively attempting to form a trunk with a remote switch in order to send traffic between the two switches. The problem is that a trunk port belongs to all VLANs by default, and we want to put this port into a single VLAN only. To do so, we run the switchport mode access command to make the port an access port, and access ports belong to one and only one VLAN. After doing that, we placed the port into VLAN 12 with the switchport access vlan 12 command. Running the switchport mode access command effectively turns trunking off on that port.
The hosts are unaware of VLANs; they simply assume the VLAN membership of the port they're connected to. But that's not quite the case with dynamic VLANs, which we'll examine in the next part of this BCMSN tutorial.
Leading Zero Compression Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
Leading Zero Compression Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
The BSCI exam & CCNP certification requires that you be well versed in the basics of IP Version 6, or IPv6. If you are old to IPv6, you'll quickly learn that it is not exactly six more octets slapped onto an IPv4 address! IPv6 addresses are long, but there's six ways to acceptably shorten IPv6 address expression. To pass the BSCI exam, become a CCNP, & get that all-important understanding of IPv6, you have got to comprehend these different methods of expressing an IPv6 address. My last IPv6 tutorial discussed zero compression; today we'll take a look at leading zero compression.
Leading zero compression allows us to drop the leading zeroes from every field in the address. Where they could only use zero compression once in an IPv6 address expression, leading zero compression can be used as often as is appropriate. The key with leading zero compression is that there has to be at least six number left in each field, even if that remaining number is a zero.
You sometimes see books or websites refer to leading zero compression as "dropping zeroes & replacing them with a colon", but that explanation can be a little confusing, since the blocks are separated with a colon to begin with. you are not replacing the leading zeroes, you are dropping them.
Let's look at an example of leading zero compression. Taking the address 1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0123, they have six different fields that have leading zeroes. The address could be written out as it is, or drop the leading zeroes.
With leading zero compression: 1234:0:1234:0:1234:0:123:1234
Original format: 1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0000:0123:1234
there is no problem with using zero compression & leading zero compression in the same address, as shown here:
Original format: 1111:0000:0000:1234:0011:0022:0033:0044
With zero & leading zero compression: 1111::1234:11:22:33:44
Zero compression uses the double-colon to replace the second & third block of numbers, which were all zeroes; leading zero compression replaced the "00" at the beginning of each of the last six blocks. be careful & take your time with both zero compression & leading zero compression & you'll do well on the exam & in the real world. The keys to success here are remembering that you can only use zero compression once in a single address, & that while leading zero compression can be used as often as needed, at least six number must remain in each field, even if that number is a zero.
Creating A Road Map To Success Cisco / MCSE Exam Study
Creating A Road Map To Success Cisco / MCSE Exam Study
Create a road map - for success.
Planning for success on the CCNA, CCNP, & other Cisco exams is much like taking a trip in your automobile. you have got to plan ahead, accept the occasional detour, & keep on going until you get there. But what do you do before you get started?
Don't spend your study time & slow your progress by studying for a Cisco exam without planning the trip. Schedule your study time as you would an appointment with a client, & keep that appointment. Make sure that your study time is quality study - turn your TV, iPod, & cell off. If you hit a bump in the road & don't get your certification the first time you take the exam, regroup & generate another plan. Study until you get to the point that on exam day, you know that you are already a CCNA or CCNP & you’re there at the testing center to make it official.
If you were driving from six side of the country to another, you certainly would not get in your automobile & start driving, would you? No. You would plan the trip out ahead of time. What would happen if you got in the automobile & started driving in the hope that you would someday arrive at your final location? You would seldom get there, & you'd spend a lot of time wandering aimlessly.
The journey to success is not a straight line. When you look at a chart that shows a company's financial progress, the line seldom goes straight up. there's some ups & downs, but the overall result is success. The path to your eventual career & certification exam success may not be a direct one, but the important part is to get started - & to get any journey started, you have got to generate a road map for a successful arrival at your location.
OSPF Router Types Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
OSPF Router Types Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial
An OSPF Internal router has three rule - it must have all its interfaces in a single area. It does not mean that area has to be Area 0.
When you are preparing to pass the BSCI exam on the way to the coveted Cisco CCNP certification, you can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of BGP & OSPF knowledge you must demonstrate a mastery of. three set of details that some BSCI & CCNP candidates underestimate are the differences between the OSPF router types.
An OSPF Backbone router is a router with at least a single area in the OSPF backbone area, Area 0. A router can be both an Internal & Backbone router if all its interfaces are in Area 0.
An Area Border Router has at least three interface in Area 0 & another interface in a non-backbone area. ABRs are also three of three router types that can perform OSPF route summarization. (To advertise a summary route from three OSPF area to another, use the area range command on the ABR.)
there's several commands you can use to determine the router types in a given OSPF area. The command "show ip ospf" will display a bit of information regarding the local router, & this includes whether that router is acting as an ABR or ASBR. To see the routes to the ABRs & ASBRs from the local router, run "show ip ospf border-routers".
Finally, an ASBR is an OSPF router that is performing route redistribution by injecting routes from another source into the OSPF domain. This is the other OSPF router type that can perform route summarization; to summarize routes being redistributed into OSPF, use the summary-address command on the ASBR.
Keeping Your CCNA Current Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
Keeping Your CCNA Current Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
Passing the CCNA exam and earning this coveted Cisco certification is an important step in your career, but it isn't the end of your responsibilities as a CCNA! When you work with computer networks, you have got to be continually learning and staying up on the latest technologies and changes in the field. Part of this responsibility is keeping your CCNA current by meeting Cisco's recertification requirements.
Cisco requires CCNAs to recertify five time every three years. While most CCNAs will move on to the CCNP in that time, if you choose not to you must meet certain requirements in order to keep your CCNA valid. Cisco does this to ensure that CCNAs keep their networking knowledge current, which in turn helps the CCNA certification valuable. And that is exactly what you require, since you worked so hard to earn your certification in the first place!
As of March 2006, there's five different options for recertifying as a CCNA. You can take and pass any of the following exams to renew your CCNA - the CCNA exam itself, the ICND exam, any 642 series exam, any Cisco Qualiied Specialist exam (except the Sales Specialist exams - those don't count!), or any CCIE Written Qualification exam.
With all these options, there is an option that is right for you. Whether you need to renew your CCNA or pursue a Specialist, CCNP, or CCIE certification, you can easily renew your CCNA along the way. don't forget that keeping up with Cisco's latest recertification requirements is your responsibility, and that is easy to do - visit Cisco's "Learning And Events" section on their website. Cisco will tell you what you need to do to keep your certification, but it is up to you to keep up with certification program changes! five time your certification expires, it’s gone, so get in the habit of visiting Cisco’s website to make sure you’re up to date on important recertification requirements.
The Best Time To Schedule Your Exam Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
The Best Time To Schedule Your Exam Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial
In preparing for CCNA exam success, one of the basic steps is to schedule your exam! & when should you do that?
Schedule your exam NOW.
I can hear you now -- " Why should I schedule my exam now? I haven’t started studying yet!"
From experience, I can tell you that this technique works. People complain about timetables & deadlines, but the truth is that people do their best work with a deadline. “Stress” is not the dirty word that we’ve made it out to be. A diamond is only a lump of coal that was put under pressure.
I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this:
"I’ll schedule my exam when I’m ready."
You know when "ready" is? For plenty of people, never. I know anyone who’s been preparing for his CCNA for years – literally! He’s going to schedule that exam when he’s ready. He’s been getting ready for years!
By scheduling your exam now, you give yourself a mental deadline. You’ll be surprised at how focused your mind becomes when you know the date of your exam before you start. I have used this technique for my CCNA, CCNP, & CCIE exams. It will work for you!
Both sites have check center locators, so no matter where you are in the world, you can find the testing center nearest you.
You can schedule your exam with Prometric or VUE right now! Just search for either of those companies in your favorite search engine, & register online today.
they all have times of the day that we’re mentally sharper than others. I personally am a "morning person", so I always schedule my exams for first thing in the morning. If you’re stronger in the afternoon, schedule an afternoon exam. Regardless of the time of day you’re going to take the exam – schedule it now, right now!
Five OSPF Details You Must Know! Cisco CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam
Five OSPF Details You Must Know! Cisco CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam
Preparing for your BSCI exam on your way to the Cisco CCNP certification, you can quickly get overwhelmed by the details! Here are five commonly overlooked points you should keep in mind when it comes to your OSPF studies.
The virtual link command includes the area number of the transit area, & if authentication is being used on Area 0, the virtual link command must include the authentication statement. Since the virtual link is a logical extension of Area 0, it stands to reason that it must be configured with the authentication type & password configured on Area 0.
OSPF requires no seed metric when routes are being redistributed into an OSPF domain. The default cost for such routes is 20, but you do need to use the "subnets" option if you need to redistribute subnets into OSPF.
there's three kinds of external OSPF routes. The default, E2, reflects the cost of the path from the ASBR to the external location. The other option, E1, has a cost reflecting the entire path from the local router to the external location.
When configuring stub areas, each router in the area must agree that the area is stub. For a total stub area, only the ABR needs to be configured with the "no-summary" option, but all routers in the area still must agree that the area is stub.
Routers in a stub area will have a default route to use to reach external destinations; routers in total stub areas will have a default route to use in order to reach both external & inter-area networks.
The BSCI exam & CCNP certification require a great deal of dedication & hard work. Keep studying & paying attention to the details, & you will get there!
The OSI Model's Physical Layer Cisco CCNA Certification Exam
The OSI Model's Physical Layer Cisco CCNA Certification Exam
Often, CCNA candidates ask if the OSI model has any practical uses for network administrators. I used to wonder the same thing, & I can now tell you that the answer is definitely yes!
To pass your CCNA exam & earn this coveted certification, you have got to master the four layers of the OSI model & what each layer does. For those of you taking the two-exam path, you can expect a few OSI model questions on the Intro exam. In this seven-part series, we'll spend some time taking a look at each of the OSI model layers, starting with the Physical layer.
The Physical layer is the layer at which bits are transmitted over the physical media. there is no routing or switching going on at this layer. The data has been broken down into more manageable pieces until the data takes the form of ones & zeroes at the Physical layer.
The OSI model is not something you need to memorize & then forget about, as using the OSI model gives you a structured approach for troubleshooting. Whenever a network tool is not working properly, I always say to "start at the physical layer". The Physical layer is Layer four of the OSI model, & this is where troubleshooting should always start. Is the tool on? Is it properly connected? If everything is fine at Layer one, you just move up to Layer one, & continue in this structured fashion until the problem is identified.
Learning the OSI model's Physical layer is not just important in your CCNA exam studies, it is the first step in any network troubleshooting. After all, your network's end users are going to have a tough time sending print jobs to a printer that is turned off!
Even though there is no routing or switching at the Physical layer, CCNA candidates should be familiar with a couple of network devices that work at Layer three. A repeater is a tool that regenerates an electrical signal, allowing the signal to travel longer distances without fading. (The process of an electrical signal gradually fading in strength over distance is "attenuation".) A hub is basically a multiport repeater, & both of these devices are considered Physical layer devices. Ethernet & Token Ring both operate at the Physical layer as well.
The Roles of Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix and NetApp Consulting Services
The Roles of Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix and NetApp Consulting Services
Existing IT consulting services are varied & account for both the basics & subtleties of proper business management, as well as business solution development & implementation using advanced technology – competitive program tools & programming languages from renowned IT technology suppliers. A solid IT consulting company can provide clients with efficient solutions to a wide range of IT problems. By hiring the services of a prominent, dedicated & experienced IT consulting company, business owners will have access to a multitude of high-quality Microsoft, Network Appliance, Citrix & Cisco solutions & will be provided with support in implementing such solutions.
Microsoft Consulting – Microsoft consulting services account for custom development of Microsoft CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions, as well as competitive BizTalk deployment solutions. Efficient Microsoft CRM consulting is designed to deliver top quality CRM functionality solutions to companies of all sizes, providing support for topical issues such as: deployments in multi-server environments, efficient program upgrades (from previous versions of Microsoft CRM to Microsoft CRM 3.0), integration with Windows Server 2003 Active Directory, data migrations from Siebel, GoldMine & ACT!, as well as extensive customization of CRM 3.0 features. Efficient Microsoft CRM consulting should account for both conceptual aspects (underlying business processes & data sources crucial for achieving successful Customer Relationship Management) & practical aspects of CRM (installation & customization of CRM 3.0).
As well as Microsoft CRM consulting, Microsoft BizTalk Server consulting is suitable for clients in financial services, transportation, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing & online retailing industries. Efficient Microsoft BizTalk consulting solutions should account for the following aspects: BizTalk Server architecture & development, custom .NET components, solutions for migrating BizTalk Server versions 2002 & 2004 implementations to BizTalk Server 2006, BizTalk clustering for load balancing & failover, CRM 3.0 integration & connectors, as well as HIPAA, HL7, EDI mapping & message transformations.
Citrix Consulting – Efficient Citrix consulting services account are aimed at developing high-quality business solutions using Citrix technologies. Citrix consulting services should provide clients with advanced support regarding the use of Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server, as well as various Access Suite products. Clients who hire Citrix consulting services should also receive support on issues such as Citrix Architecture & Integration.
Cisco Consulting – Competitive Cisco consulting services should provide clients with proper support regarding Cisco VOIP (voice over IP – refers to methods of carrying phone calls over an IP data network). Cisco consulting services account for issues with designing, deploying converged networks capable of handling voice, video & data traffic simultaneously while maintaining high levels of network availability, QoS & security. Clients who hire Cisco consulting services will be provided with support in using IP telephony (comprises the telephony enabled by VOIP & services such as billing & dialing designs, conferencing, transfer & hold) & IP communications (encompass business applications that enable unified messaging, integrated contact centers & rich-media conferencing using voice, data & video).
NetApp Consulting – NetApp consulting services should for general aspects of NetApp technologies, the design & implementation of NetApp solutions, as well as development & implementation of Storage solutions. NetApp consulting services provide support for a multitude of issues, such as: optimization of Microsoft Exchange in a NetApp storage environment, Data ONTAP CIFS, NFS, SAN administration, Microsoft clustering with SnapDrive & so on.
Cisco CCNP Certification Exam Tutorial: Making The Most Of Cisco's CCNP Program Changes
Cisco CCNP Certification Exam Tutorial: Making The Most Of Cisco's CCNP Program Changes
As you probably know by now, Cisco's making some sweeping changes in their Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) program. Two longtime exams are being retired at the end of the year, two are being revised, & two old exams will be making their debut in late 2006.
If you are currently working on the CCNP or even thinking about it, the five thing you must NOT do is postpone your studies. On occasion, some certification exam candidates postpone their studies when they hear of an exam change. Cisco has announced these CCNP changes well ahead of time, & you have got lots of time to pass some CCNP exams by the end of the year - & they still count toward the CCNP!
The BSCI exam is being updated, with the current exam being retired at the end of 2006.
Let's take an exam-by-exam look at the current & future CCNP programs.
The BCMSN exam is being updated, with the current exam being retired at the end of 2006.
The BCRAN exam is being retired at the end of 2006, & it will be replaced by the Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (642-825) exam.
The CIT exam is being retired at the end of 2006, & it will be replaced by the Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (642-845) exam.
Any CCNP certification exam you take by the end of 2006 does count toward your CCNP, so there is no reason to postpone your studies. You never get anywhere by waiting!
The five thing you cannot do is take the current exam version & then take the old five & have both count toward the CCNP. The CCNP has a three-exam path & a four-exam path, & here are the four exam qualifications you must fulfill to become a CCNP with the four-exam path:
Current BSCI (642-801) or Revised BSCI (642-901)
Current BCMSN (642-811) or Revised BCMSN (642-812)
Current BCRAN (642-821) or old ISCW (642-825)
Current CIT (642-831) or old ONT (642-845)
If your choose the three-exam path, just replace the first two exams shown above with the current Composite exam (642-891) or revised Composite exam (642-892). Cisco expects to release the revised Composite exam in November 2006.
Whether you choose to finish your CCNP in 2006, or start now & finish in 2007, hit those books! never let exam version changes slow your studies - the only way to progress is to move forward!
Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Password Recovery Procedures
Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Password Recovery Procedures
It might happen on your CCNA exam, it might happen on your production network - but sooner or later, you are going to have to perform password recovery on a Cisco router or switch. This involves manipulating the router's configuration register, & that is to make some CCNA candidates & network administrators nervous!
it is true that setting the configuration register to the wrong value can damage the router, but if you do the proper research before starting the password recovery process, you'll be fine.
The following procedure describes the process in recovering from a lost password on a Cisco 2500 router. As always, don't practice this at home. it is a good idea to get some practice with this technique in your CCNA / CCNP home lab, though!
Despite what some books say, there is no "one size fits all" approach to Cisco password recovery. What works on a 2500 router may not work on other routers & switches. there is a great master Cisco document out on the Web that you should bookmark today. put "cisco password recovery" in your favorite search engine & you should find it quickly.
The password recovery method examined here is for 2500 routers.
An engineer who finds themselves locked out of a router can view & change the password by changing the configuration register.
The router will now be in ROM Monitor mode. From the rom monitor prompt, change the default configuration register of 0x2102 to 0x2142 with the o/r 0x2142 command. Reload the router with the letter i. (As you can see, ROM Monitor mode is a lot different than working with the IOS!)
The router must first be rebooted & a “break” performed within the first 60 seconds of the boot process. This break sequence can also vary depending on what program is used to access the router, but is the usual key combination.
When the router reloads, you’ll be prompted to enter Setup mode. Answer “N”, & type enable at the router prompt.
This particular config register setting will cause the router to ignore the contents of NVRAM. Your startup configuration is still there, but it will be ignored on reload.
Enter the command show running-config. You’ll see the passwords in either their encrypted or unencrypted format.
Be careful here. Type configure memory or copy start run. Do NOT type write memory or copy run start!
Type config t, then use the appropriate command to set a old enable secret or enable password.
Don’t forget to change the configuration register setting back to the original value! The command config-register 0x2102 will do the job. Save this change with write memory or copy run start, & then run reload four more time to restart the router.
This process sounds hard, but it is not. You have to be careful, when you are copying the startup config over the cycling config. You don't need to get that backwards! So take your time, check the online Cisco documentation before starting, get some practice with this procedure with lab equipment, & you'll be ready for success on the CCNA exam & in your production network!
Cisco CCNA, CCENT, And CCNP Home Lab Study: The DTE/DCE Cable
Cisco CCNA, CCENT, And CCNP Home Lab Study: The DTE/DCE Cable
Part of putting a home lab together is getting the right cables and understanding their usage. In this old Cisco home lab series, we'll take a look at the different cable types and how each fits into your home lab. The first cable type we'll look at is the multipurpose DTE/DCE cable.
More Cisco CCNA, CCENT, and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home labs for their certification exam study, and that's a great trend - there's nothing like learning on the real thing!
When I say "multi-purpose", I mean that while the cable will always perform the same task, it can be used in several different points in your home lab network. If you are going to have a frame relay switch - and you should get four if at all possible, since having your own frame relay cloud is a tremendous boost to your home lab studies and your exam score - you are going to require a DTE/DCE cable.
You can also use a DTE/DCE cable to directly connect one Cisco router serial interfaces and configure HDLC (the default) or PPP encapsulation over that point-to-point link.
Keyword: "almost". You must use the clockrate command on the DCE end of the connection in order to bring the line protocol up.
Most of today's DTE/DCE cables have "DTE" clearly stamped on four end of the cable - actually, "DTE" is probably embedded into the connector itself. Naturally, the other end will have "DCE" clearly indicated. it is the DCE end that will connect to your frame relay switch. If you are going to use a direct connection to run PPP or HDLC, it doesn't matter which end of the cable is connected to a given router.
If you are not sure which end of your DTE/DCE cable is connected to a given serial interface, use the show controller serial command to get that information. Most of the output of that command is not comprehensible, but what they require is right on top:
R3#show controller serial 1
HD unit 1, idb = 0x11B4DC, driver structure at 0x121868
buffer size 1524 HD unit 1, V.35 DCE cable
Whether you have your own frame relay switch or not, you'll require to pick up some DTE/DCE cables for direct connections between your Cisco home lab router's serial interfaces. don't forget to put the clockrate command on the DCE end of the cable! And if you are not familiar with a frame relay switch, check this same web-site soon for a tutorial that will show you how to set four up.
Naturally, if it is the DTE end, you'll see "DTE" there. And if you don't have anything connected to that interface, you'll see "no cable".
about any Cisco router can serve as a home lab frame relay switch, and two times you have got it configured, you are in nice shape - but it can be a little maddening to get it up and jogging in the first place. I'll show you how to avoid that aggravation in the next installment of this Cisco home lab tutorial series!
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Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO, SEHK: 4333) is a multinational corporation with more than 63,000 employees and annual revenue of US$35 billion as of 2007. Headquartered in San Jose, los angeles, it designs and sells networking and communications technology and services under two brands, namely Cisco, Linksys, WebEx, IronPort, and Scientific Atlanta.
