CCNA Lab setup equipment

Question

If there are any network pros out there can one of you give me your thoughts on these lab setups for ccna prep?

Lab 1

Routers:

2x Cisco 2610 w/ 12.3.26 IOS (Absolute top of the line IOS for this model) 2x WIC-1T (Providing the first Serial Interface on each 2610 Router) 2x WIC-1DSU-T1 (Providing the second Serial Interface on each 2610 Router)

Switches:

2x Cisco WS-C2924-XL-EN Enterprise Enhanced IOS Software

Cables:

1x Cat5 T-1 Serial Crossover Cable

1x DTE/DCE Serial Crossover Cable

3x Ethernet straight-thru cables to connect your LAN to the various lab networks as per Cisco Academy Labs

2x Ethernet crossover cables to be used for VLAN Trunking between switches as well as router to router connections

4x Power Cords

1x Console cable DB9 to RJ45

Lab 2

1. Two Cisco 2600 Series 2610 Routers having minimum 8MB Flash, 1 Ethernet port, 2 Serial ports

2. Two Cisco 3500 Series Switches 3524-XL having 24 Fast Ethernet, 2 Gigabit Interfaces

3. 2 Back to Back Serial Cables to connect Routers

4. 1 Console Cable to configure the Routers and Switch

5. 4 Power Cables

Answer 1

Nothing compares to using GNS3 and DynaMIPS to simulate the hardware of your entire test network. You will be able to run the actual IOS that the routers run.

Answer 2

That would probably be serviceable. Although the newer CCNA tests also cover SDM which you wouldn't be able to run on that equipment. A great resource for lab build info, as well as a place to buy full kits is Cisco Certification Kits - Specifically their CCNA lab suggestion page

I found a lot of useful information there when i was researching getting a CCNA.

Answer 3

If you can get your hands on a copy of Packet Tracer, I found that way more useful test wise than trying to cobble together a real lab. Also, the simulations on the test are pretty much identical to a packet tracer session (less than complete command lists and such).

Good luck!