One of the biggest hurdles for people just learning about Cisco is knowing how to learn the equipment and the systems without undergoing immense financial debt.
Many new IT professionals simply don’t have a lot of money available to spend on a Cisco lab full of Cisco equipment, and not everyone has an employer with suitable Cisco lab equipment. What is one to do?
Choosing Routers
There are a number of routers to choose from that exist within the open market; some are better deals than others depending on who the seller is and how much experience they have. Unfortunately, many people selling used Cisco equipment are also more so trying to make money from the venture than helping those pursuing their academic intellect. This gives those companies with the required talent (preferably Cisco certified people on staff) the opportunity to offer reasonably priced used Cisco equipment and fulfills the requirements of the current and future certifications.
Frame Relay
While the frame relay technology is rather dated, it’s still used in many environments and scenarios and offers an easy to implement small-scale networking experience for those looking to enter the field. To simulate frame relay in a Cisco lab, the easiest way (and typically cheapest) is to buy a good used Cisco router. These devices offer 2 or 8 serial connections that can be used to connect to Frame Relay end devices.
Another option which some people can take advantage of, is to use modular serial cards that are available to fit in most general purpose routers. Just plug in one or more of these cards and most routers will support frame relay switching.
For General Purpose
There are some available options for general purpose routers within a lab. The general features required for the CCNA Routing and Switching level exams are rather generic and exist in most router platforms. The question is whether you plan to take the next step or not. If this is the case the decision is really based on what support you need for those paths.
As a legitimate reseller, Network I.T. can give you a good value for your product. Network I.T. specializes in:
a. CCIE Equipment
b. CCNA Equipment
c. CCNP Equipment
Network I.T. buys and sells used Cisco equipment in Toronto, the GTA and throughout Canada. Contact Network I.T. today!