Topic 'Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack' in forum 'Home and Office Setups' - dslreports.com

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 14 Jun 2015 08:37:05 EDT

TomS_ posted : #prodlife

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Jun 2015 21:47:58 EDT

tubbynet posted : tom -- you know me. i wear a cowboy hat into changes.
i dont always test my configs -- but when i do -- i do it in prod.

;-)

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Jun 2015 20:41:12 EDT

LittleBill posted :

said by TomS_:

said by tubbynet:

just so i can be reckless.

Part of learning is learning not to be reckless. :)

it also teaches you what you should and shouldn't do in a production environment. my goal generally in labs is to break things to the point of factory defaults.
--
There's no place like 127.0.0.1

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Jun 2015 05:56:05 EDT

TomS_ posted :

said by tubbynet:

just so i can be reckless.

Part of learning is learning not to be reckless. :)

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 19:46:56 EDT

tubbynet posted : in theory -- but since on most older kit -- there is no dedicated mgmt interface in vrf. also -- even with dedicated mgmt interface -- you still have a shared fate scenario, wherein "out of band" mgmt still depends highly on control-plane of the box. this was quite a topic of discussion on [c-nsp] as n7k/sup2 came out, as the cmp was completely removed (and cmp had completely separate mgmt and control-plane that did not suffer from
shared-fate scenario).
long story short -- console always works if its plugged in. i dont need to exercise caution in reload or routing, etc. i keep my lab isolated -- and connectivity via console on all devices, just so i can be reckless.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 19:41:29 EDT

tubbynet posted : i like the pi. just havent had a chance to spend a lot of time with them.
my big project has involved a pair of i5 intel nucs running vsphere 5.5 off my synology nas.

i can just spin up a serial server in linux on x86 in about an hour (from scratch, including o/s install). use an old pentium-m box with a gig of ram. you're in like flynn.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 04:57:13 EDT

TomS_ posted : IMO one goal of labbing should be to get connectivity going so you can SSH to your routers etc, rather than needing to rely on serial.

Serial should then become the "oops I accidentally the whole ACL" recovery method.

And yeah, 2811's are noisy little buggers. Although they take up more RUs, 2821 through 3825 are a far better option - bigger fans, lower speed, lower/deeper noise.

Except my Juniper M7i's. Those things create hurricanes. :-/

But MX2020's create more.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 04:54:31 EDT

TomS_ posted :

said by tubbynet:

everyone needs a spare linux box lying around

Thats what a Raspberry Pi is for. :D

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 17:26:05 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by sk1939:

True, although I don't like the octal cables and this was cheaper.

understood.
however -- what i've done is bought a bunch of couplers -- then i use cheap patch cords to connect to the end devices. in this way -- i save the connections on the octal side -- and if i break the patch cable (like the plastic clip or whatever) i can replace pretty easily.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 14:39:49 EDT

sk1939 posted :

said by tubbynet:

said by sk1939:

True, that thing belongs in a museum. Nonetheless, it is fairly simple to use though.

i used 2500s to get my ccna about 12 years ago. they were aging then.
if i want a cisco console server -- i'll spend a bit of money and get the nm32-a.

q.

True, although I don't like the octal cables and this was cheaper. It's not internet-facing at the very least so it's not a security vulnerability, although I've debated as to whether or not I should create a "public" lab.
--
Anyone who said something is impossible has never tried working for this circus.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 11:54:33 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by sk1939:

True, that thing belongs in a museum. Nonetheless, it is fairly simple to use though.

i used 2500s to get my ccna about 12 years ago. they were aging then.
if i want a cisco console server -- i'll spend a bit of money and get the nm32-a.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 11:53:38 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by pb2k:

My computer chair is literately right beside the rack. I don't even need to get up to move a console cable.

understood. however -- it is really nice to have any number of devices up and functioning at once handling everything.
in this way -- you just crack open a bunch of scrt tabs and go to town.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 11:24:13 EDT

pb2k posted : My computer chair is literately right beside the rack. I don't even need to get up to move a console cable. Later on down the road if I move into a larger place I may want to have the rack in a different room, as having everything going at once gets a bit annoying. I'm considering dumping the 2811s, as they are by far the most annoying.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Wed, 27 May 2015 09:25:49 EDT

sk1939 posted :

said by tubbynet:

said by sk1939:

Cisco 2511 FTW

i like running something that actually has somewhat current code.
the nice thing about the linux box -- is everyone needs a spare linux box lying around...

two birds, a stone, and so forth...

q.

True, that thing belongs in a museum. Nonetheless, it is fairly simple to use though.
--
Anyone who said something is impossible has never tried working for this circus.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Tue, 26 May 2015 23:18:10 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by sk1939:

Cisco 2511 FTW

i like running something that actually has somewhat current code.
the nice thing about the linux box -- is everyone needs a spare linux box lying around...

two birds, a stone, and so forth...

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Tue, 26 May 2015 21:36:36 EDT

sk1939 posted : Cisco 2511 FTW

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 21 May 2015 23:20:21 EDT

tubbynet posted : hit me up if you want to roll your own console server.
spare laptop and a grip of usb to serials. linux. udev rules. and ser2net.

makes it nifty.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 20:37:29 EDT

pb2k posted : This is probably going to be the final configuration for the foreseeable future. It'll be enough for CCNP.

Re-did all the power cabling, as I got some 2 and 3ft pwr cables as well as the the second PDU, which made a huge difference on neatness. Also added another 2x Com port adapter to my computer for a total of 5 terminals at any one given time.
[att=1]
[att=2]
The cables coming out the bottom were tidied and zip tied after the picture was taken.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 17:28:33 EDT

anon posted : Getting back to the rack itself --

Rather than using wood, (Been there and done that) you might want to have a look a this link from Star Case- They sell the iron, and you just mount it to the box sides to get a solid case rail. You can also do four rails, if you need to build rear support for heavier items.

»starcase.com/multiple_ap ··· rail.htm

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:56:08 EDT

neill6705 posted : I know, I was just saying that's how the curriculum was designed.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:15:07 EDT

sk1939 posted : That's something I'm going to have to look into.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:11:10 EDT

tubbynet posted : rack rentals, brah.

q.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 23:10:05 EDT

sk1939 posted : Yes, although it's not recommended without extensive industry experience, especially for the lab portion. That's the issue I've been facing with the DC exam since I haven't been able to get hands-on with a UCS chassis.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:41:56 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by neill6705:

It's more of a path, not so much either or. It goes CCENT>CCNA>CCNP>CCIE.

you can cold take the ccie without having any of the prior certs.
the path is a recommendation to gain the skillset required to pass the ccie -- but its not required by any means.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:41:56 EDT

neill6705 posted : It's more of a path, not so much either or. It goes CCENT>CCNA>CCNP>CCIE.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:18:39 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by sk1939:

The CCIE is quite a bit more difficult than either of the two previous exams.

go big or go home.
just jump into the ccie.

:-)

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 14:34:20 EDT

sk1939 posted : Do the CCNP first since you do it in three parts. The CCIE is quite a bit more difficult than either of the two previous exams.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:12:23 EDT

pb2k posted : School. If I get a decent exam discount for CCNA, I'll probably write that in late January, and then decide if CCNP or CCIE is the way I want to go.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:04:13 EDT

neill6705 posted : Nice setup. Are you practicing for an exam, or just practicing to learn more?

Also, any rack that doesn't use cage nuts is a good rack in my book.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:02:40 EDT

HELLFIRE posted : Schweeeeet! :D

Regards

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:52:54 EDT

tubbynet posted : csr1000v and xr/v are both available on cco.
xr/v is demo-locked to low-speed throughput. also -- you need enterprise esxi license to support serial over network.

csr1000v is much more tiered, offering price points for throughput and feature support. datasheets will give you the info.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 23:07:56 EDT

sk1939 posted :

said by tubbynet:

said by pb2k:

I was going to pull the 3745, but some of the recommendations for CCIE labs suggest up to 20 routers

Are those available now? The license cost must be prohibitive though.
--
Anyone who said something is impossible has never tried working for this circus.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:23:46 EDT

tubbynet posted :

said by pb2k:

I was going to pull the 3745, but some of the recommendations for CCIE labs suggest up to 20 routers

yes.
at this point -- its much easier to buy a hot piece of compute -- run gns3 with iou on it than it is to acquire and put up with the heat/power from a rack of ccie r/s equipment -- especially with things like csr1000v and xr/v being available for use inside of a vsphere environment as well.

q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..."

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:00:43 EDT

pb2k posted : It's open in the back, and ~6 inches from the wall

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:39:41 EDT

rodjames posted : he doesn't need it. the smug coming off all those routers will self-cool.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:20:35 EDT

phantasm11b posted : What have you done for ventilation/air circulation?

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 11:30:09 EDT

pb2k posted : This is really starting to get out of hand...
[att=1]

I have one more 2821 that I need a replacement fan for (will go in the last 2U at the bottom). Also going to either remove the Nortel switch (had it for the PoE, which the 3560 now provides) or one of the 2950s and put the 3550-48 back in.

I was going to pull the 3745, but some of the recommendations for CCIE labs suggest up to 20 routers :o I'm currently deciding if I want to to recert my CCNA and do CCNP or just go straight for CCIE R&S (no prerequisites required).

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sun, 09 Feb 2014 16:34:38 EDT

Zorack posted : Sweet!!

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Sat, 08 Feb 2014 00:17:44 EDT

pb2k posted : Upgrade time!
Added 3750-24, 3550-24, 4x 2950
Power and console cables are now neatly formed in and I moved the rack to the other side of the room, as I got tired of getting up to move the console cable every time. Laziness FTW

[att=1]

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 06 Jan 2014 22:58:17 EDT

IhatemyISP posted :

said by Thane_Bitter:

You might be able to get square hole rails, some audio shops sell them for people that make portable racks for music equipment, still given the cost its probably not worth the aggravation. Keep watching kijiji & ebay, you might luck out and be able to get a rack for cheap.

That's exactly how I built mine. Got 4 rails for like $60 I believe. Mounted them to the box I made out of 2x4's
--
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"We screw, nut, and bolt"
"A hostile work environment"

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 26 Dec 2013 14:13:07 EDT

TomS_ posted : I couldnt say for certain, Ive only been living here about 7 months to date. But all of the power circuits in the house where I currently live have an RCD on them.

If I had to take a guess I would say it is a requirement.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 26 Dec 2013 14:06:59 EDT

TheMG posted :

said by TomS_:

The ground connection via the power plug is a safety ground, to kill the power circuit if a leak develops, e.g. at an RCD.

Is the UK one of those countries that requires pretty much all of the residential circuits to have RCD (we call them GFI) protection?

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:22:50 EDT

TomS_ posted :

said by pb2k:

Being that I'm screwed into wood, I'm debating if I should isolate the AC ground, connect all the chassis with a #8 back to the primary ground point.

Grounding via the chassis is less of a safety thing and more of a noise source removal thing.

The ground connection via the power plug is a safety ground, to kill the power circuit if a leak develops, e.g. at an RCD. Disconnecting this in any way will likely violate local laws, so leave it as is.

The ground connection via the chassis is designed to remove spurious signals and other waveforms that may either result in data corruption, or odd operational behavior, or even equipment damage.

Ive heard of a case in a large datacentre environment where a router was experiencing apparent hardware failure. After RMAing several components from the router and discovering there was nothing wrong with them, it was identified that the noise ground connection to the chassis was not in place. After attaching this the router operated with no further problems.

If you do want a noise ground for your gear, you should keep it separate from your electrical safety ground to ensure that it is as clean as possible. So you'll probably want to drive in a new ground rod. You should do an earth resistance test to determine how long the new ground rod needs to be to ensure that it is effective.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Thu, 19 Dec 2013 20:04:19 EDT

Thane_Bitter posted : You might be able to get square hole rails, some audio shops sell them for people that make portable racks for music equipment, still given the cost its probably not worth the aggravation. Keep watching kijiji & ebay, you might luck out and be able to get a rack for cheap.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 23:15:56 EDT

pb2k posted : I was actually thinking the exact same thing, but printing rack ears. Not sure if the plastic is strong enough, but it sure would have made my build easier. I also thought about metal attached to the wood, but trying to tap holes just seemed like a massive pain in the arse.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:01:31 EDT

heliox posted : I feel the need to add: You are not a 1337 H4X0R unless you 3D print your rack

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:28:52 EDT

DarkLogix posted : Been there done that

you're not a |337 h@&0r till you've build a rack in a machine shop.
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Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:19:25 EDT

TomS_ posted : Youre not a 1337 h4x0r until youve built your own rack out of wood.

Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 13:23:53 EDT

DarkLogix posted : Or just get this
»www.gruber.com/gruberind ··· 1500.htm

I used to use this before I got a 42HP rack.
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semper idem
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Re: Cisco lab with cheap DIY rack

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:05:09 EDT

TomS_ posted : I made a rack out of wood once. Just have to be careful not to over tighten the screws and ruin the thread of your holes.

Or do as a friend did and drill bigger holes and then hammer in wall plugs/screw anchors to create your thread. At least they can be replaced by drilling them out and hammering in a new one. :-)