GNS3 Lab & Exercise: Inter-VLAN Routing using Catalyst Switch

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well and is stomping out all of certification exams 1-by-1. As for me, I’m moving slow, but with great momentum – if that even makes sense. I haven’t posted in a long long while, but since then all you need to know is I failed my SWITCH exam on my first attempt this past September Boooo! But it’s OK and now I know exactly what I need to work on to ace it next time!

So this lab below is fairly easy, not much involved. In fact you could consider it an advanced CCNA switching lab. Call it what you like, but similar questions, labs and scenarios came up on the SWITCH exam.

Why am I posting it? Simple – as always to share labs! This is the first lab I’ve taken the time to save and compile with tasks and solutions in a long time. So I’m starting out with what is more or less the basic labs and hopefully I can keep that going with the more advanced labs as I complete them.

The lab below is a hybrid of GNS3 and real switches in my lab. I was able to scoop up some 3560 and 2960 switches which are perfect for my studies. Haven’t really looked at any routers cause I’m not doing TSHOOT labs yet. Either way, I believe that the same way I’m linking routers from GNS3 onto my hardware switches is actually enough for the TSHOOT as well. I do this using some USB to ethernet plugs from Rocketfishand these things are awesome! They also support dot1q encapsulation! I’ve been able to do massive labs with these things. For hosts I use VPCS – It’s something I’m just very use to and comfortable with using right now.

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: OSPF Case Study & Lab Scenario 3

How are we doing? So! As for me, I’ve beat the deadline for my CCNA expiration as well as the BSCI deadline! Wohoo! Very happy to say the least. Right now I’m working on SWITCH and hope to have this completed by the end of September..

There is a new site online that took the idea of this site (though they say they didn’t know this site existed) and is doing it 100 times better. If I could redo what I started here, I’d definitely do it a little differently today. But hey, at the time I was the only site. Anyway – the new GNS3 lab site dedicated and full of GNS3 labs is called GNS3-Vault and you can check it out at http://www.gns3vault.com .. Go check it out – they are doing a far better job with current labs than I can.

As for me, I’m studying very hard with the SWITCH studies and a new technical/study/personal blog at http://echoreplypackets.net. I’m sure I’ll be even more busy when I hit TSHOOT. I’m not saying I’m taking the site down or stopping labs, but this will end up becoming the site where I upload labs that I’ve used my own as well as labs that you guys contribute more than a lab supplying site.

GNS3 Vault is a great site! Go over and support it! Plenty of good labs.

Now onto the lab!

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Petition Cisco for Educational IOS License!

So here is something that can very well take some time to come around the corner, but be here just like that and impact all of us. The new Cisco IOS (15.0) licensing methods are potentially putting our educational ability to study using GNS3/Dynamips at risk of coming to an end.

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: GNS3-Labs – BGP & EIGRP Case Study 4

Hello All! Hope your weekend and holiday has been a great one!

Here is another one of the final Cisco Network Academy labs. This one involves BGP and EIGRP. A lot of good tasks in this case scenario. I wish that they would have had many more lab scenarios since they are exactly whats on the lab. There definitely needs to be a new lab book developed – Maybe I’ll create one? Kidding!

Anyway … Onto the lab!

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: EIGRP & OSPF Route Manipulation

So here is another lab I put together based on some studies and reading recently. I basically put together the scenario, so if it’s lacking conveying the scenario in a professional manner, I apologize

This is basically a simple route redistribution and route manipulation lab. Simple, but requires a few steps that will test your ability to adapt to an already deployed network while implementing a new routing protocol.

Hope you enjoy!

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Packet Pushers Podcasts – Listen In!!!

Ok – So if you’re not up yet on the Packet Pushers, you’re totally missing out on some good network discussion (usually) hosted by @Etherealmind, @ECBanks & @Danhughes1234ie. The greatness about this podcast is it’s like sitting around and chatting it up with guys in your office or at a tech conference or on a project with other project team members – Thats how I see it at least

There is no other agenda to these podcasts except talking about the topics. There is no vendor target, no advertisements, no bias – though we are all Cisco minded They cover subjects such as DDoS, IOS Licensing concerns, Dynamips, MPLS basics, Technical interview tips, datacenter switching and the list goes on!

Overall it’s a great show to listen to and best of all, you may know all the guests on the show from Twitter. So it feels even more realistic since you may have tweeted with these folks for some time now.

I enjoy the show very much and I enjoy the guests even more! I recommend you check out the Packet Pushers Podcasts! Trust me, you will love it!

Cheers guys!

Packet Pushers Podcasts – Listen In!!!

Using Microcore Linux in GNS3 To Simulate PC/Workstations/Computers

So, you read in the latest release notes of GNS3 0.7.2 the ability to simulate PCs/Hosts/Workstation/Computers, etc and you dont know where to begin? Well, fellow Moderator of the GNS3 forums Kage, put together a very simple, clear and step by step document to getting started.

Using Microcore Linux in GNS3 To Simulate PC/Workstations/Computers

Thanks Kage!

Any assistance you need RE the use of Microcore should be directed to the GNS3 forums, NOT here I’m no expert..

If you have a hard time getting Microcore working – you can always try vpcs – Documentation can be found here -> How to simulate PC/Workstations/Hosts/Computers using vpcs

Cheers!

LB

GNS3 Lab & Exercise: OSPF Case Study & Lab Scenario 2

How are we doing? I’m continuing on working to complete this lab book and all the labs

This is another OSPF related lab from the Cisco Networking Academy Lab Portfolio. No EIGRP or other protocols involved. This lab involves the use of sub-interfaces, which changes your frame-relay statements – watch out and don’t get too confused

I perform all of these labs on my own using my own knowledge and experience (warning and disclaimer). They may very well be implemented differently than a method you might choose. So long as it meets the requirements and works, essentially it’s acceptable (In my feeble opinion). But if you notice a terribly or complicated method used by me to achieve the goals and you feel yours is much easier, makes sense or is the standard; please do share – I’m always open to learning

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GNS3 Official Release: GNS3 0.7.2

Yesterday the GNS3 team released the latest version of GNS3 in which a virtual host was introduced among plenty of other new features and fixes.

The most anticipated addition is the virtual host capability. I’ve had the chance to debug this myself and I must say it works great! I’m kind of use to vpcs, but if you havent figured that out and would like to simulate hosts in GNS3, just download the new version and have fun!

Onto the release post..

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: EIGRP & OSPF Case Study – Lab Scenario

Alright – Moving on and getting into some lab scenarios. No need to explain too much, all the information is below.

This is a lab from the Cisco Networking Academy Lab Portfolio.

CCNP Building Scalable Internetworks (BSCI 642-901) Lab Portfolio (Cisco Networking Academy)

Instructions
Plan, design, and implement the complex International Travel Agency (ITA)
EIGRP network based on the above diagram and following specifications.
Implement the design on the lab set of routers. Verify that all configurations are
operational and functioning according to the guidelines.

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GNS3-Lab & Exercise – BGP Route Reflectors & Filters

Hope you are all doing well and celebrating the achievement of your CCNP or preparing to sit the exam very soon! Good luck.

Here goes the last of this BGP lab series – Next up? We’ll see! This lab will teach you how to configure a Route Reflector in BGP, you’ll learn how this type of configuration helps get around the BGP Split-Horizon rules where an iBGP peer cannot advertise a route learned from another iBGP peer to another iBGP peer .. Say that 3 times!

This lab also covers BGP filtering by using Prefix-Lists and aggregating addresses AKA BGP Summarization.

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: Configuring IBGP and EBGP Sessions, Local Preference and MED

Keeping it going with BGP here! This is basically lab 3 from the lab portfolio. This one adds some EIGRP into the mix to help demonstrate how to get IGP routes into the routing tables and how that affects the overall routing including BGP.

This lab includes working with IBGP EBGP, the local preference and the Multi-Exit Discriminator

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GNS3 Announcement: Official Release of GNS3 0.7.1 (Minor)

Jeremy and the GNS3 team has done it again – They’ve come about with a minor release to address some 0.7 bugs and set the ground for some future GNS3 stuff.. See the official release info below..

GNS3 0.7.1 is out, this is a minor version which corrects some bugs and improves some features. Here is a non exhaustive list:

• Qemuwrapper (option to listen on a IP/host and port).
• Basic support for external hypervisors.
• Some improvement for projects under GNS3 (still work to do).
• Many small bugs fixes (graphical, cloud connection etc.)

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GNS3 Lab & Excercise: BGP & The AS_Path Attribute

Ok – this is another BGP lab from the CCNP Cisco Networking Academy Lab Portforlio.

CCNP Building Scalable Internetworks (BSCI 642-901) Lab Portfolio (Cisco Networking Academy)

Though I’m a bit further than this lab I’m posting, I’m just trying to catch up and share the labs when I can. 2 days in a row I’m posting, so I’ll try not to let the streak die

Welp, I hope you’re all doing well with studies and those who have already taken the exam and passed; Congrats!

Onto the lab!

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GNS3 Lab & Exercise: BGP Lab – Configuring BGP with Default Routing

Greetings! Hope everyone is wrapping up their CCNP certifications before the July 31st deadlines. If you are still confused about what certs are valid after the deadline and want to know which you should be taking, have a look over here at my attempt to explaining it all.

I’ve been busy trying to absorb all of this study lately and well, It’e been tough! Whats the deal with life? Doesnt it know we want to become certified? So why must it get in the way?

I recently had surgery, the Wife became ill for almost 3 weeks (a very scary situation) and now work is ramping up as will :sigh: it seems almost impossible! Either way, all is well now. I’m back to good health and so is the Wife! Yay!

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