Since the beginning of vendor network certification, the number one problem that has promised certification candidates is gaining access to hardware routing and switching to familiarize themselves with how to design and configure complex network scenarios. Traditionally candidates are limited to searching on eBay and other internet auction sites to get great deals on used equipment to buy a home laboratory or rent lab rack time from training vendors. Today's candidates now have a new option to practice their Cisco lab scenario, a router simulator program called Dynamips.
Dynamips is a Linux and Windows based program that is used to simulate routing of Cisco 1700, 2600, 2691, 3600, 7200 and 3700 series routing platforms and currently sulfur analyzer indonesia supports Ethernet, Serial, ATM and POS interfaces for 7200 and 3700 series routers and Ethernet modules , Serial and Etherswitch for 3600 series routers.
Unlike other traditional router emulators, Dynamips allows users to run real Cisco IOS images. This allows users to use all available IOS commands for Cisco IOS revisions as well as design and build complex network scenarios to practice and develop their knowledge of network topology on their desktop PCs. Best of all Dynamips is open-source and free to download!
Although Dynamips has gained a lot of momentum and popularity with Cisco candidates as well as vendor training such as Internetwork Expert and ieMentors and allows users to Build and test complex lab scenarios using different technologies such as Frame Relay, ATM, MPLS, etc. sophisticated enough to completely replace real hardware.
Dynamips cannot replicate any of the current high-end switching features and probably never will. This means that you must have access to the actual Cisco switches to practice these skills. There are also no provisions for topologies such as Token-ring and ISDN.
In addition, although Dynamips works well if you tweak enough and provide enough resources, (the size of the lab you can make is limited only by the amount of CPU and RAM you provide) some candidates may not want to spend money to improve their system or take the time to change the variables in the software.
It is my opinion that Dynamips will increase in popularity as the application advances and with the introduction of a PC with higher and newer performance. While it will make a dent in the need for household appliances and shelf rental business it will not eliminate them completely.
In conclusion, candidates are no longer bound to a specific time window for rack rental or the need to be connected to a home laboratory. You can carry your lab with your laptop. This will allow you to practice your lab scenarios anywhere and anytime maximizing your study efforts.
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