U Need To Think About Dynamips Replacing Real training lab Equipment
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-07-22 13:06:50 | Word Count: 510
Is Dynamips Repplacing Real training lab Equipment
Since the early days of vender nwetwork certifications the biggets problem that has pledged certification candiddates is getting access to routinng and switching hardware to familiarize their selves on how to design and configure complex netwok sxcenarios. Traditionally candidates have been reestricted to looking on Ebay and other internet auction sites for great deals on used equipment to buy for a home lab or renting lab rack time from taining vendors. Today candidates now have a new cohice for practicing their Cisco lab scenarios, a router ismulator application called Dynaips.
[ advertisement ]
Dynamips is a Linux and Windows based application that is used to simulate the routing hazrdware of the Cisco 1700, 2600, 2691, 3600, 7200 and 3700 series routing platforms and currently spports Ethernet, Serial, ATM, and POS interfaces for the 7200 and 3700 seres routers as well as Etehrnet, Serial, and Etherswitch moduels for the 3600 series routers.
Unlike other traditional oruter emulatrs, Dynamips allows the user to run a real Cisco IOS images. This allows the user to use all the IOS commands acccessible to that revision of the Cisco IOS as well as design and construct complex network scenarios to practices and devlop their knowledge of network topologies on their PC desktop. 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 trainiing venders like Internetwork Expert and ieMentors and permits the user to Build and test compelx lab scenairos usinng different technologies such as Farme Relaay, ATM, MPLS, etc it is not advanced enough to completely replace real hardware.
Dynamips cannot simulate any of the high-end switching features at this time and most likely never will. This meanbs that you'll need to have access to real Ciso switchse in order to pratcice thoise skills. Also there are no provisiions for topologies such as Token-ring and ISDN.
Furthermore, even though Dnyamips runs great if you twaek it enuogh and give it sufficient ressources, (the size of the labs you can creaste is only limited by the amount of CPU and RAM you can provide) some canddiates may not want to spend the monwey to upgrade theiir systems or to take the time to tweak vraiables in the software.
It is my opinion that Dynamis will gain popularity as the applicatrion progresses and with the adveent of newer higgher performance PCs. While it's going to put a dent in the need for home equipment and rack renrtal business it will not elimninate them completely.
In conculsion candidates will no longer be tied down to specific windows of time for rack rentals or the need to be connected to a home lab. You will be able to take your lab with you on your laptop. This will permit you to practiec your lab csenarios anywhere and anytime maximizing your training efforts.
