Lab Simulators?

I'm working on my CCNA and think a lab simulator would be something right for me.

I don't have access to IOS images so I don't think the Dynamips will work for me despite its appeal. I admit the GUI is attractive.

Please let me know what vendor's software would be best, and if a particular PC &/or OS setup would give me fewest frustrations.

(I think have enough money to do this right; I won't have to scrimp - but I don't want to go over the top, either, please.)

Thanks for your insights...

Reply to
Wayne R.
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Hi,

How about PacketTracer?

Giorgos

Reply to
geoar75

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:45:30 -0800 (PST), " snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com" wrote (with clarity & insight):

Seems good, but I see no obvious way to "get" it, is it only available through being in a Cisco Academy class?

I presume that one advantage of a simulator is a quick & easy way to load lab examples, ready for troubleshooting. It looks like PacketTracer does that but with instructor-created labs - am I reading that right?

Reply to
Wayne R.

Am 21.12.2009 20:39, schrieb Wayne R.:

no, not only that. Regardless if you use pre-set labs for troubleshooting or create your own lab from scratch, a main advantage of any simulator is to get hands-on experience. This is essential to a) master the simulator-questions in the CCNA exam (which score many points - failing all of them will certainly make you fail the entire exam). I doubt that one can pass these questions with only theoretical knowledge but without having hands-on experience on real boxes or at least a simulator. And b) a simulator is a convenient way of unterstanding all kinds of CCNA topics, some of which are hard to understand by only reading the theory.

Of course, for people who deal with cisco boxes at work every day or something like that, a simulator is not necessary...

PacketTracer is -in my opinion- an excellent simulator at least for the CCNA stuff. If it's not available to you - many CCNA books on the market come bundled with a software CD with some simulator software.

Cheers Axel

Reply to
Axel Gärtner

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