What to Consider when Buying a Lab Online / eBay:
First and Foremost! Most labs listed online and on eBay are inadequate for the Cisco Certification they are advertising. Most (not all) Sellers are merely resellers of gear, not Qualified Cisco Trainers with Certified Instructors on Staff. They are looking to move whatever inventory they have in stock rather than providing Actual Solutions that match the Cisco Certification you are looking to Attain.
Incomplete Labs:
Many of these labs available do not have the Required Cables & Connectors necessary to put together Complete Network Solutions. Certain parts are not included and will need to be Purchased Seperately in order for your lab to function properly. Also, some Cisco Lab Sellers have many types of CCNA Voice labs. There is only one CCNA Voice Certification, why would you have different lab configuration for the same Certification? Is it because it is the right gear, or is it because that is what that Seller happens to have In-Stock that day?
Also, some things are optional such as faceplates, slot covers, phone stands, or power cords. We do not offer "Partial Gear". Our Labs Are Complete! We have all the Necessary Connectors and Faceplates for Full Network Certification Solutions.
Technical Expertise:
Again, I will say that not all eBay Sellers lack the Technical Knowledge to put together a Complete Training Solution, however there are many and in fact most do not.
For Example, there are listings online that show "3640 with 70K Packets per Second Performance". They then configure it with a NM-4A/S. Ridiculous. First, the 3640 can do 70K PPS with CEF (Cisco Express Forwarding), where the router is actually switching and not routing. Yes it can forward 70K PPS 64 byte packets, WHEN THE PROCESSOR IS NOT INVOLVED and NOT Routing at Layer 3. Furthermore, they then choke the WAN connections with an NM-4A/S 64K link which can only forward less than 1K PPS. This is just an example, but I assure you, these technical Inadequacies are all over online listings.
Trust your Certification Studies to an Expert, not a Salesperson! We have Actual Cisco Certified Professionals on Staff, and provided Unlimited Email Technical Support and Every Question Answered Quickly. Ask your Potential Seller if they can provide this or our unmatched Pass Guarantee!
Licensed Study vs Pirated Material:
Ask any potential seller if they License their own Study Materials and if you get a copy of that license with your Lab Kit. If they are copying someone else's Study Materials,do you really Trust them with your Certification? Each lab kit we sell comes with a Full License of All our own Study Materials that we Produce at NetCertLabs. Period.
Important NOTE for VOIP LABS:
Cisco VOIP and Telephony Services are VERY COMPLEX in Setup! Loading Software for the IP Phones is Not Like Loading the IOS. It is a Completx Process most Techs are not familiar with. You must be able to load the phone with different versions of IP Phone software for MGCP, SIP, and SCCP VOIP Protocols.
You cannot always simply load the new version of software via TFTP but rather it's a process that includes modifying files that the phone will look for on bootup including that specific IP phones <Mac Address>.
Also, many times it is necessary to downgrade the phone before upgrading to another protocol.
Ask any Seller if they Provide this as a Part of their Training and if they will offer you Unlimited Support as well as the MGCP, SIP, and SCCP files necessary to do these IP Phone Loads.
Lets Take a look at Network Gear:
2500 vs 2600XM – The 2500 is the most widely offered Cisco Router in lab configurations. The 2600XM with the correct memory configuration (128DRAM / 48Flash) runs the advanced features that you will be tested on. Following are features available on the 2600XM 128/48 unit that the 2500 CAN NOT RUN:
Security Device Manager (Cisco's Web Configuration GUI)
Easy VPN Server
Advanced IPV6 Functions and IPV6 Routing (as now required by Cisco)
CIsco Firewall Feature Set
Call Manager Express (Cisco's VOIP Phone System)
VOIP QOS (Quality of Service Features)
Intrusion Detection System
IEEE 802.1Q InterVLAN Routing
Don't get me wrong, the 2500s are quite robust little routers. But for the Current Cisco CCNA & CCNP Testing, it is inadequate to cover all of this Advanced Material and Technical Expertise in Theory and not practice it in Actual Lab Environment.
2924 vs 2950 - Again it is not that the 2924 is a bad switch. However, the 2924 Can Not Support:
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol
Port Security
Advanced Spanning Tree Protocol Features
Class of Service Tagging
Smart Port
Quality of Service
NM-4A/S vs WIC-1T - MAX Throuput on NM-4A/S = 64Kbps. MAX Throuput on WIC-1T = 2Mbps
Its ok to have lower speed links in your labs, but couple that with some high speed connections. This will allow you to see how your Advanced Routing Protocols like OSPF and EIGRP do Proper Path Costing and Selection. If Bandwidth is a Cost Factor in determining the best routing path then you will actually get to see this process take place. If all your links are stuck at 64Kbps, your lab will be inadequate at showing you how this occurs in a Real Networking Environment. The WIC-1Ts will still allow you to set the bandwidth at a lower rate, if you so configure, and you can see this happening in your lab.
3640 vs 2610XM - The 2610XM with the correct memory configuration (128DRAM / 48Flash) runs the advanced features that you will be tested on. The 3640 Can NOT run the most Recent Version of CME 4.1. The 2610XM can run CME 4.1 as well as the following feature for other Certification studies:
Pick the Correct Network Topology to Match the Certification Tests:
3 Switches that will Conduct Proper Spanning Tree Elections
- STP Device Election & Configuration
- VTP Database Setup
- 802.1Q InterVLAN Trunking & Routing
3 Routers that will Conduct Proper Routing Protocol Elections
- RIPv1/v2 EIGRP OSPF BGP Device Election
- Proper Path Costing
- Multi-Protocol Networks
- SDM (Security Device Manager)
Very Complex CCNP and CCIE Labs will Require:
Layer 3 IP Switch for Multi-Layer Switching
Advanced VOIP QOS Tagging and Prioritizing Techniques
3 or More Devices Running IPV6
In Short:
Buy a Lab that will be a Learning System, not just used gear.
Check for Warranty, in dealing with refurbished-used equipment, how far is the seller willing to go to stand behind the product they are delivering. Be wary of sellers that do not include NM slot / WIC covers, power cords, proper phone stands, or other. If they stop short with small items, what else are they skimping on?
Purchase LICENSED Video Setup Training (CBTs) written specifically for these labs.
Make sure your seller can offer you unlimited Technical / Study Support and has qualified staff on-hand to answer your questions, quickly and thoroughly.
Also, it helps to have a full set of Network Utilities including Network Traffic Generators and Sniffers so you can Actually see your Lab at Work.