Cisco Learning Labs

Well I have now used the new IOS on Unix (IOU) based virtual labs from Cisco for the past three days for my CCNP ROUTE course.  So far I give the lab environment itself a B+.  Being that it is real IOS, the routers are full featured.  Unfortunately the web interface surrounding the IOS instances is still a bit clunky.  I would like to see tools to save and load configurations via text files.  I would also like to see a better L2 switch implementation.  The switches in the labs were unable to be setup for more than one vlan which meant the topology wasn't really setup correctly.


The lab exercises were where things really broke down.  Because you can't change the wiring configuration or the number of devices, you have to rely on Cisco to build the appropriate topologies and initial configurations to match the lab guides.  Unfortunately they apparently never reviewed the lab guides for the OSPF labs in the CCNP course.  None of those labs was configured correctly which caused a lot of extra work before being able to even start the lab you were assigned.  I guess that Cisco was trying to mix TSHOOT with ROUTE.  Because of this I have to give the lab setup a D (the EIGRP labs were done correctly).


Being that this lab environment was just released recently, I'm hoping that the quality improves quickly as people report the problems.

Cisco IOS on Unix for Class

Cisco has recently started releasing IOS on Unix through the Cisco Learning Network store as a hosted Lab solution.  For those not familiar with IOU, it is an image of IOS that is designed to run as a virtual instance on Solaris.  Generally it has only been available internally at Cisco.

This week I am taking an online ROUTE course through New Horizons and they are using the Cisco Learning Network hosted labs for the course.  So far I have found it to be a very good tool.  The IOS instances are very responsive and full featured.  No errors about a feature not being implemented in the simulator (because it's not a simulator).  The web interface to get to the labs is still a bit rough, but I figure that Cisco is probably working on that.  As others have noted, the timer starts as soon as you enter the lab so reading the lab materials does count against your block of time.  For the class that isn't too important as we have a printed lab materials, but if you buy your own block of time you will want to enter the lab, print the lab, and then exit while you read to save your time.  

One of the biggest advantages to me so far has been that I have my own "pod" to do the class labs on.  I find that I have "finger memory" so even if I see something done, I don't learn it until I've typed the commands myself a few times.  Often in past Cisco courses I have had to share a pod of equipment which meant not always getting true hands on time.

All in all, this is a great step forward for Cisco.  Now if they would please release IOU to their customers to use for adhoc labs and testing purposes they would really have something.

Review of IPv6 for Enterprise Networks

IPv6 for Enterprise Networks by Shannon McFarland, Muninder Sambi, Nikhil Sharma, and Sanjay Hooda is a timely new book that helps network engineers plan for the upcoming switch from IPv4 to IPv6.  The authors start with a quick review of CCDA/CCDP topics relating to networking models that they then use throughout the book to compare IPv4 deployments to IPv6 deployments. The one thing that I found lacking in the review was a quick overview of IPv6 itself.  Especially since Cisco Self-Study: Implementing IPv6 is nearly 8 years old and a lot has changed in that time.


The next part of the book explores the process of migrating from IPv4 to IPv6 in an enterprise.  It looks at justifications, education and planning the migration.  There is a very useful section that discusses the challenges to expect from internal and external applications.  


Finally the last part of the book is dedicated to examining the differences in implementation between IPv4 and IPv6.  The authors do a wonderful job of using real world examples from various routing protocols to pinpoint the similarities and differences with lots of screen shots.


This book will definitely be a great resource for any network engineer that will be going through the IPv4 to IPv6 transition.  That would be any network engineer not retiring in the next year.  I hope that Cisco Press will be forthcoming soon of an updated version of Cisco Self-Study: Implementing Cisco IPv6 Networks (IPV6).


Do you have a favorite learning resource for IPv6?  Please share it in the comments section.  It's going to take a lot of effort for network engineers to stay up to date during the shift since we'll be basically relearning everything we know in a new way.  Sort of like someone that knows English learning Old English.