One of the biggest challenges for people getting into the Cisco world is in learning the equipment and systems while staying within their budget.
Many entry-level people in IT simply don’t have a lot of money available to spend on an extensive Cisco lab, and not everyone has access to suitable lab equipment. Here are some affordable options for used Cisco routers if you can’t afford or have access to a Cisco lab.
Choosing Routers
There are a number of routers to choose from that exist within the open market; some are better deals than others depending on who the seller is and how much experience they have. Unfortunately, many that sell used Cisco routers are also looking more to make money from the venture and not help those attempting to increase their knowledge. This leaves an opportunity for those companies with the required talent (preferably Cisco certified people on staff) to offer equipment that is reasonable and fulfills the requirements of the current and future certifications.
While it’s not possible for this article to list out every possible combination of good networking equipment for a lab, I will outline some of the current pricing and highlight the better deals that exist as of the writing of this article.
Modules
There are a large number of modules that can be inserted into these devices. However, there are a couple of interfaces that can be used that are staples within a lab environment. The serial module is the major module card used in almost all Cisco labs, since this can be used to connect multiple devices with reasonably cheap cabling.
Network I.T. buys and sells refurbished and used Cisco routers and switches in Toronto, the GTA and throughout Canada. Contact Network I.T. today for best pricing.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article for more affordable Cisco router options.