Having actual equipment is also great because you learn what interfaces are compatible and for those who don’t already have a lot of networking experience, what the cabling looks like and how it interacts. Lab time is a great time to actually work hands on with equipment. A lot of network engineers may not actually work hands on with equipment very often, we generally spend most of our time working on equipment remotely from our desk. Physical Labs are fantastic for learning because they give you a real hands on experience with equipment. Even after getting GNS3 up and running and stable you can come across a bunch of issues just by updating the software, I’ve had GNS3 break after an update and was unable to get some of my router images working again. This leaves GNS3 out of the options for me. There aren’t many ways to legally obtain these images, you can either have a support contract from Cisco or get a VIRL subscription. In order to use GNS3 you need to collect an image for each of the devices you want to use in your virtual lab. GNS3 also works well beyond the CCNA and can be used for studying for the CCNP and beyond. GNS3 supports full Cisco IOS images and can emulate many Cisco devices. GNS3 is used by many major companies to lab out complex network environments that have equipment from multiple vendors. GNS3 is another powerful tool that allows complex network layouts and can simulate more than just Cisco equipment. I don’t think that the knowledge burns in as deep when using simple tools like Packet Tracer, there’s something special about using real IOS images and having the full power of a real Cisco image as they react the same as any Cisco device will in the field. This is its biggest weakness in my opinion. Packet Tracer is great when you need to test a quick setup that falls within its limited range of available commands and configurations. The downsides to Packet Tracer is that it won’t be very helpful outside the CCNA, the simulators are not full Cisco IOS simulators and have a limited set of available commands and configurations that can be tested. Oh and did I mention, Packet tracer is free. In fact, this is the software that Cisco recommends for getting started with the CCNA. It includes simulators for routers, switches, wireless access points and more. Packet Tracer is a powerful tool, and for many, the only tool needed to lab out the CCNA. There have been videos from many Youtubers covering this and it generally comes down to two points of view. One of the most common questions about building out a CCNA lab I’ve seen on the internet is should I buy equipment and start a physical lab, or should I use Packet Tracer to study for the CCNA.
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