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September 2008

CiscoWorks LMS...Shoot me now.

Thu, 2008-09-04 12:04

I am currently sitting in a sub-zero IT room on my 6th hour and 12th CD of a CiscoWorks Lan Management Solution (LMS) 2.6 installation/upgrade. This is the most pathetic, waste-of-time product I've ever worked with...and I haven't even finished the installation.
I will never agree to do a CiscoWorks LMS installation again.
Ever.
At least my fingers are numb so I can chew on them from boredom without feeling anything.

IOS 12.4(6) Turns Your Router Into an ASA

Thu, 2008-09-04 12:11

Okay...maybe it doesn't do EVERYTHING the ASA does...but it's definitely a step forward in the Firewall Feature Set of the IOS. Routers running this version of code now support zone-based policies, which really helps with multi-interface restrictions (rather than just one outside & one inside interface with individual access list applications). Likewise, it now supports application inspection to catch those scandalous peer-to-peer programs.
Check out the whole scoop here.
Much thanks to Joshua Walton for sending me an email on this and slightly brightening the most dismal CiscoWorks installation day I've ever had. Oh look - CD #12 is done...on to 13.

Jeremy and VMWare ESX Server...Love at First Sight!

Fri, 2008-09-05 16:52

We take a break from our regularly scheduled Cisco programming to bring you this 'killer free-product' alert. I've now added VMWare ESX server (free) to my list of "programs that will change your life." I believe we actually have Microsoft to thank for making this product free since they're now trying to compete with VMWare by including Hypervising with MS Server 2008.

Cisco Background?

Tue, 2008-09-09 06:11

I've never been hip on desktop wallpapers for my PCs...I usually just go with a straight "black" solid color background. This morning, I suddenly had the thought, "it sure would be cool to have a Cisco logo (the new one, of course) right in the middle of my desktop." Some quick Google searches didn't turn up anything...anyone know where to get a sweet Cisco wallpaper?
FOLLOW-UP #1: Here's a decent one with the old logo. I'd really like to keep my black background though...Fluorescent green fries my eyes.
FOLLOW-UP #2: Here's a wallpaper with the new logo on a black background (thanks Daniel!).

Cisco Emulation Abounds...Now...ASA!

Thu, 2008-09-11 06:09

Geez - where was all this stuff when I was studying for my CCIE. It looks like there's now a way to get a true, emulated ASA system running using the PIX emulator.
Here's the URL with all the info (it's a little process): http://www.bitbucketblog.com/?p=115
It'll be nice when everything gets integrated into GNS3...we're just missing the true (non-router integrated) layer 3 switch emulation. I'm sure someone's already working on it.

Book Review: Voice over IP Security

Wed, 2008-09-17 13:35

voipsecurity.jpg

I've always been interested about VoIP security...it seems many networks running VoIP are now considering their security options (years after initial deployment). When I first looked through this book, I was unimpressed. It seems like the book spends A LOT of time talking through foundations of H.323, MGCP, SIP, encryption, authentication, etc... (just general security topics and voice concepts).

Ah...Witty Use of Show IP Interface Brief...

Thu, 2008-09-18 06:42

Ivan Pepelnjak of Cisco IOS Hints and Tricks blog came up with even a more concise use of show ip interface brief:

To display IP addresses assigned to router's interfaces (excluding interfaces with no IP address) use show
ip interface brief
|
exclude unassigned command.

Here is a sample printout:

Implementing QoS on PIX/ASA

Wed, 2008-09-24 05:06

While doing some web searches, I ran across this post from Anthony Sequeira, an old friend of mine from the KnowledgeNet days. Excellent description and examples of implementing Priority Queuing on an ASA - plenty of other ASA QoS links to follow here too.

Fast Cisco Searches with Firefox and IE!!!

Thu, 2008-09-25 11:55

Wow! Just stumbled on this one today. Cisco now allows "quick searches" from Firefox (yey!) and IE 7 (sigh...).

You can use this feature to search the following:

* BugID Lookup Tool
* Command Lookup Tool
* Error Message Decoder Tool
* TAC Service Request Query
* Search Cisco
* Search Cisco Brazil
* Search Cisco Japan
* Search Cisco Latin America
* Search Cisco Russia

(My favorites are bolded) This allows you to do a quick search of any of these tools/websites without navigating to them! Sweeeet! Just navigate to the following link to add them in:

http://www.cisco.com/web/tsweb/searchplugins/plugin_homepage.html#

Cisco Updates CCSP

Fri, 2008-09-26 09:15

It's official - the CCSP is updated. I'm really digging the "core exams + electives" option. Allows you to become a CCSP who specializes in some security technology (ASA, MARS, NAC) without requiring you to know everything to get a CCSP certification. Wish they'd do the same for the CCVP program...I'm sure they will...



Dr. Radut