Skip to Content

Switching

Cisco 4500 Series Sup7e Install Notes

Wed, 2013-01-23 21:51

One of my projects at work is to replace a couple switches with newer (and larger) 4507R+E with Sup7e. I love projects like this because they're relatively straight forward, but mainly because they are fun! Who doesn't like unboxing a $60,000USD switch and firing it up? It's like a Cisco birthday or something.

Anyway, while configuring this thing, I've noticed a few quirks... idiosyncrasies? "Features"? Whatever you call them, they're new to me and I felt like blogging about it.

SD Memory in a Supervisor

First, just an observation: Cisco now has Secure Digital (SD) memory in a Supervisor. You might be thinking "yeah, I read about that when the Sup7e came out..." However for those who were in the dark, now you know. Here's a picture to share: 

Upgrading 3750X can take longer than you think

Sat, 2012-04-07 19:51

I recently upgraded a Cisco 3750X stack to a newer version of IOS. Since the production system I was planning to upgrade had some critical systems on it, I tested the process on a stack in the lab first.

At the outset I figured "no problem, this will take a few minutes to reboot and we'll be back up and running." Little did I know I was in for a long wait... Unbeknownst to me the version of code I was upgrading to included a Microcode update which adds a considerable amount of time to the process... emphasis on considerable.

The stack was running 12.2-53.SE2 and I was upgrading it to 12.2-58.SE2, which at the time of the upgrade was the recommended 12 version (I've had problems with IOS 15 on this platform, so I'll be sticking with version 12 for now).

Networking 101 Video - Switch Latency

Thu, 2012-04-05 07:11

Jimmy Ray Purser from TechWise TV  provides a pretty good review of how switch performance is measured. Topics reviewed include cut-through switch latency, store and forward switch latency, FIFO, LIFO, and LILO. Check it out if you've always wanted to know how to measure the speed of a switch.

Here's a direct link if the video embed code doesn't load in your browser: http://youtu.be/C8cTrhcbOLc

Cisco SG100-16 Unmanaged Switch

Wed, 2011-09-07 07:39

Need more Gigabit Ethernet? Don't need it to be a managed switch? This 16 port 10/100/1000 Cisco switch might be a quick and easy solution for you.


B003AVN1PM_3

The Cisco SR2016T 16-Port Rackmount 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch (A.K.A. SG100-16) is currently listing for below $200 USD and has several appealing features:

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Sup 2T

Wed, 2011-08-03 10:28

The latest and greatest 6500 supervisor has hit the streets. Boasting speeds of up to 2 terabits per second, the Sup 2T appears to bring a much needed refresh to the flagship cat switch.

A 6500-E with the Sup 2T can now push 80Gbps per slot. New 6900 series and 6800 series modules provide support for the 80Gbps speeds. Port densities come in a variety of options including 16-port 10-gig and 48-port 1-gig.

If you have already invested in the 6500-E chassis and are looking to expand your 10G footprint, this might be something worth reviewing.

Specifics on the Sup 2T can be found in this Cisco PDF.
For full specs, check out the product page here.

CCIE Sample Questions

Wed, 2011-03-09 07:02

Ever wonder if you have what it takes to pass the CCIE R&S Written Exam? Well, if you are looking into taking the exam, you have most likely visited Cisco's site dedicated to the cert. However, it's easy to overlook a freebie Cisco gives to potential CCIE exam takers - Free Practice Questions.

There are only a handful of them to give you an idea for the level of difficulty you may encounter on the written exam, but every little bit helps. Here's the link for all who are interested: CCIE Routing and Switching Sample Questions

Cisco Revises CCNP Certification Track

Fri, 2010-02-12 18:54

Cisco recently revised their CCNP track to make it align with actual job requirements (such as troubleshooting problems on networks full of Cisco equipment).What do these changes mean for current Cisco Certified Network Professionals? Well, not much other than  you still get to take a 642 level exam to renew it. However, for all you non-CCNPers out there, tighten your belts and sharpen your pencils because you are in for a bit of a change.

CCIE R&S Becomes More "Real World"?

Tue, 2009-05-19 05:06

Interesting statement...but one that's direct from Cisco. In October, CCIE R&S undergoes a "real world" revision to make the skills more applicable to day-to-day jobs. Interesting quote from Maurilio Gorito (he was my proctor "back in the day"):

Q: Will it be harder to pass when the new exams go live?

A - MG: Since the focus of CCIE R&S certification has shifted to job readiness, candidates with less job experience may find the exams more difficult . On the other hand, some candidates may find the written exam easier since it is less focused on equipment specs and more on the real-world job tasks of networking experts.

The full scoop can be found here.

New CCNA Certifications: The Cat is Out of the Bag!

Wed, 2008-06-25 02:14

Finally, on Tuesday afternoon, Cisco announced the new CCNA-level certifications...and they are (drum roll please):
CCNA Security
CCNA Voice
CCNA Wireless
I'm actually creating the CCNA Voice Official Exam Certification Guide for Cisco Press as we speak. I've got to tell you - this certification is awesome. It completely fills a much needed gap of knowledge that's needed before you get into the CCVP program. I can't speak for the Security & Wireless certs, but in the CCNA Voice, you'll be learning:
VoIP & Legacy System Integration
CallManager Express setup
Unity Express setup
Basic QoS, Dial-Peers, and other technical nuances
Having this foundation before someone gets into a CCVP will be awesome. Yesterday afternoon, Cisco Press conducted a "podcast video interview" with me about the cert. I'll post the link as soon as it's available. I was actually interviewed by none other than Jeff Doyle (the TCP/IP routing genus) - I'm honored!

CCNA Update

Wed, 2007-08-01 08:20

Well, it looks as though Cisco has finally done a MAJOR update to their famous CCNA program. This update will indeed make it more difficult to attain a CCNA...and for good reason! Many people are just getting their CCNA certification and stopping (not moving on to the CCNP, CCSP, or whatever). So...Cisco decided, if that's all your going to do, then we'll make it so you really have an idea of what you're doing!
I've been contracted to write the new CCNA Exam Cram / Exam Prep series and to record the new CBTNuggets CCNA series, so I've been researching what is new for quite some time...Here's the scoop:

Completely Clearing a Cisco Switch...The Easy Way!

Wed, 2007-05-16 11:29

Clearing out a Cisco switch configuration is always a
pain because VLANs are kept in a seperate file from the startup-config
(NVRAM). There's two ways to clear a switch back to the factory defaults
- the easy way and the REALLY easy way:

The easy way -

Switch# write erase
Switch# delete flash:vlan.dat
Switch# reload

The REALLY easy way -

Hold the "mode" button on the front of the switch for 10 seconds. The
lights will blink then go solid - the switch completely wipes all
configuration and then reboots. Obviously, this method only works on
stackable switches as the chassis based switches do not have mode
buttons.

Syndicate content


Dr. Radut