Requirements

• Annual maintenance is required, and is included in the first year.

• All other required items must be purchased separately:
  • Lab Equipment
  • Remote PCs (supported by some topologies)
  • Control Devices
    • Cisco Switches (for control)
    • Cisco Access Servers
    • Switched Outlets (APC)
  • Standard 19" rack
  • Ethernet, console, and serial cables
  • Power strips and surge protectors

• Connectivity:
  • LAN and Internet
  • Security and Firewall
  • Client

• Administrator Knowledge

The required annual maintenance fee covers the cost of technical support and software updates.

• Annual maintenance is included in the first year.

• NETLAB_AE must keep pace with new curriculum, labs, hardware, IOS images, PC operating systems and system security patches.

• NDG is firmly committed to supporting the dynamic nature of the Academy program, which requires a continuous investment by NDG in both labor and equipment.

Please review the Annual Maintenance FAQ for more information.

Lab equipment is used for actual course work and includes routers, switches, firewalls, and PCs. Please review the NETLAB_AE supported lab topologies and supported lab devices.

Control devices provide internal connectivity, console access, and managed power.

• Control switches provide internal Ethernet connections
• Cisco access servers provide console connections
• Switched outlet devices provide automated power distribution and control

Control devices are dynamically managed by NETLAB_AE and are not accessible or configurable by end users.

Some NETLAB_AE lab topologies support remotely accessible PCs.

Remote PCs are implemented by integrating with one or more separate VMware GSX servers.

Some pods also support hardware PCs, but with several limitations.

Please refer to the pod-specific pages, videos, and documentation guides to determine the remote PC options supported by each topology.

For general information about remote PCs please see the NETLAB Remote PC Guide.

• 10/100 Ethernet LAN Connection, please review the LAN/Internet Connectivity FAQ section.
• Internet access (T1/DSL/Cable, 500 Kb/s +)
• Fixed static IP address (DHCP is not supported)
• Firewall, see security and firewall requirements

Ideally, NETLAB_AE should be placed on a public network or DMZ. If you plan to install a NETLAB_AE system behind a firewall, please review the following requirements carefully. Many steps have been taken to make NETLAB_AE secure and firewall friendly. However, some firewall changes may be necessary to meet the requirements.

We recognize that most sites may need approval from a network security administrator. To assist with this process, please refer to the following documents:

• CSS, Connectivity and Firewall Considerations
• Security and Firewall FAQ

The security and firewall requirements are part of the "Designated Operating Environment" defined in the license agreement. By agreeing to the license, you agree to meet these requirements.

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• Cisco Networking Academy Instructor
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (recommended)
• Installing and connecting Cisco devices
• Downloading and installing Cisco IOS software images
• Cisco IOS command line interface and basic configuration tasks