CCNP 5.0: Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (ONT) Labs
NDG has worked closely with the Cisco CCNP lab team to develop
NETLAB+ compatible labs for ONT.
ONT is supported by one or more of the following NETLAB+
pods:
The supported lab list (below) provides a list of ONT compatible labs
and the pod types that can be used for each lab.
-
For CCNP, we have added the Cuatro Router Pod (CRP), a four router
version of Basic Router Pod Version 2. For wireless labs, we are
developing CSP+W, a superset of the Cuatro Switch Pod.
- CRP provides the greatest lab coverage for ONT.
- CSP is required in order to complete the case studies.
- CSP+W is not currently available. Labs requiring CSP+W are
planned for a future release. NDG is researching the
feasibility of this planned topology.
-
Skills exams are contained in separate lab package and are enabled in
the class settings separately from the core ONT labs. This allows
instructors to defer access to the exams until the end of the course.
Router and IOS Requirements for CRP and BRPv2
The routers used must meet minimum IOS requirements specified by the
curriculum. The following recommendations are based on the CCNP
5.0 Equipment List (available on Academy Connection).
| Router |
Recommended
Model(s) |
Minimum IOS + Feature Set |
| R1 |
Cisco 2811
Cisco 2801 |
IP Voice Image 12.4(9)T1 + Unified Call Manager Express (CME) 4.0(2)1 |
| R2 |
Cisco 2811
Cisco 2801
Cisco 1841
|
ISR Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S28NAISK9-12410)
ISR Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S280AISK9-12410)
Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S184AISK9-12410)
|
| R3 |
Cisco 2811
Cisco 2801
Cisco 1841
|
ISR Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S28NAISK9-12410)
ISR Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S280AISK9-12410)
Advanced IP Services K9 IOS (S184AISK9-12410)
|
| R4 |
Cisco 2801
Cisco 2621
|
IPBASE + Pagent2 special download
|
1The ONT lab 2.1 uses an IP Voice Image 12.4(9)T1 with
Cisco Unified Call Manager Express (CME) 4.0(2).
2Pagent is necessary in
order to complete the ONT labs and must be running on R4. Pagent
is a special IOS image and download. For more information see below.
Enabling the Labs
To enable the ONT labs, check the box for "AE CCNP ONT V5.0
English" in the class settings. This must be done for each class requiring
access to ONT labs. You may also allow the class to make
"pod-only" reservations using the ONT pod types listed above. To
enable pod-only reservations, select the check boxes for the following
options in the class settings that are appropriate for the pods available
on your system:
These reservations are not tied to specific lab exercises. Therefore, the
pod will be configured using the default network configuration. Please
note however, not all ONT use the default network
configuration and must be completed by selecting the correct lab exercise
(see the following discussion).
Using the Labs
Always select the correct lab exercise for the lab being performed. Students
or teams should schedule the correct lab exercise from the catalog.
NETLAB+ will only show those labs for which the required pod type
is available. A lab that works on different pod types may appear more than
once if your system is so equipped. Instructors should select the correct lab
from the Exercise tab during instructor-led lab reservations. This can be done
as many times as needed during the reservation.
Importance of Choosing the Correct Lab Exercise
Several of the labs may differ from the standard pod topologies. This is
handled by NETLAB+ Dynamic VLAN Mapping technology. Always select the
correct lab exercise for the actual lab. This insures that NETLAB+
will set up VLANs on the control switch such that lab devices and PCs are
placed in the correct LAN segment for the exercise being performed. Selecting
the correct exercise will also make the completed lab output easier to find in
the archive.
Supported Lab List
| Lab |
Description |
Pod Required |
Comments |
| 2.1 |
Configure CME using the CLI and Cisco IP Communicator |
CRP or BRPv2 |
Please see the list of required software. |
| 3.1 |
Preparing for QoS |
CRP or BRPv2 |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 3.2 |
Installing SDM |
CRP or BRPv2 |
Please see the list of required software. |
| 3.3 |
Configuring QoS with SDM |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.1 |
Default Queuing Tools |
CRP |
|
| 4.2 |
Intermediate Queuing Tools |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.3 |
TCP Header Compression |
CRP, BRPv2, or BRPv1 |
|
| 4.4 |
Comparing Queuing Strategies |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.5 |
Class-based Queuing and NBAR |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.6 |
Class-based Marking, shaping, and Policing |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.7 |
WAN QoS Tools |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.8 |
Shaping and Policing |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 4.9 |
QoS Pre-classify |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| 5.1 |
AutoQoS |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
| Case Study |
QoS and MLPPP |
CRP |
Traffic should be injected. Pagent is recommended. |
Future Lab List
The following labs are not currently included in the ONT distribution.
They are planned as a future update in conjunction with the CSP+W pod type.
NDG is researching the feasibility of this planned topology.
| Lab |
Description |
Pod Required |
Comments |
| 6.1a |
Configuring a WLAN Controller |
CSP+W |
Requires external Wireless Lan Controller (WLC) |
| 6.2a |
Configuring a WLAN Controller via the Web Interface |
CSP+W |
Requires external Wireless Lan Controller (WLC) |
| 6.3 |
Configuring a Wireless Client |
CSP+W |
|
| 6.4 |
Configuring WPA Security with Preshared Keys |
CSP+W |
|
| 6.5 |
Configuring LEAP |
CSP+W |
|
Required Software List
The following list documents the required software for ONT.
-
If possible, install Windows 2003 server on all PCs and preload the
installer executable files for the software on the list.
-
Alternatively, install Windows Server 2003 on at least one PC, preferably PC1a.
| Software Name |
Purpose |
Requirements |
Comments / Links |
| IOS IP Voice 12.4(9)T1 with CME 4.02 |
Required for Lab 2.1 |
The router must have a certain amount of DRAM and Flash. |
www.cisco.com |
| Cisco IP Communicator (CIPC) |
The SDM is installed onto the router's flash memory or in the PCs. |
Supported Microsoft Windows O/S:
- 2000 Professional SP 4
- XP Professional SP2
|
This software is used to make phone calls, and should be
installed on PC1a and PC1b.
www.cisco.com
|
| Secure Device Manager (SDM) |
The SDM is installed onto the router's flash memory or in the PCs. |
Supported Microsoft Windows O/S:
- ME
- NT 4.0 Workstation SP 4
- XP Professional
- 2003 Server
- 2000 Professional SP 4
|
For using SDM, the web browser requires SUN JRE 1.4 or later and
ActiveX control must be enabled.
www.cisco.com
|
Pagent
The ONT Quality of Service (QoS) labs use Pagent's TGN traffic generation
tools. Pagent generates realistic traffic and bottlenecks to test QoS
features such as IP Classification, IP Marking, and Queuing.
Pagent is an enhanced Cisco IOS image that contains both Advanced IP or
IP Base Services and the IP traffic generation tools. This image is loaded
on router R4 in the Cuatro Router Pod. Routers R1, R2, and R3 run normal
IOS images.
Pagent was developed within Cisco primarily intended for Cisco internal use only.
However, versions for the 2621 and 2801 have been made available to CCNP Academies
and instructors by special permission from Cisco's Pagent group.
-
Pagent requires a license key.
-
NETLAB+ version 4.0.23 supports Pagent images and license keys.
-
The NETLAB+ administrator must
configure the Pagent license key for each router running Pagent.
ONT Pagent Configurations
The ONT labs utilize Pagent in two different logical topologies: Basic
and Advanced. Lab 3.1 (Preparing for QoS) explains the differences and
general configuration tasks for each.
Basic Pagent Configuration
Basic Pagent Configuration
Refer to the image to the right. Traffic sourced from R4 (TrafGen) Fa0/0 is destined
for R4 Fa0/1. This traffic traverses the depicted topology from
end-to-end so that you can observe bottlenecks. Along the way, traffic may
need to pass over Ethernet VLANs or point-to-point serial links before
arriving back at R4.
ONT Lab 3.1 provides Pagent configurations for router R4 that can be loaded at the
beginning of each lab. You may use use the NETLAB+ file manager and load tab
to automate this process.
ONT Lab 3.1 figure 2-1 illustrates the general description of the Basic Pagent
Configuration. Figure 2-2 illustrates how the Basic Pagent Configuration
could be applied in a single-router network topology.
Advanced Pagent Configuration
Special care must be taken when using NETLAB+
An alternate configuration for NETLAB+ is provided in ONT
Lab 3.1, page 17, Appendix C, NETLAB Compatible Advanced Pagent
Configurations. This configuration differs slightly from the
regular steps. The explanation below applies only to NETLAB+.
Advanced Pagent Configuration
Refer to the diagram to the right. Both a primary and secondary IP address are bound
to interface Fa0/0 on router R4 (without using subinterfaces). Traffic
generated from the R4 Fa0/0 secondary IP address is destined for the
primary IP address on the same interface (Fa0/0). This traffic
traverses the topology from end-to-end so that you can observe bottlenecks.
Along the way, traffic may need to pass over Ethernet VLANs or point-to-point
serial links before arriving back at R4.
ONT Lab 3.1 provides Pagent configurations for router R4 that can be loaded at the
beginning of each lab. You may use use the NETLAB+ file manager and load tab
to automate this process.
ONT Lab 3.1 figure 5-1 illustrates the general description of the
Advanced Pagent Configuration. Figure 5-2 illustrates conceptually
how the Advanced Pagent Configuration works. Appendix C, NETLAB
Compatible Advanced Pagent Configurations, provides the router configuration
templates when using NETLAB+.
NETLAB+ Support for Pagent Images
NETLAB version 4.0.23 and later supports automation of Pagent images.
Pagent images are uploaded to the NETLAB+ server and
assigned to routers in the same manner as ordinary IOS images. The
administrator must also provide NETLAB+ with the license key
for each router running Pagent. Once this process is completed,
NETLAB+ will automatically enter the required activation
key for Pagent. Having this task automated by NETLAB+ eliminates the
need to enter this key with each use.
The process for loading and using Pagent with NETLAB+
differs slightly from normal IOS.
Please refer to Appendix B of the
NETLAB+ Administrator Guide
for step-by-step instructions.
