Category: Cisco

  • Cisco QoS Exam

    My CCNP was due to expire in August, so I needed to pass any 642-* exam to renew it. I decided to sit the Cisco QoS exam (642-642), since it was one of two remaining exams I need to become CCIP. After a few weeks of study on and off, I’m pleased to say I…

  • Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and DHCP Option 43

    I recently had to install a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (2112, if you’re interested), and had the usual fun and games with getting it to properly understand DHCP Option 43. For the uninitiated, option 43 is a vendor specific option, which, in the case of Cisco WLCs, is/are the manager IP address(es) of controllers that…

  • The Amazing Unmanaged Trunk Mode Switch

    Have you ever needed to set up a bunch of equipment on a boardroom table or some other temporary location, and needed both native and 802.1q tagged VLANs, but only had one available switchport? A quick n’ dirty solution is to use an unmanaged switch, such as one of the numerous 8-port desktop switches from…

  • Retrieving IOS running-config via scp

    Ok, now I’ve only tested this with routers running IOS – it may be a little different with Catalyst switches, since they store their config on flash, rather than nvram. On the other hand, it may be exactly the same, since we’re retrieving running-config, not startup-config. First, you need to ensure that ssh and scp…

  • Upgrading IOS remotely

    I recently had to upgrade a bunch of Cisco routers to an up to date IOS. These routers were scattered up and down the country, and I don’t have much to do with the servers sitting behind them, so I needed to do a remote upgrade over the Internet. Now, TFTP is pretty hit and…

  • CCNA exam

    I renewed my CCNA certification today, which should now mean that my CCNP is complete. What a wonderful little racket Cisco runs with these exams. Funny how there are no official prerequisites whatsoever for CCIE. Maybe it’s time to take a look at some Juniper certifications…

  • CIT exam

    Second time around, passed with flying colours. It’s amazing the difference it makes when you have up to date study material. So that’s all four exams done, but it appears I might not yet be a CCNP. Since my CCNA expired a couple of years ago, I think I will have to re-sit the CCNA…

  • Cisco 857 router

    I’ve finally replaced my trusty old D-Link DSL500, which I’ve had for about four years, with a Cisco 857. What can I say about these routers… well… My 857 router arrived with SDM Express, but not SDM, installed on the flash drive. While SDM Express is an improvement over the old Cisco Router Web Setup…

  • BCRAN exam

    Another one bites the dust. BCRAN exam done and dusted. Once again, lots of US-centric technology that I’m unlikely to run into in NZ, or even Europe. And of course, they never test you on the topics that you spend the most time studying :\ Anyway… three down, one to go.

  • BSCI exam

    Well, after about a month of studying dynamic routing protocols, some of which I doubt I’ll ever use or come into contact with, I passed my Cisco BSCI exam. Two down, two to go.