Appendix C. Equipment Reference

Obtaining equipment can be expensive, but following along and building your own lab as I do is definitely the best way to utilize this book.

If you are unable to get the equipment, do not despair; you can still utilize this book. You just need to think aloud and pay more attention to the figures, explanations, and examples. Little changes are hidden throughout the book, and although the chapters take on a structured approach and I recommend a structured approach to troubleshooting, you will learn more if you read the fine details within the chapters so that you are prepared for the unknown.

Start with a pad of paper and document the network. Draw and redraw the networks as you work through the exercises throughout this book. Color-code your routing domains, addresses, devices, ports, terminal server connections, and so on. Download the files to get more detail on what is truly happening for the various scenarios and Trouble Tickets. Perform some research at Cisco.com as you progress through the book. Create tables and lists so that you can put yourself in the position of someone who is configuring and troubleshooting the various LAN and WAN technologies.