RACK PURCHASE PHYSICAL, VIRTUAL

For Labbing through the CCNP/CCIP I had used GNS3 for layer 3 and up
http://www.gns3.net/  then some rack time on
http://www.packetlife.net/ for switch topic.

GNS3 is great application i can not rave about enough. For those not familar it is  software router similator you use the real cisco ios and as you
are using the real ios it is close as you can get on virtualised software based simulator to the real thing. I think it is more than adequate for CCNA/CCNP.
You can integrate vmware into to make very realistic network scenerio for Practice. 
When i came to start doing this CCIE i had initially decided that i would purchase 2 x 3560 multilayer switches and 2 x 3550 switches + connect them in to my pc at
home and intergrate them into gns3. So routers simulated on GNS3 and then switches physical.

http://www.ccie4you.info/wordpress/

There is however limitations in GNS3  for example i could not get QOS working ever on GNS3 and  in the end of day it is just not the real deal its very close but not the real equitment.
When i priced up the  hardware the multilayer switches are the bulk of the purchase of the lab price. Mainly the 3560's. (Just as a side note for anyone on the 3560 and 3550 switches there is no difference betweent the smi and emi in hardware it is just software difference. The enterprise software is supported on both emi and smi physical models)
In the end of the day I am definetly not going have the money as much as i would like to go on CCIE bootcamp so i bit the bullet and decided i would pay a bit extra on my equitment and go physical for everything.
Next i had started trying to look at configuration changes i could make to the physical enviorment to possible make it cheaper there alot on ebay of these kind of changes  i will give you 2 of the main one's i was thinking
and my opionion after looking into it a bit
replacing the 2 x 3560's with  2x 3550's -  There is a big saving on this i found. But if you move to this you lose support for QOS and IPV6 from my perspective they are 2 huge topic so decided against it. Also you lose  pvlans you could maybe live without. Also the lab is 4 x 3560's so you are praticising on hardware/ios that is not what you will be using. True that you can rent rack time to get familarity with the differences between the 3560's and the 3550 but for me i am creature of habit i want to be very comfortable of every aspect the equitment i am going be using.

replacing the 4 x 1841 with 4 x 3725    -   Personally did not find there was a huge saving to justify it. There was a bit.  The 1841 are quite cheap if you look around. It is mainly the 1841 serial modules that are expensive. There is mpls support on the 3725 in older ios but this is been removed in the newer ios. This is bid by cisco to move users from the 3725 routers onto the 1841. The fact that the newer ios are not going support mpls for the 3725. It is a risk purchasing if new feature comes out and you can not upgrade your 3725 to the newer ios as you will lose mpls support it is not situation you want to be in.
In the end i decided the ine official topology
This is the equitment list
Device Our Platform Modules RAM Flash
R1 2610XM 2 - WIC-1T 128 32*
R2 2610XM 2 - WIC-1T 128 32*
R3 2611XM 1 - NM-4A/S 128 32
R4 1841 2 - WIC-1T 256 64
R5 1841 2 - WIC-1T 256 64
R6 1841 1 - WIC-1T 256 64
SW1 Catalyst 3560-24TS-E  N/A N/A N/A
SW2 Catalyst 3560-24TS-E N/A N/A N/A
SW3 Catalyst 3550-24 EMI N/A N/A N/A
SW4 Catalyst 3550-24 EMI N/A N/A N/A
BB1 / Frame Relay Switch 2522 N/A 16 16
BB2 2501 N/A 16 16
BB3 2501 N/A 16 16
Access Server 2511** N/A 16 16

. It is expensive and it took alot of justifying to myself :) The way i am looking at i should be recoup the cost and then some over my career. Also i am looking at it as a short term loan. Cisco equitment tends not to lose its value greatly.
The plan is when i complete i sell on the rack to the next CCIE hopeful making  back a good propertion of what i spent.
I bought of ebay and i will sell on ebay. Just for anyone doign this be very careful on what you are buying there is alot of knock off cisco gear in circualtion cheap chinesse knock off.
In general try stick with very well known recommended sellers is my advice.
The rack is due to be delivered this week.
I have a few concerns about power consumption and generally not tripping the electricity in my apartment. I have visions of the lights dimming on n off in the apartment. It is probably not justified from what i am reading on
the net. I have not got a clue about electricity etc so i am ring around alot of friends family asking. I will keep you posted on how the initial setup goes.