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Build a lab to improve my junior skill
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Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Hi guys,
I would build my home lab about networking and server.
I am a junior network engineer, I am 21 years old, and I want improve my skill so I think that build a home lab it will be a good way to grow up.
At the moment I have passed CCNA certification.
About the network I have seen that online there are Cisco Kits of switch and router for the CCNA Certification (for example on Ebay), so I suppose that this is the right choice.
Do you suggest me other option about cheap switch. It could be fine a layer 2 switch at the moment becouse I have a Mikrotik routerboard for the Layer 3.
About firewall I would use a Linux Distro as IPFire,ZeroShell or pfsense (based on freebsd sorry!), probably using a fanless PC, I have seen that on Aliexpress there are some interesting mini PC to do this task.
Or do you suggest build in firewall? Are not they more expensive?
Finally about "server".
I would a PC quite powerful to execute VMware or Proxmox to create a simple virtual lab to manage Linux machine and Windows Server Machine (sorry but at work we use Windows Server a lot ).
Otherwise I have seen on ebay used old HP server too.
Can you suggest my something about it?
The firewall could be virtualized too.
What do you think about it?
Thanks for your help
I would build my home lab about networking and server.
I am a junior network engineer, I am 21 years old, and I want improve my skill so I think that build a home lab it will be a good way to grow up.
At the moment I have passed CCNA certification.
About the network I have seen that online there are Cisco Kits of switch and router for the CCNA Certification (for example on Ebay), so I suppose that this is the right choice.
Do you suggest me other option about cheap switch. It could be fine a layer 2 switch at the moment becouse I have a Mikrotik routerboard for the Layer 3.
About firewall I would use a Linux Distro as IPFire,ZeroShell or pfsense (based on freebsd sorry!), probably using a fanless PC, I have seen that on Aliexpress there are some interesting mini PC to do this task.
Or do you suggest build in firewall? Are not they more expensive?
Finally about "server".
I would a PC quite powerful to execute VMware or Proxmox to create a simple virtual lab to manage Linux machine and Windows Server Machine (sorry but at work we use Windows Server a lot ).
Otherwise I have seen on ebay used old HP server too.
Can you suggest my something about it?
The firewall could be virtualized too.
What do you think about it?
Thanks for your help
Lenovo T460 | 8Gbyte of RAM | Intel core i5 | SSD 250GB | Debian 12
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Why bother with that?coppolino97 wrote:pfsense
OpenBSD has the latest version of pf and it's very easy to set up:
https://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/index.html
^ Best. Firewall. Ever.
deadbang
Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
quite some years ago i ran in the package gns3, but i couldn't make any sense of it at all.
Hence it might be of no use at all, don't be angry if so:
https://packages.debian.org/stretch/gns3
Hence it might be of no use at all, don't be angry if so:
https://packages.debian.org/stretch/gns3
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Thanks for this suggestion, I do not know this!Why bother with that?
OpenBSD has the latest version of pf and it's very easy to set up:
https://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/index.html
^ Best. Firewall. Ever.
Is better this one or a linux firewall distribution?
Yes it is a good idea, but I prefer a real lab at the moment.quite some years ago i ran in the package gns3, but i couldn't make any sense of it at all.
Hence it might be of no use at all, don't be angry if so:
https://packages.debian.org/stretch/gns3
About a little server anyone can suggest something?
Thanks for your help
Lenovo T460 | 8Gbyte of RAM | Intel core i5 | SSD 250GB | Debian 12
Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Congratulations on the CCNAcoppolino97 wrote:About a little server anyone can suggest something?
Thanks for your help
depends on personal preference and how you want to spend your time,coppolino97 wrote:About the network I have seen that online there are Cisco Kits of switch and router for the CCNA Certification
(for example on Ebay), so I suppose that this is the right choice.
Do you suggest me other option about cheap switch. It could be fine a layer 2 switch at the moment becouse I have a Mikrotik routerboard for the Layer 3.
ie want to learn cisco protocols or open source best practices.
Cisco has its own cert (as I'm sure you are aware already)
all depends on personal preference and how much time is available.coppolino97 wrote:About firewall I would use a Linux Distro as IPFire,ZeroShell or pfsense (based on freebsd sorry!), probably using a fanless PC, I have seen that on Aliexpress there are some interesting mini PC to do this task.
Or do you suggest build in firewall? Are not they more expensive?
ie: do you want to learn howto open source firewall practices or proprietary best practices/security/secrets and licensing.
if you want a server like that you are going to have to learn howto administer it as well.coppolino97 wrote: Finally about "server".
I would a PC quite powerful to execute VMware or Proxmox to create a simple virtual lab to manage Linux machine and Windows Server Machine (sorry but at work we use Windows Server a lot ).
Otherwise I have seen on ebay used old HP server too.
Can you suggest my something about it?
All OEM's have different Admin panels and hardware setups.
And/Or one can build it oneself adding more time to learn the pros and cons of the hardware/software mix of the machine.
I'd suggest scheduling adequate time to the Admin team to get all their duck is a row (so to speak)
In memory of Ian Ashley Murdock (1973 - 2015) founder of the Debian project.
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
OpenBSD is a better choice for a firewall, the Linux developers are too focused on cramming as many new features in as fast as possible to give a damn about bugs & vulnerabilities. IMOcoppolino97 wrote:Thanks for this suggestion, I do not know this!Why bother with that?
OpenBSD has the latest version of pf and it's very easy to set up:
https://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/index.html
^ Best. Firewall. Ever.
Is better this one or a linux firewall distribution?
That shiny pfsense distribution may have a nice, pretty GUI but that just adds more holes...
deadbang
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Thanks!Congratulations on the CCNA
Generally, I prefer Cisco because I know a little bit than other company networking device. Recently I started to use Aruba/HP switch too, they have a nice web interface but the CLI at the moment is not totally clear for me.depends on personal preference and how you want to spend your time,
ie want to learn cisco protocols or open source best practices.
Cisco has its own cert (as I'm sure you are aware already)
Yes, at the moment I prefer HP because it is the just vendor's server that I know, but I have not really experience about it.if you want a server like that you are going to have to learn howto administer it as well.
All OEM's have different Admin panels and hardware setups.
And/Or one can build it oneself adding more time to learn the pros and cons of the hardware/software mix of the machine.
I'd suggest scheduling adequate time to the Admin team to get all their duck is a row (so to speak)
About operating system I would install VMware (or proxmox) to learn how to really manage from zero a real virtual environment.
I have just manage some VM but the virtual environment was just configured on vmware or hyper-v.
Generally at work I have used/managed Fortinet firewall and just rarely times Watchguard Firewall.OpenBSD is a better choice for a firewall, the Linux developers are too focused on cramming as many new features in as fast as possible to give a damn about bugs & vulnerabilities. IMO
That shiny pfsense distribution may have a nice, pretty GUI but that just adds more holes...
I have asked about other solution to reduce the cost of building this little lab.
Thanks for your help!
Lenovo T460 | 8Gbyte of RAM | Intel core i5 | SSD 250GB | Debian 12
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
I'm no expert but that looks like a scam to me.coppolino97 wrote:Generally at work I have used/managed Fortinet firewall and just rarely times Watchguard Firewall
OpenBSD has had 2 remote holes in the default install (which is what you'd be using for a firewall) in over 20 years, can Fortinet make the same claim?
deadbang
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
Not so what you're talking about, I have just one year of experience of work as junior network engineer, so it is a new for me.I'm no expert but that looks like a scam to me.
OpenBSD has had 2 remote holes in the default install (which is what you'd be using for a firewall) in over 20 years, can Fortinet make the same claim?
It is just a little lab to improve my little experience, but I don't want create a super lab at the moment and wast too much money.
Thanks for your suggestion!
Lenovo T460 | 8Gbyte of RAM | Intel core i5 | SSD 250GB | Debian 12
Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
I was gonna say! instead I waited for you to say it.coppolino97 wrote: I have just one year of experience of work as junior network engineer, so it is a new for me.
It is just a little lab to improve my little experience, but I don't want create a super lab at the moment and wast too much money.
What the estimate for the lab setup you posted in the OP?
What is the estimate for the Lab you are intending to build?
In memory of Ian Ashley Murdock (1973 - 2015) founder of the Debian project.
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Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
At the moment I suppose to build a PC that can I use as Virtual Machine Server with Proxmox for example.
I suppose that it could be a interesting point to start.
Thanks
I suppose that it could be a interesting point to start.
Thanks
Lenovo T460 | 8Gbyte of RAM | Intel core i5 | SSD 250GB | Debian 12
Re: Build a lab to improve my junior skill
I 'll second HOAS recommanding OpenBSD.
It's the simplest system I have ever seen. Everything makes sense and I gained much more confidence using it for few months than I did using Debian for a decade+.
The doc is top notch and the tools work as intended. This is not so obvious with Linux-based systems.
I am not sure how the knowledge transpose from one (OBSD) to another (Linux) but my experience is, what you learn on the simplest system can be re-use on big fat systems.
That is if you want to really learn the tech underneath.
If you want more shiny tech, stick with Linux. OpenBSD is a battletested system that moves only when deemed necessary.
It's the simplest system I have ever seen. Everything makes sense and I gained much more confidence using it for few months than I did using Debian for a decade+.
The doc is top notch and the tools work as intended. This is not so obvious with Linux-based systems.
I am not sure how the knowledge transpose from one (OBSD) to another (Linux) but my experience is, what you learn on the simplest system can be re-use on big fat systems.
That is if you want to really learn the tech underneath.
If you want more shiny tech, stick with Linux. OpenBSD is a battletested system that moves only when deemed necessary.