Cisco color

[silverhairb]

I had some paint custom-matched to the color of the Cisco cases. So a few scratches won't matter. They just get painted over and the routers look like new.

This is very much certification forum information since I heard that there are at least three questions on the test that relate to the color of Cisco equipment.

[the other] Bill

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Bill,

I kid you not - I can not tell you how many students on the first day of class, look around the room for the round "blue" routers with the arrows on top (you know the icon used in most training books for a router).

This is why I am such a big advocate of students having a REAL lab so they know what a router, switch, hub, cables, WICs etc look and feel like. Some routers, switches and hubs look a lot alike

I even have a rack setup with 2 hubs connected by a bridge, my TFTP server is on one end and the other end has a 50 foot Ethernet cable so that I can reach any of the racks in the classroom! Since all my routers in the classroom (not my work lab) are all 2611's and 2610's this does not matter if the path to the TFTP is through 2 10baseT hubs and a 10baseT bridge.

Students love to see the technology that we are reading about, and when it is in action, they like it even more

Now, my question, what color did you match, the teal color of the plastic fronts or the darker greenish teal of the metal bodies.

And, I have been tempted to take one of my routers to Home Depot, to do the same thing

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[silverhairb]

I got the color match on the gray-green metalwork. That's what gets scratched up so easily. The plastic front panels can be cleaned-up and made to look like new with Armor-All.

Home Depot, Lowes or similar won't do precision quality color matching. I went to a Porter Paint store to get an exact custom match. They just worked the mix until they got it right. And it still isn't absolutely PERFECT, but its so close that I'm the only one that can tell the difference. They won't do that at Home Despot.

Down there, MAB used to be the place that was very good. They were bought out by Sherwin-Williams. Maybe one of the X-MAB paint stores would match the color. Otherwise, take a router cover to a Porter Paint store. In either case, tell them you want an exact match in an alkyd material - color and sheen. Alkyd cures better and is more durable than water-based latex materials. Drop off the panel and tell them you'll be back the next day. Ask them to put a drop of the finished color-matched paint on the panel so you can check the difference when you return. Give them a day, no more no less. Too much time and they won't get to it, too little time and they won't get as close. These guys take a lot of pride in being able to do that match.

When you go back to pick up the panel, ask to see the drop of the finished color-matched mater on the panel itself to make sure its a match.

[the other] Bill

 

[maczen]

That is what I hate about racks! I have a hard time telling the difference between switches and routers since I can't easily see if the arrows are crossed or not! LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Billy,

Had a student walk right up to me in the Cisco classroom and ask why we did not have any "Cisco" routers, I looked around at the 5 racks in the room with about 23 Cisco routers on them and asked him why do you say that????

He said -

"Everyone knows that Cisco routers are blue!!!"

Just gotta laugh sometimes

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[maczen]

You actually inspired me.. When I get some free time I think I will match some paint to the "BLUE" diagram devices and paint my CISCO equipment that color! Will be awesome! LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[lerdalt]

Don't forget to put the arrows on the top as well.

 

[maczen]

hehe.. Thought about that....

http://www.customizedstickers.com/

LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[maczen]

Need at least 2U of space between devices to show it off though.. LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Billy,

I could see you doing that I did "google" "blue router" and lots of stuff came up BUT NOT A BLUE ONE LIKE BILLY!!!!!!

I did take a gray shelf to Home Depot and had them match that for some wood shelves we made for the computers to sit on in one of the classrooms.

We have a complete shop in the building that I am in at work, they teach buiding construction, they even have a "bending" machine for bending sheet metal for A/C work.

We used the "tools" and made 50 of these shelves, sanded them and painted them gray and then screwed them to the shelves as kind of a low "return" to put the computer - CPU's on so that they are not on top of the desks. It looks like they were orginal parts of the desks I have done just about EVERYTHING at work!!!!



E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[maczen]

That's awesome! I may even nab some canary yellow for the Skeletek rack! Not even going to try to paint the 7ft monster! LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Billy,

I think it would be a hoot if when you "google" "blue router" and your blue router with the arrows on top comes up first

Then my students would REALLY think we don't have any "real" Cisco routers - just those teal colored ones.

Just think if you resell them on Ebay - might start a whole industry of Billy's Blue Routers



E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[silverhairb]

Sounds like an opportunity for a photo shop enhancement.

[the other] Bill

 

[maczen]

LoL... I think I may just paint some.. But for now I have to hit the books/lab!!! CCNA Security is tomorrow!

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[silverhairb]

Security? Piece of cake. Crypto even easier.

Good luck!

[the other] Bill

 

[maczen]

I hear ya! Unfortunately there is a lot of info for someone new to the field! LoL I actually have a grasp on the crypto at the associate level.. Not that bad but the application of a lot of these technologies is somewhat more complicated.. Like the aforementioned IPsec VPN setup..

crypto isakmp enable
crypto isakmp policy 100
hash sha-2
encryption aes-128
authentication pre-shared
lifetime 3600
group 5
exit

crypto isakmp identity 172.16.2.1
crypto isakmp key MyKEY address 172.16.2.2

crypto ipsec transform-set MySET esp-aes 128 sep-sha-hmac

access-list 111 permit ip 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 10.10.10.0 0.0.0.255

crypto map MyMAP
match address 111
set transform-set MySET
set peer 172.16.2.2

Then you just apply the crypto map to the interface (this was really me practicing guys so sorry if anything is wrong but was off of the top of my head! Looks right to me.. I know that I did not set an IPsec lifetime using the security-association command and did not apply it yet) Plus with this setup you can not route non-ip protocols such as EIGRP, OSPF, AppleTalk etc.

Actuallly, I guess it isn't that bad after all Bill! LoL

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[silverhairb]

Crypto isn't as bad as everybody seems to think. To systems, its just another service. As stand alone applications, its just math. Putting the two together is just a matter of logic.

Seems like you have a handle on it. lol!

Bill

[the other] Bill

 

[maczen]

Thanks.. I plan on digging a little deeper here in the next few months!!! Need to play with Perl or Python some more though!

B Haines
CCNA Security, CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[burtsbees]

Now what about NAT, Billy?

The most mistakes I have seen with site to site vpn's are mistakes with interesting traffic, especially allowing access to multiple LANs.

Also, did they have you practice on remote access VPN's as well, or just site to site?

Now try a site to site AND remote access server setup in the SAME router WITHOUT screwing up the rsa keys for ssh access!

Burt

 

[maczen]

Thanks Tim.. That looks like an interesting lab experiment! The CCNA Security exam blueprint does not cover Cisco's "Easy VPN" which would be the "preferred" way of applying both a Site-to-Site VPN as well as your remotes while nat'ing to multiple subnets! In fact, it does not even cover GRE or DMVPN setup.. Just look at the blueprint although you may want to know what these technologies are of course!

NAT and IPSec (together) seem to be the biggest issues I see in the forums but honestly have very little experience combining the two! That is what the CCSP is for! I willl be there one day! The good thing is I have a stable job and 16 years to get the certs that I want for the civilian world so looking pretty good so far! Just want to tackle the associate level Cisco stuff before moving on to the professional stuff! The experience is coming via certification and of course now job experience as well! I am honestly living the dream.. LoL (See if I feel that way 5 months at sea!! LoL)

I am honestly not afraid of NAT/IPSec on an IOS router.. I see more issues coming from similar designs on a PIX/ASA.. Especially if upgrading from a PIX to an ASA! Incidentally, the CLN (Cisco Learning Network) has a QLM (Quick Learning Module) that covers just that! Here is a good link for anyone interested... PIX to ASA is the first module but this has several for many PIX/ASA configuration topics!

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le31/le29/configuring_asa_pix_security_appliances.html

B Haines
CCNA Security, CCNA R&S, ETA FOI