Project 1 : Creating a free online Kenyan Cisco CCNA Simulator for Technology Students
Gentlemen, Ladies. I'd wanted to build the project first before putting the announcements anywhere, however for this project I'd like to capture your inputs too. For all those who are involved in Physical to Network layer, your contribution will be a strong builder of this . Im sure you all understand the difficulties of not being able to do the practical parts without physical routers. Though there maybe an argument that one can buy or hack/get free copies etc of such simulators, we are going to try and create an open approach which may help students long term. - Proposal : as per subject - Hosting the Simulator : Our target is get to as many ISPs who are willing to host the Web Simulator ( it maybe difficult for them if they do not host IIS web services, so may have to route outside KE, which will be unfortunate ) and I really hope that ISPs will be will to work with us on this project. This will give many students access without creating the "sole ownership" approach. My wish is to avoid having just one site and outside KE. - Project time line : 16-24 weeks, after collection of all the data. I could have a skeleton ready for testing. - What help is needed: If you have access to routers or switches, then it will be a big help to get most of the the IOS commands from a CCNA point of view. The Web Simulator will contain 2 Routers and 1 switch. If you have done your CCNA recently and know what is covered on routing and switching well, then it would be a great help. Things like password recovery registers, stub or default routing, Ripv2 or even OSPF, BGP etc. - Credits : I'd like to be able to give necessary credits to those who contributed on the footer of the main page of the web application. I'm been wanting to do this project for a very long time and would appreciate all your help. I apologise if I've not listed all the details and you may have to be patient with me on the final delivery of the idea as am between many other things. However, I'd like to set a personal deadline of the project as above. All or any suggestions are welcomed, including those from fellow C# ASP.NETdevelopers. Asanteni. :-)
Another Aki post,lengthy n pregnant with ideas. Like every other pregnancy,it's either a boy or girl,nothing new. CCNA simulators are all over the place n sufficient enough to give you a pass. Why you'd want to re-invent the wheel with a made in kenya tag perplex me. Tech is global..it doesnt matter where it's made as so long as it does what it shud. What is unique to KE CCNA students that warrants a KE simulator? Jared On Nov 9, 2010 9:56 PM, "aki" <aki275@gmail.com> wrote: Gentlemen, Ladies. I'd wanted to build the project first before putting the announcements anywhere, however for this project I'd like to capture your inputs too. For all those who are involved in Physical to Network layer, your contribution will be a strong builder of this . Im sure you all understand the difficulties of not being able to do the practical parts without physical routers. Though there maybe an argument that one can buy or hack/get free copies etc of such simulators, we are going to try and create an open approach which may help students long term. - Proposal : as per subject - Hosting the Simulator : Our target is get to as many ISPs who are willing to host the Web Simulator ( it maybe difficult for them if they do not host IIS web services, so may have to route outside KE, which will be unfortunate ) and I really hope that ISPs will be will to work with us on this project. This will give many students access without creating the "sole ownership" approach. My wish is to avoid having just one site and outside KE. - Project time line : 16-24 weeks, after collection of all the data. I could have a skeleton ready for testing. - What help is needed: If you have access to routers or switches, then it will be a big help to get most of the the IOS commands from a CCNA point of view. The Web Simulator will contain 2 Routers and 1 switch. If you have done your CCNA recently and know what is covered on routing and switching well, then it would be a great help. Things like password recovery registers, stub or default routing, Ripv2 or even OSPF, BGP etc. - Credits : I'd like to be able to give necessary credits to those who contributed on the footer of the main page of the web application. I'm been wanting to do this project for a very long time and would appreciate all your help. I apologise if I've not listed all the details and you may have to be patient with me on the final delivery of the idea as am between many other things. However, I'd like to set a personal deadline of the project as above. All or any suggestions are welcomed, including those from fellow C# ASP.NETdevelopers. Asanteni. :-) _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
Hello @Jared, thanks for your comments and your points well put forward. :-) I hope you are not confusing things like config maker etc. I think we should list the current Cisco Router/Switch simulators available and at what cost? Do the training centres let the students ( whether part time or full time ) download, install and train on such? Do any training facilties in Kenya offer the simulators as an indirect training facility? Is the lack of such simulators creating students who only memorize the theory training because lack of such? Do the trainings teach things that are local eg how to configure a KDN, AK, JTL fiber WAN circuits or Wimax Vlans? These are some of the questions I've pondered over time. My approach is to create the simulator and later incorporate as much as local infrastructure configurations into it. I'd like to ask you this too. At another project, I also intend to create a Telecom simulator eg on BTS that can help Telco students. This will mean working with vendors in our market. Should I stop and create another social kenyan website with the hope of ad revenue or will the Telecom Web Simulator have more of economic value to others? I'd like to start of with building the foundation of the simulator that covers the Cisco CCNA subjects. With time and with people like you who will push the envelope of local justifications ( which is great and always a check ) , we will be able to create something that can work and help more towards localization. Me thots. Rgds. On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 8:04 AM, Jared Koyier <jaredkoyier@gmail.com> wrote:
Another Aki post,lengthy n pregnant with ideas. Like every other pregnancy,it's either a boy or girl,nothing new. CCNA simulators are all over the place n sufficient enough to give you a pass. Why you'd want to re-invent the wheel with a made in kenya tag perplex me. Tech is global..it doesnt matter where it's made as so long as it does what it shud. What is unique to KE CCNA students that warrants a KE simulator?
Jared
Aki, we are trying to understand what you are up to exactly , and the value to be derived from this other than a kenyan flag on the product.
Aki, Most of the guys are right, there are simulators for this sort of thing all over the place. What we could maybe work on is actual hardware community lab. Not necessarily cisco, guys could for instance pledge/donate whatever they can get and we put up the lab. A couple of old 2600/6500's etc forgotten in a closet by established ISP's would go along way. Most of them don't have policies to dispose off old equipment but Im sure through such a forum we can get lots of gear to work with. rackspace/power, session management and other considerations would also have to be made. The equipment could be servers, routers, switches etc. We can work on access using the web interface integrated to whatever authentication/logging etc service as you mentioned. For simulators the best cisco one I have personally used for very large scale simulations (more than 6 routers) is dynamips (http://www.dynagen.org/tutorial.htm). Apart from teh wireless track, everything else can be pretty much simulated on this. CCIE candidates use this all the time. google dynamips/dynagen. You could technically get a web interface and offer it up as a simulator if you want. Juniper has an excellent one called olive : http://juniper.cluepon.net/index.php/Olive again I know a couple of juniper certified guys that only used this simulator. Now should you feel that you need to mess around with low level stuff. check our openflow (http://www.openflowswitch.org). http://third-world-networker.blogspot.com/2010/11/openflow-why-its-exciting-... For GSM stuff: check out openbsc and openbts. If you want to go abit further check out osmocombb. I personally have used most of them and can probably answer a few questions if you need help. Please note that you would need specific hardware to make some of the simulators for gsm work. openggsn (this was dormant but I see guys are reworking the code) and opensgsn are perfect if you want to understand how mobile data (gsm) works. HTH. Gitau On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 5:01 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:
Aki, we are trying to understand what you are up to exactly , and the value to be derived from this other than a kenyan flag on the product. _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- **Gitau
@John Gitau, I've just gone over the info you posted and am very grateful for your contribution. To be honest, I've be down the road of hosted hardware and the rest. Back in the early days, these were the only options. I've build systems blah blah etc but none of these fancy me anymore for years now, however you have a good idea on the hosted router thing. Hope you will have success with it. For me building apps for ccies will mean building a long drawn out application that could last a long time and am try to avoid any apps that slow me down at this stage. I'm going to pick one of two apps out of my projects that will be long projects. I'm sort of a little disappointed with our network collegues who have not responded to this thread. To me the reason I put out this thread was to create an invitation I hoped for bringing together our network collegues who I believe have been left out of the development cycle because these layers have a lot of limitations. I had hoped they would have jumped on-board this project by even supplying the simplest of IOS commands. I was even willing to provide such credits of contributors, reference my original thread. I have access to equipment when I need to, I can run my IOS commands or re-read Cisco material so why did I even bother listing this thread? I'm asking myself this question right now and the only answer I have is this : To h*ll with listing threads and such invitations any more. I'm going to e- flush this useless and time wasting app straight to the trash! So much for even trying...geez. Amazing. Anyway, cheers and I'll keep intouch if some idea crops up later of some network app and if may interest you, maybe we can do something. :-) Rgds. On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 5:38 PM, John Gitau <jgitau@gmail.com> wrote:
Aki, Most of the guys are right, there are simulators for this sort of thing all over the place. What we could maybe work on is actual hardware community lab. Not necessarily cisco, guys could for instance pledge/donate whatever they can get and we put up the lab.
A couple of old 2600/6500's etc forgotten in a closet by established ISP's would go along way. Most of them don't have policies to dispose off old equipment but Im sure through such a forum we can get lots of gear to work with. rackspace/power, session management and other considerations would also have to be made.
On 10 November 2010 09:53, aki <aki275@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello @Jared, thanks for your comments and your points well put forward. :-)
I hope you are not confusing things like config maker etc. I think we should list the current Cisco Router/Switch simulators available and at what cost?
There are quite a number of Simulators, paid versions, free versions(GNS3, Dynamips etc) and Cracked versions, it all depends on you.
Do the training centres let the students ( whether part time or full time ) download, install and train on such?
Depends on what you want and whether you can afford.
Do any training facilties in Kenya offer the simulators as an indirect training facility? Is the lack of such simulators creating students who only memorize the theory training because lack of such?
Do the trainings teach things that are local eg how to configure a KDN, AK, JTL fiber WAN circuits or Wimax Vlans?
CCNA is based on cisco equipments and specific to a certain scope. The specifics of KDN, AK networks depend on those companies and if were to be taught would widen the scope beyond what you can imagine. On the same note, confuguring a cisco router, all factors held constant would be the same whether it is KDN, AK or JTL.
These are some of the questions I've pondered over time. My approach is to create the simulator and later incorporate as much as local infrastructure configurations into it.
How different is it from other infrastructure?
I'd like to ask you this too. At another project, I also intend to create a Telecom simulator eg on BTS that can help Telco students. This will mean working with vendors in our market. Should I stop and create another social kenyan website with the hope of ad revenue or will the Telecom Web Simulator have more of economic value to others?
I'd like to start of with building the foundation of the simulator that covers the Cisco CCNA subjects. With time and with people like you who will push the envelope of local justifications ( which is great and always a check ) , we will be able to create something that can work and help more towards localization
I think you should just say you want to build a simulator for CCNA, and then allow us to trace your nationality. We will then say, this simulator was built by a kenyan. CCNA is not even kenyan!
Me thots.
Rgds.
On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 8:04 AM, Jared Koyier <jaredkoyier@gmail.com>wrote:
Another Aki post,lengthy n pregnant with ideas. Like every other pregnancy,it's either a boy or girl,nothing new. CCNA simulators are all over the place n sufficient enough to give you a pass. Why you'd want to re-invent the wheel with a made in kenya tag perplex me. Tech is global..it doesnt matter where it's made as so long as it does what it shud. What is unique to KE CCNA students that warrants a KE simulator?
Jared
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-- Regards Jared Koyier
@Dennis and @Jared. :-) Gentlemen, Let us leave the comments and try and do something too towards creating more apps for the kenyan market. If you feel it is not necessary and are ok with the current situation, then relax chill out and enjoy the view. In the meantime, I've got a road map and at a mixture of free and commercial apps to do. I also know some apps may or may not be successful, that is the reality of projects. Let me continue with my journey and hope that it will bear some results at the end and maybe have some positive effects. Keep in mind that am not a full time dev so just like everyone else out there, bills and time need to be looked at. And finally the apps are not for skunks use but those who may be starting out or mildly established in soho or sme markets. @Gitau, thnks for the heads on on the telco stuff. Will go over these asap. :-) Rgds.
@Jared, so far you have told me what CANNOT be done, please tell me what CAN be done. Await your On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 5:19 PM, Jared Koyier <jaredkoyier@gmail.com> wrote:
I think you should just say you want to build a simulator for CCNA, and then allow us to trace your nationality. We will then say, this simulator was built by a kenyan. CCNA is not even kenyan!
Hi Aki, First of all thanks for sharing your project ideas on the list - as much as some may not agree with them. Anyway, I think if you feel an this project is justified or you feel a certain drive to accomplish it then by all means go ahead and act on it. Don't wait for everyone to back up your idea - I think from the responses so far that might not happen soon :-) If you are unable to get like-minded people on this list then approach it as your personal project that you don't need to justify to anyone, because if you 'need' to get people here involved then you'll have to sell the idea to them first. Personally I think it would be a good project for university students and anyone with time to spare on it. If for nothing else, then just for the knowledge and experience ( as well as some bragging rights perhaps? :-) ) Anyway, all the best in your projects! @Gitau - thanks for the good information and the links! Kind Regards John Ndambuki On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 8:38 PM, aki <aki275@gmail.com> wrote:
@Jared, so far you have told me what CANNOT be done, please tell me what CAN be done.
Await your
On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 5:19 PM, Jared Koyier <jaredkoyier@gmail.com>wrote:
I think you should just say you want to build a simulator for CCNA, and then allow us to trace your nationality. We will then say, this simulator was built by a kenyan. CCNA is not even kenyan!
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Hey @John Ndambuki, thnks for the thots. I do not have the mental creativity to do this project any more. I may re-visit when time allows, until then there is no urgency. Rgds. On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 2:40 AM, John Ndambuki <johnmndambuki@gmail.com>wrote:
Hi Aki,
Personally I think it would be a good project for university students and anyone with time to spare on it. If for nothing else, then just for the knowledge and experience ( as well as some bragging rights perhaps? :-) )
Anyway, all the best in your projects!
@Gitau - thanks for the good information and the links!
gns3 with cisco ios you can build upto a ccie level lab and infact you can build a voice lab what you wont have is support for mgcp. You can also include juniper switches. Thats all one needs On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 10:29 AM, aki <aki275@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey @John Ndambuki, thnks for the thots. I do not have the mental creativity to do this project any more. I may re-visit when time allows, until then there is no urgency.
Rgds.
On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 2:40 AM, John Ndambuki <johnmndambuki@gmail.com>wrote:
Hi Aki,
Personally I think it would be a good project for university students and anyone with time to spare on it. If for nothing else, then just for the knowledge and experience ( as well as some bragging rights perhaps? :-) )
Anyway, all the best in your projects!
@Gitau - thanks for the good information and the links!
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@Jacob, this part of GNS3 "users have to provide their own IOS/IPS/PIX/ASA/JunOS to use with GNS3"? Does it mean students would have to buy a router and use GNS3? On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 12:22 PM, Jacob Odada <jacob.odada@gmail.com> wrote:
gns3 with cisco ios you can build upto a ccie level lab and infact you can build a voice lab what you wont have is support for mgcp. You can also include juniper switches. Thats all one needs
@Jared Koyier, I've researched and researched your comments on this thread. The baffling question to me since yesterday evening was this : The Cisco Sim proposed here has no commercial or other gains/values, it would be a community effort, so why would a free application be opposed? A free kenyan application that seeks to compete with other free/hacked/cracked sims on a free basis, no big deal. Its another app in the free world and therefore does not pose any commercial threat, or does it? Why would people be so opposed or want to downgrade it to a mere nothing. Something does not add up. In the meantime, this project is withdrawn from the list and I shall continue my work when time becomes available.
@aki a resourceful student will surely find the images online for free On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 2:20 PM, aki <aki275@gmail.com> wrote:
@Jared Koyier, I've researched and researched your comments on this thread. The baffling question to me since yesterday evening was this : The Cisco Sim proposed here has no commercial or other gains/values, it would be a community effort, so why would a free application be opposed? A free kenyan application that seeks to compete with other free/hacked/cracked sims on a free basis, no big deal. Its another app in the free world and therefore does not pose any commercial threat, or does it? Why would people be so opposed or want to downgrade it to a mere nothing. Something does not add up.
In the meantime, this project is withdrawn from the list and I shall continue my work when time becomes available.
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Jacob, thnks. The idea was to create a free kenyan sim, so students would have a choice of international freeware and local freeware. The build was to be done to compete on the same level as the int'l ones, would have involved kenyan network persons. This process would have served a reminder to the ones just joining training centres that things can be done locally therefore inspirational. Luckily for me, the lack of input I got actually gave me a further understanding that kenyans have a very looong loong way to go to even use any free software done locally under the justification that it already exists. I took this knowledge with me on my recent trip and after discussing with friends surprisingly some of my ideas have a better chance in other time zones. Now am already starting to do some work on creating an free online basic crm system to be used by home-office types while also building a free catalogue system for possible hosting companies. The challenge to badge KE on software remains a goal, for now the goal posts have shifted again. :-) Rgds. On Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 8:53 PM, Jacob Odada <jacob.odada@gmail.com> wrote:
@aki a resourceful student will surely find the images online for free
participants (6)
-
aki -
Dennis Kioko -
Jacob Odada -
Jared Koyier -
John Gitau -
John Ndambuki