Saturday, May 25, 2013

Ubiquiti Unifi POE (update for UAP-AC)

As Ubiquiti released the UAP-AC, here is a quick update to the older post:
  • The UAP-Pro does support standard 802.3af POE;
  • The UAP-AC supports 802.3at POE+. According to the datasheet, this AP uses 22W of power, and since standard POE can only supply 15.4W (at best), this baby really needs the max. 30W from POE+.
While the POE+ requirement might be a show-stopper for us, standard POE implementations are definitely the way to go for Ubiquiti.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Fun factsheet for HP Procurve 2524 and 2512 switches

To celebrate the release of the 5.77 software and our undying love for the Procurve 2500 series, here is a handy factsheet for the 2512 and 2524 switches:

  • These are layer 2 switches;
  • So they don't have DHCP snooping capabilities;
  • Nor any ARP inspection (DAI).
  • They can't do IP routing, or NAT.
  • Only 1 trunk interface is supported.
  • LACP is supported.
  • Traffic distribution over a trunk is based on MAC addresses.
  • No layer3 ACLs for switching. (Just for the control plane).
  • They have 2 hardware priority queues.
  • They only support L2 COS, not DSCP or TOS.
  • They support voice vlans, but only for QoS purposes, not signaled in LLDP/CDP.
  • They support RSTP, not MSTP.
  • They do support LLDP, but no LLDP-MED.
  • They support CDP in receive-only mode.
  • They support GVRP.
  • They do not support POE.
  • They use the same software as the unmanaged 2300 series.
  • They use the same expansion modules as the 2300 series.
  • There is a proprietary gigabit stacking module for these switches.
  • They can be "stacked" in a master-member fashion, but don't expect much.
The next possible feature of the series might be the 2600 series, which also received new software in December.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Cheap certifications to help start your IT career - episode 1

Okay, I know the title sounds dodgy, but I'm not going to sell you anything. Not cheap exam PDFs, not braindumps, nothing.

Getting a BSc or MSc takes years (and money), and sitting exams for major certificaions (MCSE, CCNP, etc.) also takes time and also costs decent money.

The following is a list of fairly easy and cheap entry-level IT certificaions, to get you started. The list is not comprehensive, so look out for follow-ups.

Microsoft
If you want an MS certification, the MCSA is not your only option. Gettign a single MCTS (Technology Specialist) is better than nothing, and the new MTA (Technology Associate) certifications -while aimed mostly for students- ain't too bad either. They are around $120 in developed countries, and around $75 in developing countries (including East-Europe). MTA topics include server OS, networking, security, .net development, etc.

Servers: HP
HP offers free web-based training and non-free exams for its servers and networking tracks. Look for the ATA and ATP levels, where "HP2-" exams are needed on ExpertOne. One exam costs around $20, but this information is a bit old.

Networking:
Brocade
I do admit, I'm a bit biased towards Brocade at the moment, as I'm getting ready for my BCLP. Still,they offer free training material and $20 exams for their accreditations, which is nice. For details, see this previous post.

Zyxel
While not the most recognized networking vendor in Europe, they do some serious stuff, and you can get several ZCNP certifications (training+exams) for free at their education website. Certification tracks include switching, security, FTTx, xDSL, VoIP, WiMax, etc., so it's fairly diverse.

Juniper
Now Juniper is a recognized player in the networking field, and with their fast-track program, they offer free web-based training and 50% vouchers for some exams, so they are below $100.

So even if you're coming from the east, with not a lot of cash to spare for exams, you can still make do. Also, look out for offers from anybody, so check their facebook, linkedin, website and whatever else they have.
If you have more recommendations or recent experience with these, comments are always welcome.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Brocade BCLE and BCLP news

To celebrate my achievement of getting the BCLE, Brocade decided to retire the certification and also refresh the BCLP 2010 to BCLP 2013. The BCLE will be incorporated into the BCLP 2013 and the Internetworking Track will be re-designed a bit with a possible new certification.

If you're interested in getting BCLP certified, be sure to visit the Brocade communities in the near future.

Recommended study materials include:

ServerIron ADX 12.5 Administration Guide 53-1002682-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Advanced Server Load Balancing Guide 53-1002683-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Firewall Load Balancing Guide 53-1002684-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Global Server Load Balancing Guide 53-1002685-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Multitenancy Guide 53-1002693-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 NAT64 Configuration Guide 53-1002690-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Security Guide 53-1002686-01
ServerIron ADX 12.5 Server Load Balancing Guide 53-1002687-01
ServerIron ADX v2.0 ARB Admin Guide 53-1002509-01
ServerIron ADX OpenScript Programmer's Guide 53-1002691-01
Best Practices for High Availability Deployment for the Brocade ADX Switch GA-BP-453-00
CLE 202 Course
CLP 240 Course
ADX-TS 300 Course