Servers arrive tomorrow (yah!). I will be posting images and config's before, during and after so I can get some more detailed info and help from you guys while I'm deploying each box.

I really appreciate all of your help.

Thank you for your response and very informative. This is strictly a home project and thankfully my wife is pretty supportive so I can stack as much hardware I can get my hands on as long as it doesn't kill the esthetics's of the room. 

I will post my network diagram when I finish it and let you guys give your feedback on it and see where it takes me.


Thanks Again.

Since I've become dedicated to learning this industry and adapting it to my current skills set, I've purchase a bit of hardware to setup a home pentest lab.
I thought I had my network planned out, however the more I investigate, the more I'm learning I was on the wrong path from the beginning.

Can you more experienced professionals tell me what you would do with this equipment and how I should structure my lab

He's what I've got currently being delivered (Wednesday).

I bought (4) Boxx 1U Servers all with the same configuration:

CPU: 2 x Dual Core Xeon 3.04 ghz
Memory: 2 Machines have 4 gigs - 2 Machines have 8 gigs
Hardrives: 2 X 72 Gigs (RAID 5)
Minor notes: Dual gigabit adpaters, no remote management, cd-rom, ect...

I also bought a Order Dell PowerEdge 2850 to run web services on a VM both for IIS and Apache.  This machine I think will be dedicated only for web exploit/pen testing.

I have 2 DD-WRT routers to act as bridges for my wireless so I can have internet without running cat cables all over my house.

I have a Sonicwall TZ-160 and an older Sonicwall net appliance.

How would you guys configure your pen lab with this equipment for the best and more productive learning experience. 

I bought 2 x 24' monitors today, which is a bit of an over kill, but I also want things to look nice in that area.

I'm pretty sure I'm going the VM route, if that helps.
Distros and OS choice's? Other valuable information would be greatly appreciated.

WOW - What a great reply. It's rare to find that kind of information so quickly. I will definitely become an active user on this forum and hopefully learn a lot from you more experienced professionals.

I think you sold me. I will be enrolling in the PRO course so I'm sure I will be bomb-barding you guys with questions.

I've been in the IT industry for 18 years and have a very firm understanding of complex network environments. However, I've always been on Administration side. I've now made the decision to venture in to Pen Testing and have invested in 6 servers for my home lab to begin the learning process.

I followed a recent trail from EH to elearningsecurity.com and was wondering someone could give me the feedback on their experience with the whole training process.

Couple Questions.

1.) Being on the Admin side for so long and not the black/white hat side, does these courses train is such a way that someone with my experience could understand and retain and not just throw out random how-to's.

2.) My MCSE was was $8k. My MSTS was $6,500. My MCTIP was $10k. This entire course and cert is only $650? WOW.  Why?

Thanks in advance.