We've been talking about this at work and I thought I'd ask the forum...

How 'Over-Engineered' is your home network?

Mine isn't as bad (or as good IMO) as some of my co-workers:

2 Networks (1 for wife, 1 for me) split with 2 routers (DD-WRT on Linksys). VM box on my network (for good times). Modded Xbox for a media center on wife's network. Hoping to add more soon. 

I don't want to say its overengineered because at the end of the day, I have nothing more than a cable connection. My *current* lab at home for testing on the fly consists of: Cisco: 2650XM running CME, Cisco 2511, Cisco GB Switchprobe, nGenius 9912, Juniper: 2x Netscreen 204's, 2x SSG20's, SSG5, 5XT, SA700

Machine with too many VM's to list. I had a CCIE/CCNP lab once upon a time but got bored really quickly with CCIE security studies. Because I deal with so much different technology, it was difficult for me to focus SOLELY on Cisco especially when I began pushing for Stonegate and Juniper products for distinct clients. I use Foundry and Juniper switches heavily at work not to mention the usual pukage of Juniper SSG's, SA's, etc.

To the left of my desk right now, I have sort of a mirror:

2x Netscreen 204's
2650XM
SA2000
3x 3620's w Voice 1v's FXS and FXO cards
2x 2511's
3x Stonegate SG1100's
1x Foundry FastIron

In another room (because of the noise):

2x SSG350M's
9x Cisco routers variety of crap (3620's, 3640's, 4500's, 26xx's)
2x Foundry's (BigIron, FastIron)

And other stuff I got tired of playing with a long time ago. I did the home lab theme years back but it was difficult because I never had quiet @ home. 2) My light bill was off the meter 3) Become noisy 4) Became an eyesore 5) Lack of steady focus

My initial goal on networking began years ago when I studied for the CCIE (circa 2000) completely bypassing any CCNA/CCNP studies (you don't need any for the CCIE). When I began studying, I did so at my own leisure and pace at the protocol/RFC studying level. In parallel to this I was already doing security engineering a-la systems administration (Emerald, Big Brother, Dragon IDS (hola Ron Gula), Network Flight Recorder (hola Marcus), Satan, Cops, etc.)

I keep things around lurking when I get bored but mainly to create labs to test on. I at times create little "businesses" inside of my network to understand architecture, design, packet flow, packet analysis etc., network analysis has always fascinated me and I've had the good fortune of learning from time to time by reading the works of Laura Chappell and bugging her from time to time. She's been one of my main "go to the experts" when it comes to understand network analysis. I just throw my own spins into the equation to wing it in a method that's understandable to me. (Most people get into a "WTF!" state when I break things down as I tend to bastardize things).

my home network.

1 2wire home gateway (with wifi)
2 linksys wireless routers
3 computers
2 tablets
1 android cell phone
3 cisco 25xx routers
3 cisco 29xx switches

I'm thinking of picking 3 firewalls a Checkpoint, a Juniper, and a Cisco ASA.

Indeed. The typical R&S lab is pretty impressive and security and voice labs are just ridiculous.

If anyone ever gives you flack for your lab, just show them Scott Morris' and they'll pipe down: http://smorris.uber-geek.net/lab.htm

I do most of my work on the systems side. I have 16GB of RAM, a quad-core, and two cheap RAID-10 arrays in my main system. I can easily get 30 or so VMs going and mimic and decent business network. Other than that, I just have my cable modem attached to an ASA5505 and a WRT54G for basic wireless and a WRT54GL with custom firmware for experimentation.

I also have some Cisco 26XXs, 2950s, and 3550s that I play around with. CCNA: Security was enough Cisco-centric studies for me, so I haven't touched them in awhile. I'd definitely go farther if I worked with Cisco equipment on a regular basis, but it's difficult to keep up with when you work with it infrequently.

Has any one used the MIMIC Cisco labs?  I'm just wondering if that might not be a suitable alternative.

Edit: I'm not sure, but I'm thinking MIMIC wouldn't work in terms of a being a pentesting lab.  I guess that is why I'm asking.

extremely over engineered. 

8x cisco routers, 1841s, 2600XMs, 3640,
5x cisco L2/L3 switches 3560, 3550, 2950T, 2970G, 2960
1x ASA5510
1 access server
1 AP
 
not to mention 2 HP servers.
just to run a simple broadband connection.

lets just say my power bill is unnecessarily high


I do this because my home network is also my lab. as a network engineer I need to be able to configure large networks. this lab environment is perfect to practice my pen testing skills. I am constantly testing the security of my network. endless fun.