Microsoft Vs CISCO networks

[jamrock]

Actually, Novell used to be the leading networking O/S for PC's. It used to own the market before Windows NT came along.

For some reason, the folks at Novell never put up a fight. Microsoft walked away with the PC networking market just like that.

Many Jamaican companies used to use Novell, but most have switched to Windows NT/2000 now. I still meet Novell 3.12 in some small family owned/operated companies. The ones that are still running DOS based applications like Accpac Plus.

[zandex]

Microsoft is for connecting your computers within a LAN (Local area network), there are various versions of Microsoft Windows software, Windows NT 3.50, NT 3.51, NT 4.0, 2000 and Windows 2003 Server. Once you have your LAN going and need some expansion to other locations, then you think about using Cisco hardware or Microsoft software solutions (RRAS, VPN, Terminal services and routers).

Cisco will allow you to interconnect your WAN (LAN to LAN) using their products. These will include routers, gateways and switches. Once you have a connected network, you will still need to use something to let the computers talk, Microsoft, Linux or Novell.

So, in summary you cannot really compare Microsoft or Cisco networks, they just compliment each other. This however is not the same with Linux and Microsoft.

[ebony_chinee]

Hi all

It isn't that CISCO doesn't require 3rd party solutions. You can use a host of solutions/applications to sniff out network clients, configurations, MACs, IPs, etc.

Like some of the other posts have clearly stated, M$ networks vs. CISCO networks are like comparing chalk and cheese. Once you learn how to configure routers expertly it is like a whole new world!

Just a note for anyone interested in pursing the CISCO certifications. You only recertify every 3 yrs as opposed to M$'s 18 mths. What does that mean? It means you get more time to work on actually knowing and optimising your network as opposed to learning what M$ pushes down your throat every time they feel like changing a few lines of code in their OSs.

[Nastrodamus]

Ebony....I am actually pursuing CCNA ;D

[Xenocrates]

[quote author=~ eBôÑ¥_¢HiÑee ~ link=board=26;threadid=1150;start=0#msg10650 date=1057583319]
It means you get more time to work on actually knowing and optimising your network as opposed to learning what M$ pushes down your throat every time they feel like changing a few lines of code in their OSs.
[/quote]

- That's right ~ eBôÑ¥_¢HiÑee. I remember when I did my MCSE and was about to attempt the MS Internet Information Server exam when a warning message came up that stated that the only way to pass the exam is if you've been using the software for the last 6 months. Needless to say, I had to retake that exam. After checking the pass statistics for that exam on www.Cramsession.com, 87% of all examinees who took that exam on that day failed it. Miserably. >

The point is that Microsoft's interactive exams started to mimic those done by Cisco candidates - it's a better way of testing admittedly (Cisco thought of it) but none of the examinees had any idea of the changes to IIS or the exam. They (Microsoft) do have a clause that states that they can change the exam to meet their software changes without notification of the examining institution or the student. If you ask me, that's messed up.

So everytime they make a change to their software to fix a bug or two, the exams are updated almost immediately. So a candidate walking into an exam which was changed the day before to match updates to software fixes made two days earlier is likely to fail the exam since Microsoft does not notify anyone of the changes until it's posted on their website. Do you know how many people fail MCSE exams because of this nonsense? It's quite ridiculous.

So everytime you walk into an exam, you have to hope that Microsoft didn't change anything. >

It also transcends the entire OSI structure.

Correct me if I'm wrong ~ eBôÑ¥_¢HiÑee, but don't Microsoft tools also cater to the upper levels of the OSI after the Transport layer? i.e. Session, Presentation and Application layers? I'm not sure that Microsoft completely transcends the OSI (for which, the working model has changed so often these days :). That is ofcourse assuming that I fully understand what you mean when you say transcend. Also, the last time I checked, the Microsoft implementation of TCP/IP actually goes all the way up from the Transport to the Presentation layer. That's just their implementation anyway.

Nastro, it should also be mentioned that Cicso invented what are known as Intelligent routers. Their route table is automatically updated as they sniff out the network. They're also called learning routers. Although I doubt very much that Cisco is the sole manufacturer. I believe US Robotics, 3COM, BASF and a host of other companies have obtained licenses from Cisco to manufacture these devices. The last time I checked, this is completely independent of additional software since these routers also come with ROM mounted programs. I bet you didn't know that the Alcatel ADSL modem series is basically a dumbed down Cisco router? It's design is based on Cisco technology.

Additionally, do you remember Dial-Pad? Where you could make an overseas call via the net by visiting their website? Well Dialpad uses Cisco routing technology (hardware) to get those calls through to the phone switching circuit in the United States. However, they were forced to start charging people since many lawsuits were presented to them by phone companies that were loosing revenue from their then free services. Not surprisingly, Cable & Wireless was one of those companies. :

If Microsoft is king of Operating System software technology, Cisco is king of networking hardware technology. And Deakie is right... those exams are hell to pass. But if you do, the paycheck is wicked sick!

[ebony_chinee]

Nastro

Gr8 going with the CCNA! Wish u luck~

After I completed NT4, I gave up on M$ exams for a while. Bad thing is vendor specific certs make u obsolete when the technology becomes obsolete. Thank God for CompTIA exams.

Xeno

I could be wrong, but after looking at the OSI model I'd have to say M$ caters to the entire OSI Model. Physical up to Application. (these are just a few examples).
Application -> WWW
Presentation -> multimedia ops, and data-transfer
Session -> communication between devices ie simplex, half-duplex & full duplex transmission
Transport -> TCP & UDP
Network -> manages device addresses
Data Link -> for physical transmission uses IEEE 802 standard
Physical -> sends bit and bytes eg: ethernet networking

The M$ implementation goes far beyond TCP/IP. All the PDUs (packet data units) for the lower levels (bits, frames, packets, segments etc) are included in the M$ network. Since M$ is all about Software they must get that application layer right.

Cisco just uses the CLI (command line interface). Looks a lot like older non-GUI versions of Linux/Unix and MS-DOS to a lesser extent. But as I said before there are applications which are available for basic rouget configuration without ever having to touch the CLI.

Remember OSI is industry standard. No matter what router is used CISCO or some other vendor, and no matter what client-sever network configuration is applied, the OSI remains relevant.

What some vendors do as a work-around so that they can say their technology is better vs someone else's, is that they create proprietary protocols that lock u into their hardware. Hence the rationale, if you're buying CISCO routers, u should stick with CISCO routers.

Router#copy run start

[Xenocrates]

[quote author=~ eBôÑ¥_¢HiÑee ~ link=board=26;threadid=1150;start=15#msg10657 date=1057589816]
Nastro
After I completed NT4, I gave up on M$ exams for a while. Bad thing is vendor specific certs make u obsolete when the technology becomes obsolete. Thank God for CompTIA exams.
[/quote]

- You seet! ;D

[jamrock]

Hence the rationale, if you're buying CISCO routers, u should stick with CISCO routers.

Up to a point. There is a company in China that is coming on real strong with routing equipment. They make their stuff compatible with Cisco equipment. Many of the commands used to configure Cisco equipment will work on theirs. I will have to look up the company's name.

Some sort of reverse engineering logic. The result is that:

Cisco certified people can use their equipment with minimum learning curve.

Cisco based customers can gradually replace Cisco equipment with their equipment (which costs less). In the old days, you had to rip out every single router if you wanted to change to another vendor's equipment.

Cisco hates it. I think they have a lawsuit pending. But if the products are reverse engineered what can they do?

Competition from this company, 3Com and others is slowly driving down the price of Cisco products. Not to mention the large amount of second hand Cisco equipment that is available since the failure of all the dot com companies.

I just love when competition turns proprietory markets into commodity markets. ;D

[ebony_chinee]

How cool!

I'm all for the Open Market!
Open Source, open technology...

But I can't help but wonder how that will affect salaries for Cisco certified techies? ???

[Nastrodamus]

I see your point Ebony.

I guess its good to have M$ and Linux for LAN and CISCO to broaden your horizons