My Home Lab
Hands-on networking and virtualization environment for continuous learning, testing, and professional growth.
Lab Overview
My home lab is designed to simulate enterprise-grade networking and virtualization environments. It allows me to experiment with configurations, test new technologies, and strengthen my skills in routing, switching, network security, and server management.
Cisco 1900 Series Router
Used for routing, NAT configurations, and simulating WAN connections.
Cisco Catalyst 3560 Switch
Layer 3 switching with VLAN segmentation, trunking, and STP testing.
Cisco ASA 5505 Firewall
Firewall policies, VPN configuration, and perimeter security testing.
Cisco 2802i AP (Mobility Express)
Standalone wireless controller and AP for enterprise-grade Wi-Fi testing.
Dell PowerEdge Server
VMware host running Windows Server trials and Linux Mint for lab environments.
Network Topology
Below is a visual overview of how my devices are connected and configured.
Use Cases & Projects
- 🔹 VLAN segmentation and inter-VLAN routing.
- 🔹 Site-to-site VPN lab using ASA 5505.
- 🔹 Mobility Express setup for wireless lab testing.
- 🔹 Active Directory + Group Policy testing in a virtualized environment.
- 🔹 Hosting RASA AI chatbot on-premises.
Future Plans
I plan to expand my lab by adding more advanced firewalls, upgrading my virtualization hardware, and integrating automation with Ansible and Python for network provisioning.