What Cisco is
Cisco Systems is the world's largest networking equipment manufacturer. Their routers, switches, firewalls and wireless access points form the backbone of enterprise networks, data centres and service-provider infrastructure globally. Cisco IOS is the operating system that runs on most Cisco devices, providing CLI-based configuration for routing, switching, access control and network services.
Understanding Cisco equipment is fundamental to networking. Even in environments that use other vendors, the concepts — VLANs, spanning tree, OSPF, BGP, ACLs, SNMP — are universal, and Cisco's terminology and approach is the industry reference point.
How I have used it
I worked with Cisco routers and switches during my role as Data Centre Engineer at Custodian Data Centres. This involved hands-on work around live Cisco infrastructure — patching, cabling (both copper and fibre), and supporting the physical network layer that customer services depended on.
In my home lab, I complement the physical Cisco experience with pfSense for routing and firewalling, and EVE-NG for network simulation and topology testing.
What I have done with it
- Hands-on work with Cisco routers and switches in a production data centre
- Structured cabling — copper Cat6 and fibre optic patch and trunk runs
- SNMP monitoring configuration for network device visibility
- Understanding of IOS CLI and device management
- Network topology planning with EVE-NG for simulation
Why this matters
Cisco is the networking industry standard. Having hands-on experience with their equipment in a live data-centre environment — not just a simulator — demonstrates real infrastructure competence. Combined with pfSense for software-defined routing and EVE-NG for lab simulation, this covers the full spectrum from physical to virtual networking.
How to deploy or reproduce it
Reproduce the work in EVE-NG, Packet Tracer or spare authorised hardware. Build a small routed and switched topology, configure management access, VLANs and trunk links, then verify reachability and segmentation.
Use lab addresses and sanitised configurations; do not publish live credentials, public addresses or client topology details.