Some of the hardware and software I use and/or recommend.
FireFly-BP Serial Adapter with AAA Batteries
I love this thing… it is a bluetooth serial adapter. My Dell M90 does not have a serial port but even if it did I would use this. I no longer have to be tethered to whatever Cisco device I’m trying to configure from the console. I can be across the room comfortably sitting at a desk instead of trying to balance my laptop on my knee or on whatever else I can find near the rack where the device is mounted. It does have a couple of drawbacks… 1) unfortunately Cisco console ports do not supply power so you must purchase the adapter that uses two AAA batteries. The adapter’s on/off switch is not recessed and I assume it must bump itself “on” in my bag and i’m constantly needing batteries for it. I’ve got some rechargables which makes it bearable. 2) the little door that covers the batteries is a little flimsy. I keep mine closed with some black electrical tape.
It isn’t as cheap as PuTTY (which is free) but it is much more flexible (IMEO). Use it for managing all of my Telnet, SSH, and console connections.
I currently use this for editing IOS configurations and scripts. I’ve recently been trying out Crimson Editor but keep finding myself going back to TextPad.
TFTPD32 TFTP server / TFTP client
I currently use this as a TFTP server for uploading/downloading files to and from Cisco hardware or as a TFTP client if there is a file I need to copy down off of a UCM server’s TFTP folder.
Codi makes great laptop cases. I personally use the Codi Workstation. My laptop is a 17″ Dell M90 and the Workstation has plenty of room for it plus all my other stuff. And believe me, I drag around a lot of crap in my bag. I’m pretty rough on laptop cases, and the Codi holds up great. I’ve had this one right at two years and it’s still in almost new condition (minus the dirt and dust). This is the second Codi Workstation case I’ve had, and I’d probably still have the first if it hadn’t been stolen.
Codi Sport-Pak Laptop Backpack
***UPDATE*** I don’t get paid for these endorsements. I simply like Codi products. (Note to Codi: you can email me at “me at go0se.com” – I will tell you where to send a check) I just got a new laptop, a Dell Latitude Z, and I also purchased a new bag. This time I went with the Sport-Pak backpack and I’m loving it. This is my third Codi bag. The first was stolen, the second, which I still have, is still in great shape. I was worried about space but the Sport-Pak has plenty of storage. Appart from the protective laptop compartment it has a large compartment for papers – I also keep some bags full of cables and two 2.5″ external hard drives. It has a mid-size compartment, and it has several various size compartments around the outside that I can fit a lot of little stuff into, which works out great for me. My bag is very heavy from all the stuff I keep, and the Codi bags just hold up and take the abuse I give them. I highly recommend them to you.
The Cisco VPN Client is not supported under any 64 bit OS. A co-worker of mine pointed me to the Shrew Soft VPN Client. If you are like me and have a whole bunch of existing Cisco VPN Client .PCF files you are in luck, you can import them directly into the Shrew Soft VPN Client. It also seems much quicker connecting than the old Cisco client.
Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager
I love this utility. There are a few applications I use all the time:
RDP
VNC
SecureCRT
Shrew Soft VPN Client
The Remote Desktop Manager is a great place to store connections for each one… and more. The SecureCRT and Shrew Soft VPN connectivity require some additional add-ons/plugins but they work well once you have them installed and figure out how to use them. It will also handle Cisco VPN client sessions, SonicWall Global VPN client, and much much more. Check it out.