How to Build a Hybrid Cloud Lab with AWS VPC and Cisco Catalyst 8000V: A Step-by-Step Guide for Network Engineers
A Cisco Catalyst 8000V running on a $1/day AWS t3.medium instance gives you a production-grade hybrid cloud lab that connects to your on-prem CML or EVE-NG environment via IPsec VPN with BGP. This is the fastest way for a network engineer to get hands-on with cloud networking using real infrastructure instead of slides and diagrams. Key Takeaway: Building a hybrid cloud lab with AWS VPC and Cisco Catalyst 8000V costs under $2/day, teaches cloud networking fundamentals through a network engineer’s lens, and maps directly to CCIE EI v1.1 blueprint topics — making it the single best investment for bridging traditional and cloud networking skills. ...