Evolution of skills ...

Take a close look at the above image, in its original form, it was the NetAcad CCNAv1 practical lab topology from the late 1990's and early into the next millennium before the curriculum as updated and the lab structure became the foundation for the Router eSim, Packet Tracer predecessor.

There is much hidden in this structure, the use of hubs, serial cables, classful class C addressing and RIPv1 amongst other challenges ... this linear structure was the introduction to infrastructure networking for many and the foundation of what we are now still trying to accomplish.

While there is a tinge of academic romanticism when recalling this network, natural evolution and technological demands require us to change what we teach. If one was still using this network or the equipment, when teaching, while it would not be incorrect, it would be anachronistically out of date. Missing out on so many other essential skills required by the students - for example, there were IPX lab activities, that could be applied on this system - where are they now (hopefully in a museum).

Our evolution, means that we can now simulate, virtualise and scale the in class experience. We can build labs to focus on the hands on skills, offer remote solutions as well as offer greater complexity via simulators such as Packet Tracer at a considerably lower cost.

Nostalgia is there - but, I do not want to return to teaching using this lab, if the risk is a backwards step for everyone else.