Network Simulator software

Without having physical device you go for certification, Topology design,

analysis, concepts and configuration

CISCO
Packet tracer, Good for beginner (Limited feature support)
CISCO IOU (IOS on UNIX) running on UNIX OS

Others
GNS3
NS

Very good for intermediate and advance user using CISCO IOS
(open source)

OPNET (proprietary software)

NetSim (proprietary software)

Know more about network simulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_simulation
Know more about network CISCO packet tracer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_Tracer

Know more about network GNS3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNS3

CISCO IOU (CISCO IOS on UNIX)

CISCO proprietary network simulator it requires less resources than GNS3 run ON
UNIX operating system.

FAQ for CISCO IOU

http://evilrouters.net/2011/01/18/cisco-iou-faq/
http://evilrouters.net/2011/01/21/example-cisco-iou-topology/
http://freeccnalabs.com/resources/topology/

Running CISCO IOU on GNS3 (Warning this only tutorial)

Required components
1) CISCO IOU image
2) CISCO IOU image license
3) GNS3
4) Virtual box
5) CISCO IOU compatible UNIX VM

Download (GNS3)
https://pypi.python.org/pypi/gns3-server/1.1
Download UNIX Virtual machine for running CISCO IOU
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gns-3/files/IOU%20VMs/

CISCO IOU License file

Create license using note pad (See below) save it

File name = IOURC.txt

Download CISCO IOU images link below
http://fastpiratebay.eu/thepiratebay.se/torrent/9418570/Cisco-IOU-L2L3-Collection-v2.7z
http://fastpiratebay.eu/thepiratebay.se/torrent/9780909/Cisco-IOU-L2L3-Collection-v3.7z

Download Virtual BOX (Virtual machine emulator)

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads