Chapter 24. Creating Network Diagrams

IN THIS CHAPTER

  • What's new and what's missing in the network templates

  • Choosing the right network template

  • Creating logical and physical network diagrams

  • Creating drill-down diagrams

  • Documenting directory services

  • Laying out equipment in racks

  • Enhancing the appearance of network diagrams

With people collaborating throughout organizations as well as over the Internet, computer networks have become the backbone of organizations large and small. Just like buildings and software, networks need to be designed well to satisfy requirements and adjust to changing needs. In addition, they must be regularly maintained to keep things humming. Whether you're just starting to design a network or document a network that has evolved, Visio network diagrams are helpful for representing the equipment in small to medium-sized networks and how that equipment interconnects.

Visio Standard doesn't offer much in the information technology arena, but it does offer a template to build basic network diagrams. Visio Professional includes templates for producing detailed logical or physical network diagrams, documenting directory services, or laying out network equipment in racks.

You can integrate Visio network diagrams with other applications to store network information in databases, track equipment in spreadsheets, or present network designs in PowerPoint presentations. Shape data associated with some network shapes and the Visio Data Link feature enable you to update your ...

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