Documenting a network ?

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Sonco wrote:
> What do you guys use to document your networks ?
> also what would you use to document a network you know nothing about ?
>
> Thanks
>
>
Just some ideas:

1. MS Visio - Most vendors have stencils. Different colored lines can
represent different types of connections, VLANs, types of fiber, etc...
Can also auto-discover the network and create diagrams from discovery.
Not always accurate though. Do not make diagrams too busy. Use the
same physical diagram to document multiple layers of the complexity in
separate drawings.

2. Spreadsheets - THink about your template first, then you might find
spreadsheets are really easy to maintain.

3. SNMP & Spreadsheets - Using Perl and SNMP, it is possible to compare
switch/router configurations with what is in spreadsheets, then create
automated reports on the differences. This is possible with several
types of Perl modules.

As the Pine Mountain Group says: "DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT!"

-mike

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

For a network that I know nothing about, telnet, a pencil, and lot's of
paper... Looking in the switching table along with ARP/routing tables get
you a map... But in addition to that, talk to your server guys... They can
help a lot as well.

But once all that pencil/paper stuff is done, I like using Visio...


On 11/09/2004 08:51 AM, in article QX3kd.771$i_4.9402@news.more.net,
"Michael Roberts" <robertsmj@missouri.edu> wrote:

> Sonco wrote:
>> What do you guys use to document your networks ?
>> also what would you use to document a network you know nothing about ?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
> Just some ideas:
>
> 1. MS Visio - Most vendors have stencils. Different colored lines can
> represent different types of connections, VLANs, types of fiber, etc...
> Can also auto-discover the network and create diagrams from discovery.
> Not always accurate though. Do not make diagrams too busy. Use the
> same physical diagram to document multiple layers of the complexity in
> separate drawings.
>
> 2. Spreadsheets - THink about your template first, then you might find
> spreadsheets are really easy to maintain.
>
> 3. SNMP & Spreadsheets - Using Perl and SNMP, it is possible to compare
> switch/router configurations with what is in spreadsheets, then create
> automated reports on the differences. This is possible with several
> types of Perl modules.
>
> As the Pine Mountain Group says: "DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT!"
>
> -mike

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Michael Roberts <robertsmj@missouri.edu> writes:

> 1. MS Visio - Most vendors have stencils. Different colored lines can
> represent different types of connections, VLANs, types of fiber,
> etc... Can also auto-discover the network and create diagrams from
> discovery.

Which version? I was told a lot of time that Visio can do this but all
versions we have at work can't.

Jens

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

"Sonco" <nunya@comcast.net> writes:

> What do you guys use to document your networks ? also what would you
> use to document a network you know nothing about ?

For layer 3 information (which machine is running which service): nmap.

Jens

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

We have been experimenting with the latest version and a plugin from
Fluke that has been working pretty well. It is not perfect, but it will
give you a rough idea.

-mike

Jens Link wrote:
> Michael Roberts <robertsmj@missouri.edu> writes:
>
>
>>1. MS Visio - Most vendors have stencils. Different colored lines can
>>represent different types of connections, VLANs, types of fiber,
>>etc... Can also auto-discover the network and create diagrams from
>>discovery.
>
>
> Which version? I was told a lot of time that Visio can do this but all
> versions we have at work can't.
>
> Jens

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Michael Roberts <robertsmj@missouri.edu> writes:

> We have been experimenting with the latest version and a plugin from
> Fluke that has been working pretty well.

Well, last time I checked the Fluke plugin wouldn't work with the
TokenRing network we had.

I was told that there is (or shall I say was?) a Visio version with a
buildin network discovery feature.

Jens

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Jens Link <usenet02@quux.de> wrote:
>Michael Roberts <robertsmj@missouri.edu> writes:
>> We have been experimenting with the latest version and a plugin from
>> Fluke that has been working pretty well.
>
>Well, last time I checked the Fluke plugin wouldn't work with the
>TokenRing network we had.
>
>I was told that there is (or shall I say was?) a Visio version with a
>buildin network discovery feature.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA01093558...

Summary: Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition and the Visio Enterprise
Network Tools add-on for Visio 2002 (not sure if the plugin required
Visio 2002 Pro) did network autodiscovery (via ping & SNMP), but Visio
2003 doesn't have it...

It looks like even some versions of Visio 5 (the version before Visio
2000) had some kind of Network ping discovery (not sure about grabbing
additional details via SNMP), so it's a bit weird that they've axed an
existing feature that way, they had already sunk the money to develop
it after all...

Their explaination only makes sense if one assumes they've either
couldn't use the code and had to do a lot of coding or sold the
technology/code to someone else. I do wonder what code base "Fluke
Networks' LAN MapShot" come from, anyone going to bet against that
it's based on the Visio code (if it was in v5 they probably got most
of the code when they bough Visio from, hrmm, who was it again?).

There's no sign of database (table & indexes) autodiscovery either,
and IIRC at least 2000EE did have that?

Heh, some Googling suggests that there's people selling Visio 2002 Pro
with Enterprise Network Tools add-on on the Web, original box so it
should be legit (I'd check up the reputation of the company before
buying though). Since you don't say why Fluke's plugin doesn't work
for you I can't even begin to guess whether it'd work in your case
though.

Microsoft & Fluke says the plugin should work with all IP and Netbios
devices and IPX servers & printers, so there's no obvious reason why
it shouldn't work.

http://microsoft.order-9.com/visiopro/splash2.htm
http://www.flukenetworks.com/lanmapshot/

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Torbjorn Lindgren <tl@none.invalid> writes:

> Since you don't say why Fluke's plugin doesn't work for you I can't
> even begin to guess whether it'd work in your case though.

Well, the problem is that I don't remember the exact problem and version
I was testing. I only remember that it did find only on device in the
TokenRing network we had. A colleague is going to order the Visio 2003
resouce-kit (which contains lanmapshot) on Monday.

Jens

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Sonco wrote:
> What do you guys use to document your networks ?
> also what would you use to document a network you know nothing about ?
>
> Thanks
>
>
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