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Network diagram software

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A number of software tools exist to create or generate computer network diagram / visual maps of networks, servers, storage, services, data centers, and other peripherals. Broadly, there are two groups of software tools - those that help create diagrams manually and those that generate them using automated / semi-automated approaches.

  • Manual Design Software - typically allows users to design and draw logical and physical topology diagrams by manually placing icons and inter-connections
  • Auto-discovery software - these tools typically generate physical topology diagrams / maps by traversing the network and automatically discovering resident devices

Comparison of network diagram / visualization software

This is a comparison of some computer network diagramming software. This list is not exhaustive, but reflects a cross section of the available solutions. Please post only encyclopaedic information that can be verified by external sources. Please maintain a neutral, unbiased point of view.

Software Name
Type
Deployment
Team Collaboration
Servers
Storage
Networking
Services
Telecom
Peripherals
Cabling
Racks
Geographic Location
2.5D/3D
Inventory
License
10-Strike Auto-discovery Desktop Commercial
Cacoo Manual Design Hosted
Cade Manual Design Desktop

Freeware

Cisco Network Assistant
Creately Manual Design Hosted & Desktop[1] Yes[1] Yes[1] No[1] Yes[1] No[1] Yes[1] Yes[1] No[1] Yes[1] No[1] No[1] No[1] Commercial[1]
CuteDraw
Dia Manual Design Desktop[2] No[2] Yes[2] Yes[2] Yes[2] No[2] Yes[2] Yes[2] No[2] No[2] No[2] No[2] No[2] GNU GPL [3]
Diagram Designer
Diagramly [4] Manual Design SaaS
Eazydraw
Edraw Manual Design Desktop[5] No[5] Yes[5] Yes[5] Yes[5] Yes[5] Yes[5] Yes[5] No[5] No[5] No[5] Yes[5] No[5] Commercial[5]
Eyenpe
Gliffy Manual Design SaaS[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] Yes[6] No[6] Yes[6] No[6] No[6] No[6] Commercial[6]
GoVisual Diagram Editor
GraphViz
Kivio GNU GPL
LAN Surveyor Auto-discovery Desktop Commercial
LanFlow Commercial

LucidChart

ManageEngine - Network Mapping Auto-discovery Server Yes[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] No[7] Yes[7] Yes[7] No[7] Yes[7] Commercial[7]
Microsoft Visio Standard Manual Design Desktop[8] Yes (with Sharepoint)[8] Yes[8] Yes[8] Yes[8] Yes[8] Yes[8] Yes[8] No[8] Yes[8] No[8] Yes[8] No[8] Commercial[8]
Microsoft Visio Premium/Professional Add-In for Microsoft System Center Manual Design Desktop[9] Yes (with Sharepoint)[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] No[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes[9] Yes (with System Center)[9] Commercial[9]
Netbraintech Desktop No
NetFormx
NetProbe
NetSuite
Network Notepad Auto-discovery and Manual Design Desktop[10] No[10] Yes[10] No[10] Yes[10] No[10] ? ? No[10] No[10] No[10] No[10] No[10] Freeware & Commercial[10]
NMAP
Omnigraffle
Opmanager
OPNET NetMapper Auto-discovery Desktop[11] No[11] ? ? Yes[11] ? ? ? No[11] No[11] No[11] No[11] Yes[11] Commercial[11]
Petri
SmartDraw Manual Design Desktop[12] No[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] Yes[12] No[12] Yes[12] No[12] Yes[12] No[12] Commercial[12]
Spiceworks Network Map Auto-discovery and Manual Design Server[13] Yes[13] Yes[13] Yes[13] Yes[13] ? Yes[13] Yes[13] No[13] No[13] Yes[13] No[13] Yes[13] Freeware/Adware[13]
The Dude
Visual Thought
Weresc
WhatsUpGold

Commercial

YED Graph Editor

Legend

  • Software Name
    • The name of the software, linked to its Wikipedia article. Software without Wikipedia articles will not be linked.
  • Type
    • Manual Design – diagram must be created / edited manually
    • Auto-discovery – diagram is generated automatically
  • Deployment
    • Hosted – software as a service, accessed via a browser
    • Desktop – installed and runs on the local machine
    • Server – installed on a central server and accessed via a browser
  • Team Collaboration
    • Yes - Allows for joint editing of the diagram
    • No – editing is restricted to a single user
  • Devices Viewable in diagram
    • Servers
      • Yes – servers can be displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying servers
    • Storage
      • Yes – storage can be displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying storage
    • Networking
      • Yes – Network devices can be displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying network devices
    • Services
      • Yes – Services can be displayed in the diagram (e. g. FTP, mail servers, etc.)
      • No – no support for displaying network services
    • Telecommunications
      • Yes – Telecommunications equipment can be displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying telecommunications equipment
    • Peripherals
      • Yes – other devices can be displayed in the diagram (e. g. printers, monitors, etc.)
      • No – no support for displaying peripherals
    • Racks
      • Yes – racks can displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying racks
    • Cabling
      • Yes – cabling can displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying cabling
    • Geographic location
      • Yes – geographic location of the devices can displayed in the diagram
      • No – no support for displaying the geographic location
  • 2.5D / 3D Perspective
  • License
    • Open-source/free
    • Commercial
  • Inventory
    • Yes - keeps a record of all device
    • No - no support for maintaining an inventory

See Also

Computer network diagram

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Creately for network diagrams". Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Dia product documentation". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Dia is a gtk+ based diagram creation program released under the GPL license." "Dia home page". Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Diagramly is a free online diagram drawing application. [...]" "Diagramly home page source". Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Edraw Soft for network diagrams".
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Glify for network diagrams". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Manage engine network mapping". Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Microsoft Visio features". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Microsoft visio add in for systems center".
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Network notepad documentation". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Opnet". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Smart draw network diagram software". Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Spiceworks network mapping". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
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