Creating a network schematic

Hi

i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my work's
network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network schematic with
the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a little networking
knowledge...but not much.

i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what i want.
i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in all the ip
addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can work it out for
itself and display them in a nice and easy to understand visual way.

Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware - that
will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the connections between
them too?

Many thanks!
Ash

news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Hi
>
> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my
> work's network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network
> schematic with the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a
> little networking knowledge...but not much.
>
> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what i
> want. i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in all
> the ip addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can work it
> out for itself and display them in a nice and easy to understand
> visual way.
> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware -
> that will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the connections
> between them too?
>
> Many thanks!
> Ash

Hi - you have an identical post in microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs
(which I answered) and another identical message in yet another group. In
the future, please don't multipost - if you need to post to multiple groups,
it's best to crosspost instead, by posting a single message to a handful of
relevant groups (separate the NG names with commas) so that everyone can
follow the thread. Multiposting wastes everyone's time, including yours, and
may lead to your actually getting *less* help rather than more.

See http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

Microsoft's Visio is one option.

To approach it properly you have to visualize the network without computers.
Remember that a network is still a network even if there is not one single
computer on it. Networks consist of Routers, Switches, Bridges, Hubs,
Repeaters and Cables,...not Computers. However you can build a Router or
Firewall out of a computer, but in that case you have to view it as a Router
or Firewall and not a Computer.

Networks compare to a Street System
Computers compare to Houses/buildings
Applications compare to people in the houses.
I guess if I want to get carried away,...the Cars are the Packets
But no illustration is perfect if you carry it too far.

Houses (and hence the people in them) are connected to the Street System and
enjoy the benefits of them,...but they are not part of the Street System

Keep these things in mind when you do your drawings.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

"news.zen.co.uk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:47838561$0$13925$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
>
> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my work's
> network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network schematic with
> the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a little networking
> knowledge...but not much.
>
> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what i
> want.
> i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in all the ip
> addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can work it out for
> itself and display them in a nice and easy to understand visual way.
>
> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware - that
> will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the connections between
> them too?
>
> Many thanks!
> Ash
>

"Phillip Windell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Microsoft's Visio is one option.
>
> To approach it properly you have to visualize the network without
> computers. Remember that a network is still a network even if there is not
> one single computer on it. Networks consist of Routers, Switches,
> Bridges, Hubs, Repeaters and Cables,...not Computers. However you can
> build a Router or Firewall out of a computer, but in that case you have to
> view it as a Router or Firewall and not a Computer.
>
> Networks compare to a Street System
> Computers compare to Houses/buildings
> Applications compare to people in the houses.
> I guess if I want to get carried away,...the Cars are the Packets
> But no illustration is perfect if you carry it too far.
>
> Houses (and hence the people in them) are connected to the Street System
> and enjoy the benefits of them,...but they are not part of the Street
> System
>
> Keep these things in mind when you do your drawings.
>
> --
> Phillip Windell
> www.wandtv.com
>
> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
> Microsoft,
> or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.

Thanks very much for the suggestion, Phillip, and also for the added bonus
of a good analogy...but where, if i might ask, would the cats fit in..?

Cheers!
Ash

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my
>> work's network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network
>> schematic with the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a
>> little networking knowledge...but not much.
>>
>> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what i
>> want. i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in all
>> the ip addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can work it
>> out for itself and display them in a nice and easy to understand
>> visual way.
>> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware -
>> that will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the connections
>> between them too?
>>
>> Many thanks!
>> Ash
>
> Hi - you have an identical post in microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs
> (which I answered) and another identical message in yet another group. In
> the future, please don't multipost - if you need to post to multiple
> groups, it's best to crosspost instead, by posting a single message to a
> handful of relevant groups (separate the NG names with commas) so that
> everyone can follow the thread. Multiposting wastes everyone's time,
> including yours, and may lead to your actually getting *less* help rather
> than more.
>
> See http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

In my reply to your reply i have already apologised for making the error and
explained why i had done so, and, at the same time alerted you that i had in
fact posted to two other groups as well.

"news.zen.co.uk" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4783a676$0$8420$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks very much for the suggestion, Phillip, and also for the added bonus
> of a good analogy...but where, if i might ask, would the cats fit in..?

Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware
Assuming you don't feed them often so they stay good and hungry

:-)

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
> message news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my
>>> work's network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network
>>> schematic with the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a
>>> little networking knowledge...but not much.
>>>
>>> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what
>>> i want. i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in
>>> all the ip addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can
>>> work it out for itself and display them in a nice and easy to
>>> understand visual way.
>>> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware
>>> - that will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the
>>> connections between them too?
>>>
>>> Many thanks!
>>> Ash
>>
>> Hi - you have an identical post in
>> microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs (which I answered) and another
>> identical message in yet another group. In the future, please don't
>> multipost - if you need to post to multiple groups, it's best to
>> crosspost instead, by posting a single message to a handful of
>> relevant groups (separate the NG names with commas) so that everyone
>> can follow the thread. Multiposting wastes everyone's time,
>> including yours, and may lead to your actually getting *less* help
>> rather than more. See http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
> In my reply to your reply i have already apologised for making the
> error and explained why i had done so, and, at the same time alerted
> you that i had in fact posted to two other groups as well.

Yep, just saw it ...couldn't remember where it was, but then again, that
illustrates another probloem multiposting; one has to go
hunting. Don't worry about it - just best avoid it in the future, as it
makes people cranky.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
>> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
>> message news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my
>>>> work's network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network
>>>> schematic with the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a
>>>> little networking knowledge...but not much.
>>>>
>>>> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite what
>>>> i want. i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to punch in
>>>> all the ip addresses of the workstations and routers etc, but can
>>>> work it out for itself and display them in a nice and easy to
>>>> understand visual way.
>>>> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be freeware
>>>> - that will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show the
>>>> connections between them too?
>>>>
>>>> Many thanks!
>>>> Ash
>>>
>>> Hi - you have an identical post in
>>> microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs (which I answered) and another
>>> identical message in yet another group. In the future, please don't
>>> multipost - if you need to post to multiple groups, it's best to
>>> crosspost instead, by posting a single message to a handful of
>>> relevant groups (separate the NG names with commas) so that everyone
>>> can follow the thread. Multiposting wastes everyone's time,
>>> including yours, and may lead to your actually getting *less* help
>>> rather than more. See http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>
>> In my reply to your reply i have already apologised for making the
>> error and explained why i had done so, and, at the same time alerted
>> you that i had in fact posted to two other groups as well.
>
> Yep, just saw it ...couldn't remember where it was, but then again, that
> illustrates another probloem multiposting; one has to go
> hunting. Don't worry about it - just best avoid it in the future, as it
> makes people cranky.

i can understand that. Oh well, this perfect example of why not to do it
shall forever stay with me

news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
> message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
>>> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
>>> message news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> news.zen.co.uk <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>> Hi
>>>>>
>>>>> i'm trying to find a decent program that will visually map out my
>>>>> work's network (running on Windows SBS 2003) and create a network
>>>>> schematic with the minimum of fuss, and this for someone who has a
>>>>> little networking knowledge...but not much.
>>>>>
>>>>> i've tried several programs already, but none of them do quite
>>>>> what i want. i'm looking for something that doesn't need me to
>>>>> punch in all the ip addresses of the workstations and routers
>>>>> etc, but can work it out for itself and display them in a nice
>>>>> and easy to understand visual way.
>>>>> Can anyone recommend a program - and it doesn't have to be
>>>>> freeware - that will work out all the ip addys and ideally, show
>>>>> the connections between them too?
>>>>>
>>>>> Many thanks!
>>>>> Ash
>>>>
>>>> Hi - you have an identical post in
>>>> microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs (which I answered) and another
>>>> identical message in yet another group. In the future, please don't
>>>> multipost - if you need to post to multiple groups, it's best to
>>>> crosspost instead, by posting a single message to a handful of
>>>> relevant groups (separate the NG names with commas) so that
>>>> everyone can follow the thread. Multiposting wastes everyone's
>>>> time, including yours, and may lead to your actually getting
>>>> *less* help rather than more. See
>>>> http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>>
>>> In my reply to your reply i have already apologised for making the
>>> error and explained why i had done so, and, at the same time alerted
>>> you that i had in fact posted to two other groups as well.
>>
>> Yep, just saw it ...couldn't remember where it was, but then again,
>> that illustrates another probloem multiposting; one has to go
>> hunting. Don't worry about it - just best avoid it in the future, as
>> it makes people cranky.
>
> i can understand that. Oh well, this perfect example of why not to do
> it shall forever stay with me

Yes; I find that emotional beatings are the most efficacious ;-)