Office Visio 2007: Visualize networks and equipment - Visio

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Office Visio 2007: Visualize networks and equipment

Applies to: Microsoft Office Visio 2007

Visio 2007 is the diagramming tool for business and technical professionals who need to visualize, explore, and communicate information. With Office Visio 2007, creating a wide range of diagrams such as flowcharts, work flow diagrams, physical and logical network diagrams, and network rack diagrams is a snap.

Visio 2007 includes everything you need to create a variety of professional-looking network and rack diagrams. Visio Standard 2007 includes the basic shapes you can use to create simple network topology diagrams, while Visio Professional 2007 includes many more shapes that can represent every aspect of a network, including the equipment in network rack diagrams. The shapes and tools in Visio Professional 2007 help you quickly build detailed network diagrams and visualize data in those diagrams. You can also easily share your network diagrams with others in your organization in a variety of ways.

Download a free trial and see first-hand how quickly and easily you can create effective great-looking diagrams.

In this article

Create professional-looking network diagrams

Track and visualize data network data

Share network diagrams with others

Get started with Visio network diagrams

Create professional-looking network diagrams

Show Visualize every aspect of a network

Office Visio Standard 2007 includes basic 2-D and 3-D Server, Ethernet, and Ring Network shapes you can use to create simple network topology diagrams. Office Visio Professional 2007 includes many more shapes that can represent every aspect of a physical or logical network. Office Visio Professional 2007 also includes shapes to represent Rack-mounted Equipment, Free-standing Rack Equipment, and Network Room Element shapes.

Show Easily connect network components

Easily connect shapes in physical or logical network diagrams by using intuitive connection methods that offer various levels of control over the point of connection.

Show Easily stack network shapes

Quickly create network equipment rack diagrams by simply stacking equipment shapes in racks and adding dimension lines to show various rack dimensions. Let Office Visio connect the shapes to the racks and snap them into place. Then when you move a rack, the shapes connected to the rack move with it.

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Track and visualize network data

Show Add network asset information to diagrams

Transform your network diagrams into versatile data tracking tools by including detailed network asset information like the asset number, serial number, manufacturer, and IP address for each asset in a diagram.

Show Link network diagrams to external data sources

With Office Visio Professional 2007, easily link network diagrams to external data sources that contain network asset information. Refresh the data in the diagram when the data in the linked source changes.

Show Visualize data in network diagrams

Visualize the data in network diagrams by using attractive data graphics included with Office Visio Professional 2007. For example, easily determine whether a patch has been applied to various servers or if the latest version of Windows has been installed by flagging shapes when particular data conditions have been met. Visually track numerical data with progress bars, or try using color coded shapes to specify the computer manufacturer.

Show Generate network data reports

Generate pre-formatted reports, such as Inventory, Network Device, Network Equipment, and PC reports, using the network asset data or create your own custom reports that you can print and share with others.

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Share network diagrams with others

Show Integrate network diagrams into other Microsoft Office applications

Easily integrate Visio diagrams into your Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations and Microsoft Office Word documents.

Show Collaborate with colleagues

Easily collaborate with colleagues to create network diagrams and use revision marks to track each person’s changes. If you’re using Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services, easily check diagrams in and out directly from Office Visio.

Show Share network diagrams widely

Make your diagrams available to all members of your organization by saving them as Web pages and posting them to your organization’s intranet. Save Visio diagrams in PDF or XPS file format by downloading the free PDF/XPS converter add-in. For more information, see Install and use a PDF or XPS add-in.

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Get started with Visio network diagrams

Downloadable templates
IT asset management
Rack diagram
Ethernet LAN diagram
WAN design guideline
WAN technical overview
Worldwide WAN diagram
Enterprise design guideline
Enterprise executive overview guideline
Enterprise technical overview guideline
Enterprise troubleshooting guideline

Help and how-to
Create a basic network diagram	Basic network diagrams show the primary pieces of your network and how those pieces are connected.
Create a detailed network diagram by linking to external data	Creating a detailed network diagram with Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 is an effective way to design and document a computer network.
Create a rack diagram	A rack diagram helps make quick work of designing and documenting a rack of network equipment.

Training
Link data to diagrams	This course, the first in a four-part series, will show you how to link your data to diagrams in Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007.
Visualize data in diagrams by using data graphics	Make the data look good with data graphics in Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007. Use bars, meters, and icons to give visual impact.
Position data graphics	Position your data graphics so that they don't crowd the page.

Demos
See Office Visio 2007 in action	See how Visio 2007 is an extraordinary tool for IT and business professionals who need to visualize systems, processes, and other information for insight and communication
Connect data to your Visio diagram	Analyze how a process or other area is actually performing by connecting data to the shapes in your diagram.
Let data tell its story with data graphics	By using data graphics in your Microsoft Office Visio 2007 diagram, you can be sure that you're presenting the right data in the right way and making your points clearly.
Give your diagram a makeover by applying a theme	Use themes in Microsoft Office Visio Professional 2007 to add color and style to your diagram with just a few clicks.

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