Throughout my career in TCP/IP networking (mainly with Cisco products) I have learned a very important lesson: Spending some time to create Documentation for your projects will pay dividends down the road. An important part of this Documentation is a network diagram/topology of your Network project.
- Network Diagram Software for Mac and Windows. Network diagram maker is excellent in drawing network diagrams (AWS, Cisco, Rack.) on Mac, Windows and Linux. Starting with a drag-and-drop interface and a large collection of ready-made network symbols, even one without any drawing skill could make professional-looking network diagrams in minutes.
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Moreover, another primary task you will need to perform when managing and monitoring a network is to map it.
With so many network diagram tools on the market, choosing between them can be a challenge. This guide will help you choose the best network diagram software for your business, considering user-friendliness, suitability for business use, sophistication of features, versatility, and cost-effectiveness.
Most network monitoring tools feature the network mapping functionality natively, with autodiscovery mechanisms that display your entire list of equipment inventory.
Nonetheless, an automated mapper isn’t always the best solution. In some cases, you would be much better off if you could create a custom topology diagram via a graphical Network Diagram Software.
This is especially the case if you’re designing a new network or intend to expand an existing one. Tmpgenc dvd author 4 full crack. In such cases, autodiscovery will be helpful but, most importantly, creating a custom Diagram of your network will help you understand how each device is interconnected and will greatly help in troubleshooting problems.
In this post, we list the 15 best network diagram software and topology mapper tools, including both free and paid options. The list of the tools below is in no particular order.
Table of Contents
#1 Draw.io (FREE)
Draw.io is one of my favourite free options.
It is completely online (browser based) and features an accessible and responsive interface with the main drawing area in the middle and the tools/devices column on the left.
When you visit the website it will ask you to create a new Diagram or open an existing one.
Clicking on “Create New Diagram” will open up various categories of schematics that you can start designing. Usually I select the “Network” category as shown below:
After selecting the “Network” (or any other category) you will be presented with several ready-made sample diagrams as shown below:
Just click one of the ready-made diagrams and then click the “Create” button to start modifying/editing the selected diagram or maybe delete everything and create your own from scratch.
From the moment you start using the tool, you have the option to save your work to cloud services like OneDrive and Google Drive, though you don’t need to sign up for an account to use the service.
You also have the option of connecting Draw.io to your Google account, which give you functional real-time collaboration, where you can work on projects simultaneously with others.
The main drawback of Draw.io is that it doesn’t create very detailed and very high-resolution diagrams. However, for day-to-day work or for documenting your network it will serve you just fine.
#2 Microsoft Visio (PAID)
Visio is a high-end design tool that can create charts, diagrams, flow-charts, engineering designs, floor plans etc. It has been the de facto standard for quite a while.
The main feature of Visio is in its use of object stencils as primary components. There are many different sets of stencils for all kinds of use, including a rich array of network symbols or network equipment.
Some manufacturers (e.g. Cisco) provide downloadable Visio stencils that you can use with your network diagrams.
Originally Visio started as a desktop application (like Microsoft Word, Excel etc) and can create high-resolution diagrams (300 dpi or more) with any size you want. Now, there is a web based version (Visio for the Web) which helps you work together on diagrams from a web browser, from almost anywhere in the world.
It is the most comprehensive network diagram tool and I use it extensively in my professional work environment.
Current Pricing:
- $299.99 for Standard Edition
- $589.99 for Professional Edition
- License per user for the Pro version in Office 365
#3 SmartDraw (PAID)
SmartDraw’s network diagram software aims to provide the easiest and fastest way to create network diagrams. They also claim on their website that the tool is easier than Visio and more powerful than Microsoft Office.
Being web-based, it can run on any computer or tablet.
To use it, you only need to view some examples, choose a template, add your network design symbols of choice, input the necessary information, and that’s it.
SmartDraw will handle the rest for you. It ideally aligns everything automatically, and applies a professional look making sure the final diagram is presentation-ready.
Current Pricing:
- $9.95/User Per Year for the Enterprise Edition
#4 LucidChart (FREE+PAID)
This is another one of the well-known network diagramming platforms that actually packs an incredible punch. For anyone looking to fast track their diagram production and process management, then LucidChart could be the best solution for you.
From the start, you can jump right into a template and start making your diagram. While there isn’t any native autodiscovery features here, LucidChart is now compatible with UVexplorer, which you can use as a plugin for autodiscovery purposes.
Current Pricing:
- Free single user license (with limits)
- $9.95/User Per Month for the Pro Version
#5 ConceptDraw (PAID)
For small and medium sized businesses, ConceptDraw stands out as a great mapping and diagram program on this list. Clearly inspired by Microsoft’s Visio, the user interface lets you create a variety of diagrams for your network environment and export Visio files.
While it might look like a generic network schematic tool, ConceptDraw has quite the depth required to build complex network designs.
Moreover, features like Smart Connector and Building Plan Designer allow you to automate the entire process of creating network diagrams.
This makes it ideal for organizations that have to keep up with dynamic environments. The program is also easy to use, and if you are conversant with Microsoft Word, you can easily find your way around it in no time.
It is a desktop app for Windows and MAC.
Current Pricing:
- $199 per license
#6 Creately (FREE+PAID)
This is a rather neat drawing creation tool with specialized icons and templates for network diagrams.
As a pure design tool, Creately doesn’t feature any form of autodiscovery. Nonetheless, you can use it alongside a basic network explorer like LANTopoLog to make the most out of it.
Creately comes with a huge selection of templates, each with its own set of icons. The available layouts include WAN views that feature cloud and city icons. There’s also a collaboration feature that enable you to give viewing or editing access to other users.
It works on both Cloud (web based) and Desktop options.
Current Pricing:
- $75 Desktop Personal (paid once)
- $349 Desktop Team – 5 users (paid once)
- $5/month Personal (Cloud)
- $25/month 5-user Team (Cloud)
- Free Option (for 5 public Documents)
#7 Visual Paradigm (PAID)
This is an online diagram creation tool that supports a wide range of technical and business types of diagrams, including flowcharts, UML, ERD, ArchiMate, Mind Maps, DFD, Floor plan, Org. Chart, and BPMN.
Visual Paradigm online provides you with a free online workspace that lets you create an unlimited number of shapes and diagrams.
Current Pricing:
- Ranging between $99 and $1999 for the Perpetual License
- Ranging between $6/mo and $89/mo for subscription License
#8 Edraw (PAID)
This is a general plan, map, and chart creation tool that features some awesome formats specialized for network topology schematics.
The editor includes libraries of IT and network equipment in different styles, including 3D, Basic, and Detailed. It also has a rich library of icons, meaning you can create network diagrams that look as though they came from a professional company.
There are separate and specialized libraries and examples of different diagram types focused on Cisco Networks, Azure, AWS diagrams, Rack schematics, LDAP, Active Directory etc.
Edraw also has a stable of products with different specialization. For network diagramming, check out Edraw Max, which has a free trial.
The tool works as Desktop app on Windows and MAC
Current Pricing:
- $179 single user Perpetual License
- $99 per year subscription license
#9 Dia Diagram Editor (FREE)
Smaller enterprises that only need an entry-level network diagramming tool should consider Dia. While the program’s overall appearance is kind of rudimentary, it somehow redeems itself with cross-OS compatibility.
Dia lets you create a wide range of network maps, and has all of the core IT component graphics so that you can clearly see what you’re dealing with.
Nonetheless, despite Dia being a great free tool, it simply isn’t capable of mapping out complex network infrastructures. For this reason, this tool is only suitable for smaller enterprises looking to experiment with a free network diagram tool.
#10 SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper (PAID)
This is easily one of the most popular and recommended network topology tools available today. SolarWinds ideally features all of the fundamental components you’d expect from a premium network topology program (including network monitoring), however with a “spicy” price tag.
It comes with an autodiscovery feature, which can be scheduled to detect new devices automatically and scale routinely based on the network infrastructure.
What sets this program apart is the autodiscovery feature. It really helps to get your diagram mapping completed without wasting lots of time building one from scratch using templates.
After scanning the network to map it graphically, you can export the network diagram to Visio format so that you can edit or enhance it accordingly. Moreover, any changes to the actual network are auto-detected by the tool.
Current Pricing:
- $1495
#11 Intermapper (PAID)
The Intermapper tool includes an automatic discovery and mapping feature that gets you started fast when it comes to creating your own plan. Intermapper’s autodiscovery system can plot both a virtualization and a physical network topology.
Its graphics editor features a library of icons, with the option of creating your own. The tool is also capable of storing network performance data to help with SLA compliance reporting and capacity planning. The free plan limits you to monitoring only 10 devices, and the paid version is available for a one-off fee or as a subscription service.
#12 Network Notepad (FREE + PAID)
This includes both a commercial (Notepad Professional) and a Freeware edition specifically made for drawing and mapping network elements.
Although Network Notepad lacks extensive autodiscovery capabilities, it does come with the CDP discovery tool that helps to discover all network neighbours in the topology. This CDP add-on also lets the user search through the network and pull information from the devices.
You can optionally expand to the paid software: The Network Notepad Professional Edition, and transform it into a network monitoring tool by integrating with NNMonitor, a Ping scanner utility.
Both the Free and Pro versions run only on Windows machines.
Current Pricing:
- £26 GBP (per PC license) for the Professional Edition
#13 LanFlow (PAID with free trial)
Produced by Pacestar Software, the LanFlow Net Diagrammer includes libraries of both 2D and 3D icons, which enable you to create your own network topology maps.
You can also create your own icons or import icons from another graphics tool. The editor uses the drag and drop feature, which lets you choose icons from a side panel and then place them onto a design board. While this is a paid product, it’s possible to get an evaluation copy on a 30-day free trial.
This is a purely network diagram utility and is used by many Cisco professionals and students preparing for certifications.
Current Pricing:
- $99 single user license
- $179 two-users license
- $259 three-users license
- etc
#14 netTerrain (PAID)
netTerrain is a cloud-based product of Graphical Networks, a company that produces a wide range of network management software.
netTerrain is a network documentation system that compiles the hardware inventory and generates network topology diagrams by probing the network.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to stick with the generated diagrams as the program lets you adjust the topology to meet the unique needs of your project.
The tool also supports network reorganization and capacity planning. The extra features let you identify and shut down any security weaknesses within your network. The tool is also compatible with Visio, meaning you can exchange data from netTerrain Logical to a whole variety of tools aligned with Visio.
Current Pricing:
- $98/mo single user (250 devices)
- $198/mo 5-users (500 devices)
- $498/mo 20-users (1000 devices)
#15 LanTopoLog (FREE)
This is a free (shareware) network mapping tool created by enthusiasts. While you won’t get a physical layout of your network from this tool, the information displayed in the mapper will give you a straightforward representation of all the data you need from the network rather quickly.
LanTopoLog also features a network discovery capability based on SNMP. The resulting diagram, which is automatically generated, ideally shows every device in your network, along with the other devices that it connects to.
The result is a rich schematic tree structure with IP addresses, host names, and port numbers of every device in the network and its corresponding connections. It even includes a Ping monitoring tool to visualize which devices are up and which are down.
For a free tool, it works pretty good if you don’t want more fancy features.
Closing Summary
As you can already see from the list above, there’s no shortage of network diagramming tools available to you, no matter the intended use.
These tools range from rudimentary mapping solutions with autodiscovery features to sophisticated graphical solutions with or without autodiscovery capability.
Each tool has its own pros and cons, and the best tool for your project will depend on your specific use case and the nature of your network.
Related Posts
Network diagram software plays a crucial role in helping businesses understand their network and how their network components interact. This guide explains what a network diagram is and how network diagram software can help your business improve efficiency, in addition to recommending the best software for network diagrams available today.
SolarWinds® Network Topology Mapper (NTM) ranks highest on our list of the best network diagramming software because it provides detailed network diagram capabilities in a user-friendly interface. This advanced and scalable network diagram tool offers an impressive range of features, giving businesses access to everything they might need to create comprehensive and automated network diagrams. A 14-day free trial of SolarWinds NTM is available to get you started.
What Is a Network Diagram?
A network diagram provides a visual depiction of a computer network, displaying all network elements or “nodes” and how they fit together. This can include devices, firewalls, hubs, routers, switches, and any other network components.
Network diagrams can be extremely detailed, provide a simple overview, or be somewhere in between. As an example, a LAN network diagram could display IP addresses for individual devices, while a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) diagram might simply represent physical areas or buildings with one node.
There are two types of network diagram: physical and logical.
What Is a Physical Network Diagram?
Physical network diagrams, as the name suggests, display the material organization of the network components. This usually includes hardware, cables, and other physical network components. A physical network diagram is similar to a floorplan, giving you insight into the actual arrangement of your network’s tangible elements.
What Is a Logical Network Diagram?
Logical network diagrams, on the other hand, represent how data moves through the network. As such, a logical network diagram usually displays routing protocols, network devices (i.e., firewalls and routers) and subnets (i.e., addresses, masks, VLAN IDs).
According to the Open Systems Interconnection model, a logical network diagram should be aligned with data hosted by Layer 3, which is called the network layer. The network layer, or Layer 3, leverages intermediate routers to manage packet forwarding activities. It acts as an abstraction layer.
Why Are Network Diagrams Useful?
A network diagram can be used for a range of purposes, including but not limited to the following:
- Designing how a professional or home network is structured
- Planning updates to your current network
- Tracking network components
- Delivering important data to vendors as part of a Request for Proposal (RFP) without disclosing sensitive information
- Selling network proposals to stakeholders
- Proposing changes to syslog infrastructure at a high level
- Troubleshooting and reporting on any network issues
- To support compliance with standards and requirements, such as PCI
- As documentation for both external and internal communications
Best Software for Network Diagrams
Designing and managing your network infrastructure can be complicated and time-consuming when businesses aren’t leveraging enterprise-grade network diagramming software. Network diagram software can provide you with comprehensive insights into your network, helping you identify and diagnose issues, plan for future network updates, support compliance, and much more.
Choosing the right network diagram tool for your business, however, can be a challenge. To help you make an informed decision, I’ve compiled a list of the best network diagramming software solutions currently available.
© 2020 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved.
I believe the SolarWinds IT management and monitoring tools are among the most popular business solutions on the market, covering everything from remote access and support to network performance monitoring. I also think SolarWinds solutions, including their well-known Network Performance Monitor, are built to be scalable, user-friendly, and provide an advanced range of utilities—many of which are unique and ahead of the market curve. SolarWinds has a reputation for dependability and offers plenty of customer support initiatives, including 24/7 technician availability. Another useful support feature from SolarWinds is the THWACK® community forum, where customers can access a community of avid users to gain insight into how best to leverage SolarWinds products.
SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper (NTM) is ranked as the best network diagram software because it offers a high level of automation, saving you time and improving efficiency. With NTM, you can create an automated network diagram and auto-discover your LAN or WAN. NTM achieves this by leveraging a discovery method capable of examining multiple layers of the network. This means your network diagrams are fully integrated with topology data from both layer 2 and layer 3 of the OSI—including switch-to-router, switch-to-switch, and switch-to-node port connections. You can also use NTM’s automated discovery features to modify the node information of objects on your network map. You can even manually connect your network devices.
One of the key benefits of using NTM as your computer network diagram and network security diagram solution is you can export all your network data in an intuitive, easy-to-read format. Files can be exported in PNG, PDF, and Microsoft Visio, giving you plenty of options and flexibility. With NTM, you can also schedule your network maps to be exported to the unique Network Atlas utility, which allows you to design custom network diagrams and maps. For ease of collaboration, you can share exported maps with your team.
As a program compliant with FIPS 140-2, this network switch diagram solution helps you prove compliance with regulatory standards. It helps you address requirements, such as PCI, to certify your corporate network is ready for auditing and continuously updated.
To save you time and effort, NTM can detect network topology changes regularly, and automatically updates your network diagrams and network switch diagrams to reflect any alterations. You can configure NTM to schedule scans according to your company’s individual requirements, so you’re always notified of new network devices. NTM also includes reporting utilities such as network and inventory reports. You can generate reports for subnets, switch ports, and VLANs. Report generation can be automated, keeping the need for manual intervention to a minimum.
NTM provides support for numerous discovery techniques, including VMware, Hyper-V, ICMP, WMI, CDP, and versions 1, 2, and 3 of SNMP. This range of options gives you more choice than many alternative network switch diagram tools can provide.
I believe SolarWinds products are well-known as user-friendly tools, and NTM is no exception. NTM’s range of automated utilities allows you to generate, update, share, and export network diagrams with minimal time investment. This network switch diagram tool also allows for manual intervention, which means you can modify settings to reflect your company’s individual needs. You can even customize the placement and size of your network diagrams’ icons and text.
You can try NTM for free by taking advantage of a 14-day free trial.
Dia Diagram Editor is a free, open-source solution designed to help you create network diagrams quickly and easily. Although this tool doesn’t offer a particularly dynamic or sophisticated interface, its simplicity may appeal to individuals who are new to network diagramming software.
The Dia Diagram Editor is one of the most popular free network diagram tools, primarily because it offers a huge objects library. Pandit bhimsen joshi hindi bhajan mp3 free download. The impressive library provides users with extra flexibility when creating network diagrams and maps. This tool also includes a significant amount of Cisco-based components, covering network, switch, computer, miscellaneous, and telephony diagrams.
Although Dia Diagram Editor is a functional solution, the rudimentary nature of its interface is a notable disadvantage. Like most free solutions, I felt Dia Diagram Editor isn’t especially scalable or suited to business use. Despite this, Dia Diagram Editor can create detailed network diagrams. This tool can be used with Mac, Linux, and Windows operating systems. Dia Diagram Editor can be downloaded here.
© 2020 HelpSystems. All rights reserved.
Intermapper, from Help Systems, is a network topology mapper and network monitoring tool for Mac, Linux, and Windows. This solution provides you with advanced insight into your network performance and configuration, featuring a graphics editor with a substantial icons library. Intermapper also allows you to create custom icons to suit your needs and preferences.
Intermapper auto-discovers your network devices, then diagrams them onto real-time network maps. You can customize these maps to capture your business’ unique IT systems and infrastructure, by using the hundreds of background images, layout options, and icons available in Intermapper.
In addition to providing network diagramming features, Intermapper also includes network monitoring capabilities. You can use this tool to store your network’s performance data, which assists with reporting on SLA compliance and capacity planning. Intermapper uses hierarchical mapping, enabling you to visualize and interpret network status at a glance via the top-level map, as well as drill into sub-maps based on office location, closet, floor, and other components. To make data interpretation quick and easy, Intermapper color-codes network equipment status. This network diagram tool also displays traffic flow, which updates in real time.
With its ability to provide instant insight and its simple drag-and-drop interface, Intermapper delivers an impressive network diagramming solution. However, I think the user interface is basic and, because of this, the tool isn’t particularly intuitive. A free version of Intermapper is available, although it limits you to monitoring up to five devices. You can also try a 30-day free trial of the paid edition.
Edraw is all-in-one network diagram software that lets you create a range of diagrams, including flowcharts, fishbone diagrams, floor plans, UML diagrams, office layouts, and much more. There are upwards of 280 types of diagrams available with Edraw, from technical drawings to infographics.
With this tool’s impressive library of symbols and templates, network diagram beginners can start creating diagrams almost immediately. Edraw includes thousands of unique templates, each of which is intuitively and professionally designed. One of the most notable advantages of Edraw is its extensive file compatibility, allowing you to import files in Visio format, and export diagrams in multiple formats—including Word, HTML, Visio, PDF, JPEG, and more.
Edraw network diagramming software is available online, which means it can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, and from any device connected to the internet.
This network diagram tool allows you to collaborate with your colleagues, by enabling you to share network diagrams via social media, through an HTML link. As a cloud-based tool, multiple members of your team can work on a single project simultaneously, from different devices. To download Edraw, click here. You will have the option of choosing the web edition, or Mac, Windows, and Linux versions.
© 2020 Network Notepad Jason Green. All rights reserved.
Network Diagram Software Freeware
Network Notepad is a good option for companies anticipating growth, but are currently new to network diagramming, because it offers multiple editions—this includes a freeware edition, an Enterprise Edition, and a Professional Edition. With the free version of Network Notepad, you can design interactive diagrams of your network. The free edition offers basic capabilities and includes support for Windows devices. With a basic drag-and-drop user interface, this is an easy-to-use solution.
The Professional Edition of Network Notepad includes all the free edition’s features, as well as customizable shapes, locking and grouping capabilities, multi-page diagrams in tabs, more advanced graphics, and increased object placement flexibility. The Network Notepad Enterprise Edition features all the functions listed above, in addition to supporting collaboration between multiple users.
Whichever Network Notepad edition you choose can be extended by the add-on CDP Neighbor Tool. This utility lets you discover your network and create a diagram by using a table retrieved directly from the appropriate network device. You can also implement NNMonitor, a ping tool, as an add-on for the Enterprise Edition and Professional Edition. NNMonitor enables email alerting and logging. I find a key disadvantage of Network Notepad is all add-ons must be downloaded separately, because they aren’t built in.
You can choose between the Network Notepad editions and download them here.
Free Network Diagram Software Mac Download
Choosing the Right Network Diagram Software
Of the tools featured in this list, SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper offers the most advanced, comprehensive, and user-friendly range of features. NTM’s automated features, including the automatic network discovery utility, give this solution a real edge over competitors. This tool requires little manual intervention, allowing you to generate, share, and export network diagrams quickly and easily.
SolarWinds NTM helps your IT team save resources and time, streamlining the network diagram creation process and minimizing the need for manual ongoing network diagram maintenance. With reporting features, multi-layer topology data integration, and numerous export options, NTM delivers an easy-to-use and advanced network diagram solution. This program is well-suited to business use, scalable, and ideal for small and large companies alike.