The Pros & Cons of Network Diagrams

Do you know what devices are connected to your network? A network diagram can help you get a better sense of what's happening on your network. Check out the infographic to learn the pros and cons of network diagrams.

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Keeping your network up and running can seem like an uphill battle. Especially without having a full-view of the devices on your network. Having a network diagram can help, but is it worth the time to manually put one together? Find out the pros and cons of manual network diagramming:

Pros of Manual Network Diagrams

• Maintain Device Visibility
  Network diagrams make it easier to maintain visibility of your devices to help you prevent business-critical issues that stem from not knowing what’s on your network.
• Easier Troubleshooting
  When a device is down or bandwidth is slow, the information in your diagram can help you form a plan of action to get the affected device back up and running.
• Helpful Information for Everybody
  Network diagrams make it easy for your Level-1 tech and your non-IT employees to see the devices available in your network.

Cons of Manual Network Diagrams

• Upfront Time to Create
  Manually creating a network diagram can take up hours as you collect device information like routers, switches, firewalls, etc.
• Complexity Based on Network
  The more complex your network is, the harder it is to manually keep track of all your physical network elements as each new device needs to be manually added to the diagram.
• Static Information Doesn’t Stay Accurate for Long
  Because a static network diagram needs to be manually updated every time there’s a change on your network, it can quickly be inaccurate information depending on how often you’re able to update your diagram.
• Lack of Network Performance Data
  Static network diagrams don’t give you any performance data aside from an inventory of network devices and equipment.

Overcome the Cons with Live Network Mapping Software

• Auto-Discovery
  Network mapping software does the hard work for you by automatically pulling in your devices. Save time when you don’t have to create and update network maps yourself.
• Easy Customization
  Change the colors, icons, layouts, and connection options on your network map so they’re most helpful to you.
• Greater Network Security and Control
  Live network maps provide feedback of who is connected to wired or wireless networks at any given moment and can also be used to identify unknown devices in real time.
• Live Performance Data
  With live network mapping and monitoring, you can get performance and bandwidth data—like device status, response time, availability, memory, and more—updated in real time. So you know how devices are performing right now, instead of an hour ago.