Before you can effectively administer your network, it is important to have the documentation to understand it. Whether you are just starting a new job, are have been working at the same place for years, the documentation will be a vital tool in maintenance, trouble-shooting and planning of the network. One part of the documentation will be your network diagrams. There is plenty of software available to help you to create your diagrams, and many companies willing to compete for the business. Once you decide whether you want to do it yourself, or have another corporation create it for you, you will want to include both the physical diagram and the logical diagram in your documentation.

Documentation

Before you can begin laying cable and connecting computer, it is important to plan and draw out the connections. This drawing will help you to visualize how much equipment you will need and show contractors or consultants what your idea for the network is. The best way to help others follow your networks’ connections will be the physical network diagram.

The physical network diagram is created by the administrator to represent the physical layout of the network. This diagram will illustrate each node on the network, and represents physically how the network fits together. Each computer is connected to the hub and a cable line represents how it is connected. All the devices are shown in a layout of the office similar to a blueprint. With this diagram, the IT person will have a valuable reference guide for troubleshooting, training new employees and aid outside vendors that may need to understand your network. For example, if a workstation is no longer able to access the network, the administrator will be able to check their line, check the hub and verify the connection easily and rule out these possible errors more efficiently. After you have created your physical network