Amal Nagm

Create a network diagram

1. On the File menu, point to New, point to Network, and then click Detailed Network Diagram.
2. From Network and Peripherals, drag a Ring network or Ethernet shape onto the drawing page.
3. From Computers and Monitors or Network and Peripherals, drag device shapes onto the drawing page.
4. Attach devices to the Ring network or Ethernet shape by using the shape's built-in connectors:
   1. Click the Ring network or Ethernet shape.
   2. Place the pointer over a control handle . When the pointer changes to a four-headed arrow, drag it to a connection point on one of the device shapes. When the device shape is correctly connected to the Ring network or Ethernet shape, the connection point turns red, indicating that it is glued.
      
   Tip To hide an unused connector, drag the control handle back to the Ring network or Ethernet shape.
   
5. Add a legend to your network diagram:
   1. From Network and Peripherals, drag the Legend shape onto the drawing page.
   2. To configure the Legend shape, right-click the Legend shape, and then click Configure Legend on the shortcut menu.
   3. To edit the text in the Legend shape, double-click the text that you want to change, and then type.
6. To add text to a network shape, click the shape and type. To move the text, drag the control handle .

Import external data about equipment into your drawing

1. On the Data menu, click Link Data to Shapes.
2. On the first page of the Data Selector Wizard, choose which of the following types of data sources you want to use:
   • Microsoft Excel Workbook
   • Microsoft Access database
   • Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services List
   • Microsoft SQL Server database
   • Other OLEDB or ODBC Data Source
   • Previously created connection
3. Complete the remainder of the wizard. Note If you choose an option other than an Excel workbook, Access database, or SharePoint list on the first page of the wizard, you may be temporarily diverted to the Data Connection Wizard in the course of completing the Data Selector Wizard.
   Specific help is available for most wizard pages. To access Help, press F1 or click the Help button.
   

Add initial data to identify the equipment shapes

1. Right-click a network shape in your drawing, point to Data on the shortcut menu, and then click Shape Data. Tip Or you can select the shape, press ALT+D, and then press S.
   
2. In the Shape Data dialog box, type an asset number or other unique identifier into the appropriate field. Note Most Visio network shapes have a set of predefined shape data. If you want to use a shape that doesn't already have this shape data, you are prompted with a dialog box that asks if you want to define the shape data now. Click Yes. For information about how to fill out the Define Shape Data dialog box.
   
3. Click OK, or press ENTER.

Automatically link external data to network shapes

1. On the Data menu, click Automatically Link.
2. Follow the steps in the Automatic Link Wizard. Specific help is available for most wizard pages. To access Help, press F1 or click the Help button.