The Case for Automated Network Diagramming a NetBrain WhitePaper
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The document discusses the importance of accurate and up-to-date network diagrams for network engineers, emphasizing that outdated diagrams hinder troubleshooting and decision-making. It outlines common challenges in maintaining accurate documentation due to the dynamic nature of network changes and highlights best practices for improvement. Additionally, it introduces NetBrain's solutions for automating network documentation and troubleshooting tasks, aiming to streamline network management and enhance operational efficiency.
The Case for Automated Network Diagramming a NetBrain WhitePaper
- 1. WHITE PAPER Perfecting the Network Diagram: How to Create and Maintain Reliable Network Documentation Network diagrams are perhaps the most crucial tools network teams need to do their jobs. They serve as a guide that supports the role of the network engineer. Network engineers need easy access to precise network diagrams to facilitate their day-to-day responsibilities. Without accurate network diagrams, engineers cannot: • Repair outages • Implement a new network design • Reconfigure the network • Confirm their networks’compliance with SOX, HIPAA, or PCI standards Most urgently, network documentation is central to troubleshooting. When network engineers are troubleshooting, the network diagram is the most valuable asset they can leverage. If network diagrams are not accurate and up-to-date, they are completely unreliable and therefore useless. The Trouble with Outdated Diagrams If, for example, a network needs to be altered, design teams will implement the necessary changes. This would include something like a software patch—to install, network designers perform an update on the system. Unfortunately, it is all too common for network designers to fail to update the documentation after updating the network. The result is that the network diagram now contains an inaccurate interface. Inaccuracy is a major obstacle to troubleshooting. The next time a network engineer uses that particular diagram, he or she will be relying on false data to make decisions. If the data is inaccurate, the engineer cannot make trustworthy decisions. Challenges to Maintaining Accurate Diagrams When the network is functioning correctly, nobody gives much thought to the state of the network diagram. Despite its central importance to networking, diagramming is often an afterthought. While many network professionals have the best intentions to improve their network documentation, the process remains at the bottom of their priority lists as they spend their days putting out fires. Network diagrams are difficult to keep updated because they are constantly changing. It is plausible for an enterprise network to include tens of thousands of network devices, router switches, firewalls, and load balancers, all of which can change due to a variety of circumstances.
- 2. Some devices simply need to be replaced at the end of their life cycle. Others, however, need to be updated with configuration files. These updates happen so frequently across the numerous devices that network documentation is often the last thing to be considered. While it may appear impractical for network teams to go back and update the network diagram after every change, when they fail to do so the diagram becomes unreliable. The Evolution of Network Diagramming Early Developments Creating network diagrams is often a chaotic undertaking. Over 20 years ago, Visio debuted to provide a revolutionary alternative to hand-drawn diagrams. Visio has been the go-to solution for creating network diagrams ever since, and it is utilized to this day among many Fortune 1000 organizations. While Visio creates simple, attractive visual representations, its biggest drawback is that it only produces static diagrams. By the time a Visio diagram is printed, it is obsolete. When network teams encounter a problem and reference the Visio network diagram, they often find that it is a year or two old. Outdated, inaccurate diagrams are useless for diagnosing network problems. To overcome network challenges without the help of an accurate diagram, engineers must draw out the current network scenario by hand, using show commands, command-line interfaces, and their own knowledge of the network. If any details are missed, their insights to the problem will remain inaccurate and unreliable. Present and Future Diagramming Diagramming networks is going to become a more complicated endeavor in the future because the methods to do it are constantly changing. Software-defined and cellular networks are growing in popularity as other technology continues to advance. Network diagrams will also become more visually complex over time, and network insights could be lost as a generation of network professionals retires. Creating Best Practices While no rigid set of best practices has evolved for network diagramming, there are some important considerations that can help organizations maintain documentation that supports network problem-solving: • Employ a shared repository where everyone can access network diagrams. • Establish version control so that diagram files cannot be overwritten. • Know your audiences and their diverse needs. • Document with purpose. 2
- 3. The Effects of Maintenance and Change on Network Diagrams The evolution of a network should be planned, documented, and evaluated by a group to ensure orderly, outage-free transitions. As an organization’s network evolves, so should its network diagram. Updating network documentation improves a user’s ability to troubleshoot and understand how the network is functioning. Networks can change more than 250 times in a year through different courses of maintenance. All of the following changes alter the way the network performs: • Weekly scheduled maintenance performed during off-peak hours amounts to about 50 changes to the network. • Simple network repairs can result in countless changes every week. • Minor adjustments that do not necessarily result in outages also add up quickly. A single change could be as simple as logging in to a device and altering an IP address or timer. Other minor changes include enabling an interface that was not enabled previously or bringing up a peering session that was not previously established. Network professionals should adhere to the following process when making changes: • Document changes they intend to make • Apply the change • Make others aware of the change that was made The document that tracks the change process is central to successfully altering a network. The Case for Automated Network Diagramming Today, a huge number of companies rely on poorly documented networks. Even in organizations employing the best and brightest network professionals, there is not enough time to keep diagrams current. Some organizations outsource their diagramming function to businesses that simply create and revise documents all day. As soon as they are created, however, the diagrams are obsolete. In small, medium, and large organizations that specialize in anything from finance to manufacturing, there is an urgent need to view accurate network diagrams in real time. Automating this process lets organizations visualize even the most expansive networks, giving network teams new network insights and freeing them to spend valuable time on more pressing priorities. 3
- 4. Founded in 2004, NetBrain set out to pursue a new vision: automate time-consuming tasks associated with network documentation, design, and troubleshooting. NeBrain’s customers are using map-driven automation to eliminate manual network documentation, automate troubleshooting tasks, and mitigate security risks. NetBrain is headquartered in Burlington, MA with offices in Sacramento, CA, New York, and Beijing, China. www.netbraintech.com + 1 (800) 605-7964 Transform Your Network Management NetBrain was developed to automate the labor-intensive tasks that network engineers encounter every day. By automating network documentation, NetBrain simplifies tasks like inventory management, design review, and compliance auditing. Our solution keeps detailed records that facilitate change verification and comparative analysis. When a network professional needs a diagram to solve a problem, NetBrain displays one with just two clicks of a mouse. Users can view diagrams on the fly and display them to their own preferences. The solution also allows users to print or forward diagrams to assist in resolving network issues. NetBrain provides a robust ROI by helping to identify network problems and close trouble tickets faster. When the network is down, employees cannot work. Productivity slows and revenue is lost. NetBrain gives engineers the tools to quickly resolve network issues and get employees working again. 4