Network Diagrams who’d a thunk it?

Just when I thought I had seen it all.

We networking types, we tend to be a bit anal about some things and documentation is usually at the top of the list.

When we’re asked to come in and fix stuff one of the first things we ask is; “Do you have a network diagram?” or “Is this documented?”

Generally the answer is no. Which is just as good, because most of the time the documentation is wrong anyway.

But when there is documentation, it comes in all forms, and just when you think you’ve seen it all.

I’ve seen:

• Really well done Visio drawing as well as really bad Visio drawings.
• Diagrams done in Raster Paint programs like Photoshop or MS Paint.
• Hand drawn or sketched diagrams that were pretty accurate and very detailed.
• I have even seen them done in ASCII or plain text, which is better than nothing at all.

But this, well, this is new. Someone was recently asked for a network diagram, and without skipping a beat, and proud as a Peacock said, yes, their network was indeed documented, and then turned over the following:

Yes, that’s it, a network diagram in Excel, clearly marking all the networks, routers, switches, etc, in great detail. It’s awesome.

Of all the tools you have available. Heck if you have Excel, you have a draw layer. People will never cease to amaze me.

Tags: network, diagram, wtf, Excel