Custom Network Diagrams with PRTG

A network diagram maker is a tool or software application used to create visual representations of a computer network's structure, connections, and components. These diagrams help in understanding, planning, designing, and troubleshooting networks by illustrating how devices such as routers, switches, servers, and computers are interconnected.

Key features of a network diagram maker include:

• Drag-and-drop interface: Allows users to easily add network devices and components (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls) to the diagram.
• Pre-built icons and symbols: Comes with standardized icons and symbols representing network devices, making it easy to build accurate diagrams.
• Customization options: Allows labeling of devices, adjusting lines for connections, and adding metadata such as IP addresses, names, or status indicators.
• Templates: Provides ready-made network diagram templates for common network configurations, helping to save time.
• Export and sharing options: Diagrams can typically be exported as images (PNG, SVG, JPG), PDFs, or other formats to share with others or embed in documentation.

Network diagram tools offer a range of benefits that help organizations and IT professionals efficiently manage, plan, and troubleshoot their networks. Here are the key benefits:

• Clear understanding: A well-designed network diagram gives a clear visual overview of the entire network infrastructure, including how devices and components are interconnected. This helps IT teams and stakeholders understand the network's structure at a glance.
• Tracking changes: Diagrams make it easier to track changes in the network, such as new devices being added or old ones being removed.
• Efficient design: Network diagram tools help in designing and planning new networks or modifying existing ones. They allow IT teams to visualize different configurations and plan expansions in an organized way.
• Resource allocation: By seeing the structure, teams can allocate resources more efficiently, knowing where more capacity or equipment may be needed.
• Quick issue identification: Network diagrams help quickly pinpoint the source of network issues by showing which devices are connected and how they interact. Troubleshooting becomes easier when you can see potential points of failure.
• Clear communication: Diagrams provide a simple, standardized way of communicating network layouts and changes to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. It’s much easier to convey the architecture of a network visually rather than through text alone.
• Visualizing vulnerabilities: By mapping out all devices and their connections, network diagrams can help identify potential security vulnerabilities, such as open ports, outdated devices, or weak links in the network.

Network diagrams come in various types, depending on what aspect of the network they focus on, and the level of detail required. Here are some network diagram examples:

• Physical network diagram: Shows the physical layout of the network, including hardware devices and their actual connections, such as cables, routers, switches, and other physical elements.
• Logical network diagram: Represents the flow of data within the network, showing how devices communicate and the logical structure of the network. It doesn’t focus on physical hardware but instead on how devices are logically connected and interact.
• LAN (Local Area Network) diagram: Visualizes a network within a small geographic area, such as a single building, campus, or office. It focuses on connections within a confined area.
• WAN (Wide Area Network) diagram: Depicts a network that spans across multiple geographic locations, such as different cities or countries. It often connects several LANs together.
• Network topology diagram: Displays how network components are arranged, describing the topology (or structure) of the network. It focuses on the patterns of connectivity between devices.
• Cloud network diagram: Focuses on components and services (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) hosted in the cloud. It shows the interaction between on-premises networks and cloud-based services.
• Data Flow Diagram (DFD): Maps how data flows within a network or system. It shows how data moves from one process or component to another, without focusing on the underlying hardware or physical connections.

Yes! PRTG offers comprehensive monitoring for a wide range of web server applications, including Apache, Nginx, IIS, and more. Whether you’re running on Windows, Linux, or a mixed environment, PRTG provides the flexibility to monitor all key metrics relevant to your web server’s performance.

In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive. On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.