Spescom MeasureGraph has announced the availability of a new Windows-based network management utility that allows network administrators and engineers to create up-to-date network maps of switched Ethernet networks in one-click.
The new LAN MapShot network diagramming software from Fluke Networks works with Microsoft Visio 2000 to help users make fast and accurate decisions during planning, upgrading and troubleshooting of networks for a minimal investment.
"Detailed documentation is part of what network engineers and network administrators need on a frequent basis," says Mark Mullins, marketing manager of the Enterprise Group of Fluke Networks.
"Yet we've found that fewer than 80% of network professionals create a map more than once a quarter because they are so difficult to draw, and more than 90% of them are still drawing their networks manually. LAN MapShot eliminates the arduous task of hand drawing maps and allows networking professionals to obtain updated map data on demand."
"We are excited to see Fluke Networks building its new LAN MapShot product on the Microsoft Visio drawing and diagramming platform," says Joel Frauenheim, product manager at Microsoft Corp. "By working with partners like Fluke Networks, we are able to provide new and innovative solutions that are visual in nature to a wider range of customers."
The LAN MapShot application uses a one-button automated discovery engine to quickly and easily create up-to-date network maps of switched Ethernet networks with virtually no configuration. After the discovery phase, LAN MapShot will automatically launch Visio 2000, initiate the Visio Application Interface (API), and simply draw the network map. LAN MapShot Version 1.0 adds a number of new graphic innovations, enhancing the power of Visio's platform.
The LAN MapShot application:
Employs different line thicknesses to indicate different speeds
Displays switch port numbers on each switch link
Shows IP addresses and domain names next to each device
Allows the addition of discovered devices from predetermined lists
Customers who register LAN MapShot with Fluke Networks can generate additional maps by simply double-clicking any switch on the map in Visio 2000. These include:
Switch (Spanning Tree)
Server Connections in a Switched Network
Router Connections in a Switched Network
Broadcast Domains
Printer Connections in a Switched Network
Fluke Networks' Tool Connections in a Switched Network
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