Diagramming ITS Infrastructure

and ITIL Services with Visio

David Cuthbertson

www.assetgen.com

www.squaremilesystems.com

AssetGen Overview

• Based in UK

• Develop software for

documenting medium/large

IT infrastructure with Visio

automation a key feature

• Training and project support

via sister company

– Square Mile Systems Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)

Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other

Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS

ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA

ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier

Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company

Agenda

• Understand different ways to use Visio

– Data centres, networks, cabling, ITIL services

• Quick tips for ITS diagramming using Visio

• Some features that you should know about

• Automating the diagramming process

• Plus any questions you may have

A Few Questions From Me

• Who has created or viewed more than 10

Visio diagrams this year?

• Who typically documents inventory data in

Excel and diagrams in Visio?

• Who has had a Visio training course in the last

3 years?

Visio History

• Stand alone business, acquired by Microsoft

• Last non-MS versions had auto-discovery,

extensive equipment templates

• Current Versions

– Visio 2007/10 Standard

– Visio 2007/10 Professional*

– Visio 2010 Premium

– Visio 2007/10 Viewer (runs in IE browser)

* recommended

Version Differences (1)Templates and Shapes

Version Differences (2)

Data Integration

Diagram Sharing

Visio Concepts and terms

• Shape

• Shape properties

• Connector

• Background

• Layer

• Stencil

• Template

RTR-BHAM-01

Visio Resources And Help

• Microsoft web site

• Books

• Linkedin group – Visio Enthusiasts

• Equipment manufacturer web sites

– Cisco, Commscope, Siemon

– HP, Dell, IBM, others www.visiocafe.com

• 3rd Party stencils

– netZoom, others www.altimatech.com

• Visioguy www.visguy.com

Good or bad?

Basics of Diagramming

1. What you see

2. The extra data you

get if you click on a

symbol

3. How you get to

more / less detail

Best Practice Diagramming1. Title

2. Purpose

7. Symbols

8. Attributes

9. Connections

6. Instructions

3. Author

4. Version

5. Date

10. Grouping

11. Background / layers

Contoso, Inc.IT Purchase Request

Sales team proposed expansion

IP Address 10.0.1.5

Memory (MB) 1024

CPU (MHz) 1.4

Windows Storage

Server 2003

filestore-sales-01

IP Address 10.0.1.6

Memory (MB) 768

CPU (MHz) 1.26

Windows Storage

Server 2003

filestore-sales-02

IP Address 10.0.1.14

Memory (MB) 1536

CPU (MHz) 2

Windows Server

2003, Standard

Edition

ftp-sales-01

IP Address 10.0.1.51

Memory (MB) 2048

CPU (MHz) 3

Windows Server

2003, Datacenter

Edition

sql-sales-01

IP Address 10.0.1.52

Memory (MB) 2560

CPU (MHz) 3.2

Windows Server

2003, Datacenter

Edition

sql-sales-02

IP Address 10.0.1.53

Memory (MB) 2048

CPU (MHz) 3

Windows Server

2003, Datacenter

Edition

sql-sales-03

Administrator

Don Hall

web-sales-02

Administrator

Don Hall

web-sales-03

Diagram Navigation

1. Double click on a shape Drill into

2. Hyperlink - web page Portal, monitoring

3. Hyperlink – document Recovery doc,

test results

4. Hyperlink - to a Visio page Drill down / across

5. Hyperlink - to a specific Visio shape Other instance of device

What happens to the links when we save to a web page?

The Diagram Creation Process

Purpose

Gather data

Transfer data to diagram

Layout

Add extra detail for readability

Save

Send / publish diagram

Define shapes

1.

8.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

1. Which takes the most time?

2. Where can errors creep in?

Advanced Visio Concepts

• Keeping file sizes small

• Linking Visio to external data – Excel, dB

• Data graphics and display

• In House templates / stencils

• Visio “add ons”

Why a difference in file size?

Blank Diagram 1 1995kB

Blank Diagram 2 12kB

Why is one file 166 times greater than the

other, when neither has any thing on a page?

Tip – be careful reusing an old diagram!

Multiple Diagrams

SW-BHAM-

CORE1

SW-BHAM-

CORE2

SW-BHAM-01 SW-BHAM-03 SW-BHAM-05 SW-BHAM-02SW-BHAM-04SW-BHAM-06

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX04UK_BIRM_UX05 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX06 UK_BIRM_UX07 UK_BIRM_UX08 UK_BIRM_UX10

99999

99999

UK_BIRMCC_PDU1

UK_BIRMCC_PDU2

PWR01-03-A

PWR01-04-A

PWR01-05-A

PWR01-06-A

PWR01-07-A

PWR01-03-B

PWR01-04-B

PWR01-05-B

PWR01-06-B

PWR01-07-

B

UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX10 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX04

UK_BIRM_UX05

UK_BIRM_UX06

UK_BIRM_UX07

UK_BIRM_UX08

Floor Plan

Rack Position

Service impact

Power Supply

Network Connections

BLADE_BIRM01

UK

_B

IRM

01_

BLA

DE

-01

UK

_B

IRM

01_

BLA

DE

-02

UK

_B

IRM

01_

BLA

DE

-03

UK

_B

IRM

01_

BLA

DE

-04

BL

AD

E-B

IRM

01.B

LA

DE

-SW

1

BL

AD

E-B

IRM

01.B

LA

DE

-SW

2

UK

_B

IRM

01_

BLA

DE

-05

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-09

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-10

UK

_B

IRM

01

_B

LA

DE

-12

H/W Build

Linking to Excel / Databases

Excel Visio

Lists/Inventory Diagrams

VisioDatabase

Examples

Inventory to rack layout

Inventory to network diagram

Rack list to floor plan

Power usage to floor plan

Application list to service map

Switch links to network diagram

Visio Data Graphics

• Standard feature 2007/10 Professional

• Enables use of embedded data

– Display multiple text fields around a shape

– Data bars to show capacity

– Use icons for status differences

– Change shape colour based on data value

Quick Ways (1)

• Floor plan

• Cabinet layout

• Floor boxes

• Networks

• ITIL Service Map

• Data Graphics

• Web pages

Quick Ways (2)

CreateCompareUpdate

DataSource(s)

SoftwareApplication

VisioDiagrams

Examples:Infrastructure management toolsetsAuto-discoveryTestingMonitoring

Get a System to Create Them For You!

Questions?

• Visio features

• Visio “standards” for consistency

• Automation of Visio diagrams

Visio Summary

• Great tool with lots of features, many of

which are unknown or misunderstood

• To spend less time using Visio

– Have common templates and stencils

– Link Visio to a data source

• For creation and updates

• For different views of a component

• Look at specialist tools that automate the

creation and maintenance of Visio diagrams

Thank You For Listening

Diagramming ITS Infrastructure and

ITIL Services with Visio

David Cuthbertson

www.assetgen.com

www.squaremilesystems.com