Managing ITS Infrastructure With Visio

7/29/2019 Managing ITS Infrastructure With Visio

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Diagramming ITS Infrastructure

and ITIL Services with Visio

David Cuthbertson

www.assetgen.com

www.squaremilesystems.com


2/24

AssetGen Overview Based in UK

Develop software fordocumenting 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 Infrastructure

PCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other

Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS

ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA

ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier

Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company


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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


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A Few Questions From Me

Who has created or viewed more than 10

Visio diagrams this year?

Who typically documents inventory data inExcel and diagrams in Visio?

Who has had a Visio training course in the last3 years?


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Visio History

Stand alone business, acquired by Microsoft

Last non-MS versions had auto-discovery,extensive equipment templates

Current VersionsVisio 2007/10 Standard

Visio 2007/10 Professional*

Visio 2010 Premium

Visio 2007/10 Viewer (runs in IE browser)

* recommended


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Version Differences (1)Templates and Shapes


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Version Differences (2)Data Integration

Diagram Sharing


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Visio Concepts and terms

Shape

Shape properties

Connector

Background Layer

Stencil

Template

RTR-BHAM-01


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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


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Good or bad?


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Basics of Diagramming

1. What you see

2. The extra data you

get if you click on asymbol

3. How you get to

more / less detail


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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


Memory (MB) 2048

CPU (MHz) 3

Windows Server

2003, Datacenter

Edition

sql-sales-01


Memory (MB) 2560CPU ( MHz) 3. 2

Windows Server

2003, Datacenter

Edition

sql-sales-02


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


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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?


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The Diagram Creation ProcessPurpose

Gather data

Transfer data

to diagram

Layout

Add extra detailfor readability

Save

Send / publishdiagram

Define shapes

1.

8.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

1. Which takes the most time?

2. Where can errors creep in?


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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


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Why a difference in file size?

Blank Diagram 1 1995kB

Blank Diagram 2 12kB

Why is one file 166 times greater than theother, when neither has any thing on a page?

Tip be careful reusing an old diagram!


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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_BIRM01_BLADE-01

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-02

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-03

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-04

BLADE-B

IRM01.BLADE-SW1

BLADE-B

IRM01.BLADE-SW2

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-05

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-09

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-10

UK_BIRM01_BLADE-12

H/W Build


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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


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Visio Data Graphics

Standard feature 2007/10 Professional

Enables use of embedded data

Display multiple text fields around a shapeData bars to show capacity

Use icons for status differences

Change shape colour based on data value


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Quick Ways (1)

Floor plan

Cabinet layout

Floor boxes

Networks ITIL Service Map

Data Graphics

Web pages


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Quick Ways (2)

Create

CompareUpdate

DataSource(s)

SoftwareApplication

VisioDiagrams

Examples:Infrastructure management toolsetsAuto-discoveryTesting

Monitoring

Get a System to Create Them For You!


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Questions?

Visio features

Visio standards for consistency

Automation of Visio diagrams


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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


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Thank You For ListeningDiagramming ITS Infrastructure and

ITIL Services with Visio

David Cuthbertson

www.assetgen.com

www.squaremilesystems.com

Documents

Managing ITS Infrastructure With Visio