Getting started

Disclaimer

Before you start, please read some significant warnings:

• NDAT is supplied "as is".

• NDAT is in continuous development.

• NDAT is poorly documented (current document is the only one that exists).

• Currently NDAT is not perfectly tested.

System requirements

NDAT requires Visio Professional 2019 or 2021 and MS Office installed.

It also should work on top of Visio Plan 2. But it's not tested.

How to install and update

NDAT is currently distributed as simple ZIP archive. To get a copy, please, write a request to [e-mail].

Archive includes Visio add-in installation files, .pfx certificate, and .vsdx files with sample diagrams and stencils.

To update NDAT you should at first remove old version via Windows control panel.

To install new version just unpack archive somewhere and run setup.exe.

In case of installation error, try to import provided certificate to Trusted Publishers and Trusted Root CAs stores. Certificate password is “1”.

Structure of project and Visio document

NDAT assumes that network should be designed by layers:

• L1 and L2, including:

  • device placement plans;

  • L1 and L2 linking diagrams (connection diagrams with basic L2 parameters).

• L3 – network layer diagrams, that depict:

  • network segmentation and IP addressing;

  • L3 VRF / L3VPN usage;

  • BGP sessions;

  • Static routing and FHRP;

  • IGP.

Document structure follows layer structure. So pages in NDAT compliant document must be named in a special way:

• Placement plans – with “Racks*” prefix (often called L1 pages below);

• Physical / Link layer diagram – with “L2*” prefix;

• Network layer diagram – with “L3*” prefix.

Sample document pages list

If page name does not start with one of these prefixes, then this page will be excluded from NDAT processing when it generates reports and performs batch checks.

Also document should include some service pages:

• Profiles – special optional page that contains profile shapes (used to extend data model);

• Stencils – mandatory page that contains NDAT stencils;

• Forge – mandatory page where NDAT places new shapes when it generates them.

A little practice

First link

Simple link is a connection between two ports.

So, you need:

• Copy somewhere sample file, rename it and remove all Racks*, L2* and L3* pages from it. Then add empty Racks* page and empty L2* page. Or just take empy template below.

4MB

NDAT template v001.vsdx

Empty NDAT template

• Draw two devices in racks on Racks* page (use "rack" and "l1device" shapes from "Stencils" page); Rack height can be set in its shape data.

• Fill their shape data;

Rack's shape data

Simple link devices in racks on Racks* page

• Generate corresponding L2 nodes, copy them from "Forge" to L2* page;

L2 nodes generation actions

Generated L2 nodes on "Forge" page

• Add ports;

• Add link between ports (use "l2link" shape from "Stencils" page).

Ports on "Stencils" page

Link on "Stencils" page

The result should look like this.

Simple link on L2* page

Now you should be able to see text link description (link context menu –> Show Description), or you can generate L1 links report (NDAT -> L1 -> Reports -> L1 links reports -> All L1 links report - simple).

Show link description window

Link summary window

L1 links report action

Simple link report

In separate window NDAT will show processing log.

Simple link processing log

Add cabling info

It is possible to attach transit patch-panel ports (PPP) to link. Patch-panel ports IDs will be collected to L1 links report.

To do so, you need:

• prepare building/room/DC cabling tables (tables wihch define how passive cable infrastructure organized) according to “Cross template v001.xlsx” - see file link below;

Prepared cabling table (.xlsx file)

• import cabling tables to Visio as external data;

Imported cabling data

• copy and paste "ppp" shapes from stencils page to L2* page;

"ppp" shape on stencils page

• glue "ppp" shapes to port shapes;

PPP glued to port

• link external cabling data entries to "ppp" shapes (drag and drop entries to PPP shape).

Linked cabling data

• Now you can again check link description (summary) and see that information about two patch-cords was added.

Link summary with cabling data

13KB

Cross template v001.xlsx

Cross (cabling table) template

Set L2 port type, add VLAN and [M]LAG ID info

It is possible to define basic L2 properties of the link – port L2 mode (access, trunk, routed), VLAN IDs and [M]LAG ID.

To do so, you need:

• set the port L2 mode in its shape data;

Port L2 mode selection

• copy and paste “vlanlist” shape from stencils page;

• choose its mode (vlan list, [M]LAG ID or both);

• fill its shape data;

"vlanlist" modes and shape data

• glue its controls to port;

"vlanlist" glued to ports

• no you can see [M]LAG ID and VLAN IDs in link description.

Link summary with [M]LAG ID and VLAN ID

Update device placement

Now imagine we need to change device placement - move it from one rack to other or change units. Let's do it and then check how NDAT will help to refresh link info.

• Move devices you drew earlier (e.g. move DCA-DC-L-1 to U39 and rack ID from R11 to R12):

Moved devices

• Call "Sync data from devices to L2 nodes" action (NDAT -> L1 -> Refresh -> Sync data from devices to L2 nodes)

Sync data from devices to L2 nodes

• See that L2 nodes placement has been updated

L2 nodes updated

Links summary updated

Updated report

Try to generate L2 link report

Finally try to generate L2 links report that includes link L2 properties (VLAN IDs, [M]LAG IDs, L2 port types). Click NDAT -> L2 -> Reports -> L2 links reports -> All L2 links report - simple.

L2 links report action

L2 links report sample