/documd-visuals

Enterprise Network Topology

Best for: physical/logical device layout — ISP edge, DMZ, server room, office floor, wireless Avoid when: the reader needs application or message flows (use a cloud architecture or EIP example) Answers: what devices exist, how they interconnect, and which zone each device belongs to

@startuml
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title Medium Enterprise — Network Topology
left to right direction

' ── External ──
rectangle "External" {
	mxgraph.networks.cloud "Internet\n(ISP Uplink 1Gbps)" as internet
}

' ── Edge layer ──
rectangle "Edge" {
	mxgraph.networks.modem "Fiber Modem\n(Edge CPE)" as modem
	mxgraph.networks.router "Edge Router\n(BGP / 10Gbps)\n10.0.0.1" as router
	mxgraph.networks.firewall "Next-Gen Firewall\n(NGFW / IDS)\n10.0.1.1" as fw
}

' ── DMZ ──
rectangle "DMZ" {
	mxgraph.networks.server "Web Server\n10.10.1.10\n(Nginx / TLS)" as webSrv
	mxgraph.networks.mail_server "Mail Server\n10.10.1.20\n(Postfix / SMTP)" as mailSrv
}

' ── Core ──
rectangle "Core" {
	mxgraph.networks.switch "Core Switch L3\n10.20.0.1\n(VLAN trunk)" as coreSwitch
}

' ── Server room ──
rectangle "Server Room" {
	mxgraph.networks.mainframe "ERP Mainframe\n10.20.10.5" as erp
	mxgraph.networks.server "Database Server\n10.20.10.10\n(PostgreSQL)" as dbSrv
	mxgraph.networks.server "File Server\n10.20.10.15\n(NFS / SMB)" as fileSrv
}

' ── Office floor ──
rectangle "Office Floor" {
	mxgraph.networks.hub "Office Hub\nFloor 2 (L2)" as officeHub
	mxgraph.networks.laptop "Developer Laptops\n(12 devices)" as devLaptops
	mxgraph.networks.monitor "Workstations\n(30 devices)" as workstations
	mxgraph.networks.printer "Network Printer\n10.30.1.100" as printer
}

' ── Wireless / BYOD ──
rectangle "Wireless / BYOD" {
	mxgraph.networks.mobile "BYOD & Guest WiFi\n(802.11ac)" as byod
}

' ── Links: physical links use --, directed flows use --> ──
internet -- modem
modem -- router
router -- fw

fw -- webSrv
fw -- mailSrv
fw -- coreSwitch

coreSwitch -- erp
coreSwitch -- dbSrv
coreSwitch -- fileSrv
coreSwitch -- officeHub

officeHub -- devLaptops
officeHub -- workstations
officeHub -- printer
officeHub .. byod : wireless
@enduml

Key Options

Data Shape

Zones as horizontal groups (external → edge → DMZ → core → server room / office / wireless), devices as icons, links as -- (physical) or .. (wireless/logical). Reader question: "what sits where, and what is connected to what".

Pitfalls

• ❌ Using --> for everything → ✅ reserve -- for physical links and .. for wireless/VPN; direction is information
• ❌ Hiding IPs → ✅ include them in the label — a topology without addresses is only decoration for this audience
• ❌ One flat row of devices → ✅ keep zones visually separated (even without explicit rectangle boxes)
• ❌ Mixing networks.* and cisco.* icons randomly → ✅ pick the family that matches the audience (vendor-neutral vs Cisco)

Alternatives