Network Notepad Enterprise

Network Notepad Enterprise facilitates the collaborative design of network diagrams, aiming to provide a viable solution for large teams at enterprise level. Using various preset objects and shapes, as well as custom text, users can create simple to complex diagram designs as graphical representations of a network’s topology.

The application’s looks are not so impressive and, while the interface might seem simple, getting around it requires a bit of time and effort. The available menus do not include all the available options and you might need to take the time to hover the toolbar and see what tools you got there. For instance, the object library can only be accessed via the toolbar.

Fortunately, there is an extensive online documentation that you can use to learn how everything works. What’s more, Network Notepad Enterprise opens an example file at launch, which can be of great help if you want to get familiar with the work area.

One of the utmost features of Network Notepad Enterprise is its extensive object library. The array of preset shapes that you can insert in your designs covers anything from basic network devices, such as routers, servers, printers, hubs, modems, nodes or workstations, to objects found in more complex and large networks, such as customer voice portals, wireless getaways, encoders and decoders, and so on. Aside from the offline library, Network Notepad Enterprise provides one-click access to the online one, where you can find extra objects and options.

Object manipulation is easy in Network Notepad Enterprise. You can rotate and resize them, group them together and lock them, if needed. The application can handle parent and child objects as well. It is possible to create objects bookmarks and reveal or hide link nodes or IP addresses.

Unlike the Freeware and the Professional editions, Network Notepad Enterprise comes with additional controls that allow its users to work on shared diagrams. You can turn any diagram into a shared document from the diagram properties window. Multiple team members can work on a design simultaneously based on a lock-release system. In other words, only one user can make modifications at one point, while all the others are blocked from editing the document until the lock file is released.

Network Notepad Enterprise provides a rather good option when it comes to designing any kind of network diagrams. However, the application could really use a makeover when it comes to accessing its toolbox. Its potential is high and its feature set is promising but an overhauled GUI, perhaps with a ribbon-based toolbox, would really add to its value.