Abstract: A method and system in accordance with the present invention receives correct information concerning a design in a database. The method comprises selecting a most recent instance of an object in the design and analyzing the dependencies of that object on the other objects in the design database. Through the use of a method and system in accordance with the present invention, relational database management systems will have the capability of building designs upon other designs by presenting the user with the appropriate versions of objects from earlier designs. The method and system in accordance with the present invention will also allow changes to the ordering of designs within restrictions based on the dependencies between the designs. This will give the user the ability to stay up-to-date on current network information, review previous network configurations and work on as many proposed network configurations as desired.

Abstract: A method and system in accordance with the present invention for automatically updating graphical diagrams of logical network layouts is disclosed. The method combines a graphics file with a list of information associating the graphical elements with the database objects and extends a graphics program to automatically reflect database changes in the graphics file and to respond to changes in the database. Through the use of a system and method in accordance with the present invention the user is allowed to create, edit, store, and distribute graphical diagrams of logical network layouts. The diagrams can be created automatically and then edited and distributed by the user. In addition, the user is able to edit the network diagrams without affecting the current as-built view of the network. Finally, the system tracks every network device, passive and active, and associates it with the appropriate physical and logical locations, specifications, serial numbers, warranty information, etc.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of designing a network includes the steps of populating a network design sheet on a computer display with an intelligent device object that represents a device object having physical attributes and logical attributes, selecting a communication protocol object representing a communication protocol having logical attributes, determining if the communication protocol object can be validly bound to the intelligent device object by comparing the logical attributes of each, and binding the communication protocol object to the intelligent device object on the network design sheet only if the binding is valid.

Abstract: A method for designing networks including auditing a network to discover a present network configuration, creating a network design sheet from the discovered network configuration, placing device icons representing intelligent device objects on the network design sheet, selecting a media type representing an intelligent media object, and connecting the media type to a first one of the device icons. The method further includes validating the connection to the first one of the device icons.