Show actual values of Servers in Visio (2010 Professional)

[max232]

Hello folks!

I want to map and monitor our little "Server landscape" in Visio. (Show actual values like CPU operating grade, ROM, ping/online, ...)
I don't understand what data source (link data with shapes) I have to choose to show that data on my Visio Diagram.

Possible choices are MS Excel, MS Access, MS Sharepoint Foundation, MS SQL and OLEDB/ODBC Source. I am confused now, because I thought I have to  tell my shapes something like an IP-adess or Host-Name of the servers, so that Visio gets the data directly from that servers?!
(I got the feeling I am completely wrong on how that works, so please clarify me.)

The result should look like you can see in the attachment.

Many thanks in advance,
Max

[aledlund]

Well the first issue of course comes from
"Show actual values like CPU operating grade, ROM, ping/online," The traditional way of course is to either log on to the device (rdp?) and save the data to some queryable platform (excel, access, sql, etc.). The data can be queried via a program using the MS Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and saved.
Once the data has been saved you can use Visio Pro versions to datalink to the information and use datagraphics to display the data.
There used to be a free add-in available on the MS download site to pull some of the data.
Here's an example of some of the things that can be accomplished (intermediate to good coder required).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmiaBMtSPg
hth,
al

[max232]

Thx al for your insights.

Do you know the Name of the add-inn to pull the data from the Servers?

[aledlund]

this was one of them

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26230

al

[max232]

  thx again!

[aledlund]

what I used as source for many of the routines that I re-built into vb.net were originally posted on TechNet in the vbscript section.
al