Pros and Cons of Visio and AutoCAD

Started by CodyMatheny, January 30, 2020, 03:11:03 PM

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CodyMatheny

Greetings all!

I am working on a project that uses Visio for Network MPLS maps and drawings. I have been dabbling with Visio for a while now and it has become very clear to me that this particular project would be handled better in AutoCAD. The problem is the Deliverable to the client needs to be a Visio file.

I'd like to know:
1. If any of you have used the Import CAD drawing function in a successful manner?
2. If so, what where you using it for?
3. How do the shapes/Dynamic Shapes/Connectors translate as far as formatting?
4. Any other pros/cons to converting to Visio from AutoCAD or vice versa?
5. Do glue points translate?
6. would it be less time consuming to just suffer through Visio?

Any input you guys have would be appreciated :)
Thanks!

Surrogate

I think Visio is best than AutoCAD for this purpose! Especially old versions, like Visio 2010.
You can find a lot of stencils with network devices in internet, visio's dynamic connectors are useful.

1. Visio Plan 2 can open documents created in AutoCAD 2017, but it dont support latest dwg2018 file format. Other Visio editions can open documents created in AutoCAD 2007!!!
2. I dont use this import.
3. You mean dynamic connectors from AutoCAD?


vojo

Actually, I agree....Autocad is not intended for network design (sure somebody could make it work, but square peg round hole).
Also, I am not sure that Autocad has smart shapes (very very very programs have that) or supports appending user data to a shape or assembly.  (there are more possibilities for smart shapes than just changing dimensions of a shape and pretty much every tool has some sort of sequence of steps to change dimensions or colors...its all about the number of key strokes invested).

Either way, good luck

wapperdude

#3
What is it about Visio that makes you feel it's not suitable for your task? 
Do you have a simple example to upload?
Which version of Visio are you using?

I think importing ACad into Visio will not be so simple as push a button.  Visio translates from one type of data base to its data base.   There are inherent artifacts with the process.  There may be substantial post processing work involved.  Find a simple ACad file and try it out.

Visio 2019 Pro

cliff50

from my perspective ..
The challenge of MPLS is documenting its bandwidth capacity.
MPLS networking uses a dynamic routing as opposed the SDH or Sonet networking which use preset switched logical paths.

From a superficial view, every node in a network (be it routed or switched) is tangible and physical..
Dig a little deeper, the bit that pays the bills ( the payload) is intangible and virtual .

So, from a customer perspective , their perception is the service that delivers the bitstream is controlled and managed by the Network supplier , therefore the supplier knows exactly where the intangible service ricochets around the network.

Now consider this .. the real test of whether you are really managing a network is based on a couple of simple questions, #1 How much spare capacity do you have on your network?    and  #2  if your network is impacted by disruption what services will be re-routed , fail , or degraded ?

Based on those key performance Indicators , responsible managers  document their networks in a way to answer those questions ... 
Sadly many don't .. they merely monitor the health  (red , yellow , green) of physical hardware  and think they are proactive.

The reason I  believe Visio can resolve questions #1 and #2  is because .. been there done that  (PDH SDH MPLS)