Dependency diagramming / mapping tool

Question

I am looking for a tool that allows me to easily create and maintain dependency maps of our mission critical servers, apps, processes, etc. It needs to be intuitive and easy to work with and be able to generate diagrams that clearly show the dependencies graphically.

What would be some good tools for this?

I have looked at videos for AssetGen Sysmap and BluePrint from Pathwaysystems.com, and they both seem to fit my needs, but there has got to be more good systems like them that I can look at. I want to make sure I pick the best system for our needs (and limited budget).

Answer 1

Dia is free.

Answer 2

For this sort of thing you really need a database, so that the information can be filtered, sorted and retrieved in whatever way is required. For the presentation you need something that can create pretty pictures from that data.

As you have not mentioned what OS this is to run on it's not really possible to give actual programs to give those results but it's a wide open field. Just as an example, you might use MySQL to store the data and Crystal Reports to produce your output.

Answer 3

In case someone else is looking for a dependency mapping solution: The best solution for our needs seems to be BluePrint (see http://pathwaysystems.com/video). Very quick and easy to create and maintain dependency mappings and generate diagrams.