Network maps show device relationships visually. When a link fails, you see which paths are affected.
Types of maps:
Physical topology. Shows actual cable connections.
Logical topology. Shows Layer relationships and routing.
Geographic maps. Plots devices on real maps for WAN links.
Map features:
- Color-coded status (green=up, red=down)
- Utilization overlays on links
- Drill-down to device details
Auto-discovery:
Many tools discover topology using LLDP, CDP, or SNMP. This saves manual mapping but requires validation.