Network Notepad - Today's Free File

Whether you're a SysAdmin setting up a network or an exec setting up a new team, you've probably come across Microsoft's Visio. Something of a gold standard for creating org charts, network topology diagrams and other flow charts, Visio is also expensive, with the cheapest version going for $199 ($99 for an upgrade from previous versions). That may not matter if you work for a company that has a license, but if you're looking to duplicate at least some of Visio's functions on a budget, you may want to give Network Notepad, today's free file, a try. Though designed primarily for network maps, as its name implies, Network Notepad can be used for org charts, flow charts and many of the other diagrams that Visio produces, and can export files as JPEGs or GIFs (using free plugins). No, it can't do everything Visio does, but if you're looking to sketch out a network or outline your software's functions without breaking the bank, it could be worth a try.