Skip to content

Create Your First Network Design

In this walkthrough, you will create a small working topology with three routers and three IP links.

Before You Begin

This exercise assumes that:

  • you can log in to ENP
  • you have already created and loaded a design
  • you are looking at the Topology View

If you have not created a design yet, start with Create a network design.

Step 1: Open the Topology View

Once your design is loaded, you should see the Topology View window, your workspace for constructing and visualizing network topologies.

Topology View
Topology View window

Step 2: Add Three Router Nodes

Use the right-click context menu to add nodes to your topology.

  1. Right-click on the map where you want to place the first router.
  2. Click the Node button.
  3. Select Add node of type IP Router.
  4. Set the Node name to R1.
  5. Repeat the process to create R2 and R3.

If your nodes are not visible on the map, disable Hide non-connected nodes in the lower part of the view.

Adding nodes
Three router nodes placed on the topology canvas

Now connect the routers with IP links.

  1. Right-click on the origin node, for example R1, and choose Create a new link.
  2. Click the destination node, for example R2.
  3. Choose Add IP link over virtual transport connection.
  4. Set the following link properties:
  5. Link name: R1-R2
  6. Nominal rate: 100 Mbps
  7. Repeat the process for R2-R3 and R3-R1.

At this point, you should have a triangle topology connecting all three routers.

Connecting routers
Routers connected via IP links

Use the Control Window to inspect and fine-tune node and link attributes.

  1. Open the Control Window from the top menu.
  2. Navigate to Network View & Analysis.
  3. Check the Nodes table for node metadata.
  4. In the IP/MPLS folder, go to the links-related tables.
  5. Review the created links there.

Step 5: Save the Design

Click Save Design in the top menu to persist your changes.

Your design is now ready for simulation or further enhancements.

What You Should Have Now

You should now have:

  • 3 IP router nodes
  • 3 IP links forming a triangle
  • a saved design that you can inspect in both the Topology View and the Control Window

Continue with one of these: