Custom Network Graphing Ideas

[LaVolpe]

Got your thinking caps on?
I'm in the process of trying to create an auto-generating graph/diagram of a network. There are over 300 of these networks that can change from week to week.

Looking for some ideas, specifically: Logic/psuedo algos that can arrange network nodes in a way that minimal distance exists between nodes that are directly connected.

Here's some more details to better understand the problem.
1. Network changes weekly -- nodes are added, removed, rerouted
2. How many nodes exist and which nodes they connect to, are always known
3. Each node may connect to one or several other nodes in the same network
4. Each of the connected nodes, in turn, can connect to several other nodes
5. Currently, largest network graph contains 150 nodes, most interconnected to each other (some connect outside of the network and are handled differently). Each node may have upwards of 30+ ports or as little as just one, each having a circuit that connects the nodes. An entire graph may consist of over 100 nodes and several hundred circuits and over 1,000 ports (though these are not involved in the placement problem).

This is for a real-world project. We have personnel that must continually place nodes in most visual pleasing positions to minimize crossing network circuits/edges. Once placed, the individuals must "draw" the cicuits/edges and some of these can end up looking like a maze before they get to the connecting node. Breaking down each graph to restart and reposition can take a single person in excess of 6 hours (we have over 300 of these graphs/diagrams) that can change weekly. Restarting from scratch currently occurs only when so many nodes have been added, removed, re-positioned that the circuits literally end up running all over the graph. A graph in paper size can exceed 3x3 feet, so you kinda get the idea of how massive the undertaking is. Thank goodness most of the graphs are not nearly that large.

P.S. Professional tools are out of the question. The application that displays these graphs are proprietary and the graphs themselves are custom coded for that application. The task is do-able, just a matter of getting ideas on ways to proceed. I have several of my own and would like some more input before I dig in; don't want to waste several weeks/months on a weak strategy. I already have some nice path-finding algorithms that can be used to draw the circuits.