An overview of the Network Dataset toolset

The Network Dataset toolset contains tools used to perform network dataset maintenance tasks such as building and dissolving network datasets.

Tool	Description
Build Network	Reconstructs the network connectivity and attribute information of a network dataset. The network dataset needs to be rebuilt after making edits to the attributes or the features of a participating source feature class. After the source features are edited, the tool establishes the network connectivity only in the areas that have been edited to speed up the build process; however, when the network attributes are edited, the entire extent of the network dataset is rebuilt. This may be a slow operation on a large network dataset.
Dissolve Network	Creates a network dataset that minimizes the number of line features required to correctly model the input network dataset. The more efficient output network dataset reduces the time required to solve analyses, draw results, and generate driving directions. This tool outputs a new network dataset and source feature classes; the input network dataset and its source features remain unchanged.

Tools in the Network Dataset toolset

Legacy:

The following tool was available in this toolset prior to version 10.1, but has been removed since it is no longer applicable.

Tool	Recommendation
Upgrade Network	Use Upgrade Dataset instead.

Related tools

The features used to create the network dataset need to have shared vertices when they intersect other features. This is required by the network dataset to establish proper connectivity between features. This can be achieved by modeling the features in a topology or using the Integrate geoprocessing tool.