Network topology
Summarize
Summary of Network topology
The Network topology feature in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application provides a graphical view of how network elements—such as equipment (nodes), connections (edges), and interfaces (termination points)—are organized and connected. This visual representation helps you understand the network structure, which can take forms like ring, tree, mesh, star, or bus topologies. Using this tool, you can effectively plan network expansions, monitor performance, and troubleshoot faults within your network.
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Key Features
- Network Viewer Window: Central interface to visualize and interact with network topologies within the Telecommunications Network Inventory workspace.
- Search and Filtering: Select one or multiple topologies to display using a search box; apply advanced filters to narrow down topologies based on specific conditions.
- Map Pane: Displays the selected network topology(ies) with element names visible. Supports interactions such as hovering over nodes to highlight connected elements, selecting topologies to emphasize their components, refreshing the map, fitting the topology to the screen, and zooming in/out for detailed views.
- Details Pane: Shows contextual information based on the current selection—whether the entire topology, a specific node, or a connection. It also offers direct navigation to the corresponding Configuration Item (CI) records for detailed data.
- Topology Access: Easily access network topology through the Network Inventory Workspace by navigating to Workspaces > Network Inventory Workspace, selecting the network visualization icon, and then the Topology tab.
Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
With this topology visualization, you gain a comprehensive, bird’s eye view of your network’s organization. This enables proactive network planning, efficient monitoring, and faster fault resolution. The intuitive interface and interactive panes provide quick access to detailed information, empowering your teams to maintain optimal network health and scalability with confidence.
The topology in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application graphically displays how the different elements in a network such as equipment, connections, and interfaces are organized and connected to one another. By using a topology, you get a bird's eye view to the network.
Topology visualization overview
The network topology is a visual representation of the network elements such as nodes (equipment), edges (connections), and termination points (interfaces), and how they’re organized and connected to one another. A topology can be a ring, tree, mesh, star, or bus in structure. A topology enables you to plan the network expansions, monitor the network performance, and troubleshoot the faults occurring in the network.
The following example shows a topology in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application.
- The search box and advanced filter enable you to select the topology.
- The map pane shows the network topology.
- Details pane on the shows related information of the topology according to the current selections.
Search box
Use the search box to select the topology that you want to visualize. You can select multiple topologies at a time. The advanced filter option enables you to filter the topologies based on the conditions that you set.
Map pane
The map pane shows the topology that you selected in the search box. You can view many topologies in the map pane at a time. The map pane also shows the name of each element in the topology.
- Hover over a node to highlight the connections that are associated with the node.
- Select one among the topologies to highlight the elements associated with it.
- Select the refresh icon (
) to reload the map and return it to its initial view. - Select the fit to screen icon (
) to adjust the topology to the size of the map pane. - Use the zoom controls to zoom in and out of the map.
Details pane
The details pane shows the related information about the topology, node, or connection that you’re selected. You can select the info icon (
) to view the details pane. Initially the details pane shows the related information about the topology record. If you select a node, then the details pane shows the related information about that node. If you select an
empty space on the map pane, the details pane shows related information about the topologies that are opened.
You can also select View Details in the details pane to redirect to the corresponding CI record.
Access
- Navigate to .
- Select the network visualization icon (
). - Select the Topology tab.
To learn more about how to create and view a topology in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application, see Network topology.