Network topology

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.

Figure 1. Network topology

You can view the topology in the Network Viewer window in the Telecommunications Network Inventory workspace. The Network Viewer window contains the following:

• 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.

You can perform the following actions in the map pane:

• 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

You can access the network topology in the Telecommunications Network Inventory workspace as follows:

1. Navigate to Workspaces > Network Inventory Workspace.
2. Select the network visualization icon ().
3. Select the Topology tab.

To learn more about how to create and view a topology in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application, see Network topology.

Concepts associés

• Data model
• Network topology