The glossary explains terms used in Pathfinder in addition to any explanations in the user manual to facilitate the use of technical terms.
Active component
An active components is a device, which fulfill an active role in the network. These are for example, terminal devices, rack servers, routers and switches.
AutoCAD files
AutoCad files (computer aided design files) are prepared with AutoCAD, a design software used for example, to draw building plans. They are compatible with Pathfinder and can be directly imported.
Cable
Cable describes the type of cable for example, telecommunication cable or fiber optic cable. The cable types correspond to the cable categories in the catalog.
Cable definition
A cable definition describes the following physical properties:
General properties: type of cable, length, shielding
cable/fiber definitions: number of cables and bundles
The connectivity features define to which cable type the cables belong. There are two fundamental cable types in Pathfinder:
Prefabricated cables
Unassembled cables
The customer decides within a cable definition which cable types are supported by the respective cable. This is important for cable mounting to be able to create the maximum amount of connections later on for example, a 100 twin cable can contain 100 single connections.
Cable definitions also contain information about lines and fibers which are important for creating a connection between two ports since free lines / fibers can be used for future connections.
Cable type
The cable type defines the type of a wire (e.g. fiber optic cable or telecommunication cable). The cable types in Pathfinder are defined by the cable categories in the catalog.
Catalog
The Pathfinder catalog includes predefined categories to help you structure the catalog by objects with similar component definitions. For example, categories like “router”, “printer”, “cable”.
Category
A category groups definitions of components of the same type, like all switches, and structures the information in the pathfinder catalog. Moreover, choosing a category defines which parts of the component definition are included; e.g. component definitions in the category “cable” include different features (cable attenuation, length of cable) than component definitions in the category “switch” (ports, interface cards).
You can design sub-categories for every existing category to group objects with similar qualities; for example, when grouping different routers like DSL-routers which are different from existing definitions like WLAN-routers, you can create a new sub-category ”DSL-routers” in the pre-defined category “routers”.
Please note that standard pathfinder categories cannot be deleted and regulates the possible features of component definitions. Individually generated categories can only be deleted when empty and if there are no further sub-categories. Please check before deleting a category if all sub-categories and the component definitions they contain can be deleted.
Component
A component is an actual device in the network. In Pathfinder components are always depicted and managed in the local infrastructures (location, building, floor, room). The documentation in Pathfinder requires components to be based on a component definition in the catalog.
Component definition
Component definitions are templates for the "real" network components, which you represent in Pathfinder. Using the component definitions you define the parameters for all devices and connections in your network, as a component definition summarizes all properties of a component. These templates include data like height, width or the amount of ports.
A component definition also includes the symbol, which is used to represent instances of this definition. For this purpose Pathfinder provides a symbol library containing more than 40 symbols:
Csv-document
A csv document contains text with data separated by commas (comma separated values). It is used to store and exchange simple data sets and can contain lists and tables.
GBIC
GBIC (gigabit interface converter) is a standard port that can support a wide range of physical media, from copper wires to optical fibers.
Geometry
A geometry is assigned to a component or a slot and noted in the component definition. The geometry of a component defines its height and width. Pathfinder uses geometries to standardize sizes of built-in components and to avoid mistakes when entering data.
Height unit
Height unit (HE) is a unit of measurement used for electronics housings and describes the height of devices. 1 HE corresponds to 1.75 inches or 4.45 cm.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of your network in Pathfinder includes the spatial conditions of your network (locations, buildings, floors, rooms)
IP address
An IP address is a unique label, assigned to each device (or group of devices) connected to the internet. More than one IP addresses can be assigned to a single computer. The IP address is used to locate the receiver of sent data.
Line definition
The line definition describes the features of a line within a cable (e.g. number of wires/fibers and wire/fiber type)
Line type
The line type describes the property of a line within a cable.
Example: An eight-core CAT5 cable can accommodate the following lines:
8 wires for a 1 GBit network connection
4 wires for a 100 Mbit network connection (-> two connections)
2 wires for a telephone connection (-> i.e. 4 connections or 2x telephone + 1x network etc.)
Location
A location in pathfinder describes a local definition, like a company building complex or a university campus. A location site can be further structured into building, room, floor and cabinet.
MIB
A management information base (MIB) is a database used for managing the entities in a communication network.
Naming rule
In Pathfinder naming rules can be defined to ensure consistent and unique naming of cables and components in your network. A naming rule for a certain component type defines a pattern, which is used for generating instance names.
Network path
A network path consists of a row of single connections and summarizes them to a global network. In pathfinder, a network path includes the physical network paths with line and patch connections. You can visualize a network path by signal tracking in the system.
A network path starts with the first line connection and is constantly growing with new patching and links to other network paths. In pathfinder, a network path can at maximum, describe the track between two active components because the continuing pathway of the signal from an active component is not defined or physically significant.
Network paths are created or extended by new connections. By deleting connections, existing network paths are shortened or split up. The network path management happens automatically in Pathfinder and ensures that existing network paths are updated according to the changes you have made in the system.
Features of network paths:
Name and description
Source port
Destination port
Connections (lines and patching)
The following example shows how a network path is changed by patching:
Online catalog
The online catalog is a database that includes all component definitions available in Pathfinder. They can be imported into your local catalog and are available to use afterwards.
Passive component
Passive components are devices, which do not fulfill an active role in the network. These are for example, racks, distributors like patch panels, data sockets, etc.
Port
A port is a specialized outlet on a component to which prefabricated cable connects.
Ports in Pathfinder are the actual existing ports on a component instance. They are defined by port definitions, which are part of the component definition.
In Pathfinder ports are colored for better orientation:
Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
green | connected |
yellow | reserved |
red | defective |
grey | not mounted/patched |
blue | idle |
Port definition
A port definition is part of a component definition and defines type and position of a port on that component.
Port type
In Pathfinder, port types define start and end point of cable connections and define connections of components. Port types are described by their features, for example, shielding, number of pins, port size, etc.
Pathfinder provides a symbol library containing more than 40 graphical representations of port types:
Prefabricated cables
Prefabricated cables, also called patch cables, enable the flexible connection between two ports (1:1 connection). In contrast to an open ended cable, a prefabricated cable has a port connection on each end. When creating
a connection, the plugs/connectors of the source component have to be compatible to the sockets/ports of the destination component. Some examples for prefabricated cables:
CAT5 patch cable
DSC patch cable
Jumper wire
You can also create prefabricated cables that connect several ports (1:n connections in Y-cables) by configuring the plugs on one end accordingly. The total number of lines has to be identical on both ends of the cable.
Qualities
Qualities stand for features of ports or lines. Examples are “100 Mbit” or “signal characteristics”. The definition of a port or line can have any number of qualities. By assigning qualities pathfinder is able to perform a validity test when generating connections.
Rack Unit
Rack Unit (U) is a unit of measure defined as 1.75 inches or 4.45 centimeters. It is most frequently used as a measurement of the overall height of 19 inches or 48.26 centimeters and 23 inches or 58.42 centimeters rack frames, as well as the height of components that mount in these frames, whereby the height of the frame or equipment is expressed as multiples of rack units.
Room stamps
Room stamps are used for example, in AutoCAD to define spaces; giving them an identifier and storing information like size. They can be imported to Pathfinder.
SC
An SC (subscriber connector) is used to connect fiber optic cables.
Scaling factor
The scaling factor is the number by which a given scheme or drawing is to be enlarged or shrunk. If you want to shrink a design by 50%, the scaling factor is 0.5.
Slot
A component with a slot role can be built in a component with a slot. The components that can be built in a slot is defined by the corresponding slot types.
Slot definition
A slot definition is part of a component definition and defines the properties of a slot, like position and slot type.
Slot role
The slot role of a component definition define which type of slots can be built in a component.
Slot type
The slot type describes the geometry of a slot. In pathfinder, component definitions can include several different slots and slot types, for example a modular switch. Moreover, you can define allocations of slots under component definitions. Slot allocations of components regulate the integration of new components into existing slots.
SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on IP networks and for modifying that information to change device behavior.
Subnet
Subnets are parts of a computer network, to which a certain address range is allocated.
Tag system
The tag system allows the user to add individually designed tags to ports and network components.
Terminal device
A terminal device is a network device which ends a communication line. Signals can enter and leave a signal pathway via a terminal device like a telephone or printer.
Tray
A cable tray is a container, in which several cables can be pooled. A tray can e.g. be placed between two buildings or two floors.
Unassembled cables
Unassembled cables (mounting cable or permanent cabling) are used for long term connections. In contrast to a prefabricated cable, an unassembled cable lacks plugs because it is usually screwed or clamped. A group of wires or fibers are patched to the back end of a data outlet or patch panel and builds a long term physical connection between two ports. You can assign several connections to an unassembled cable in Pathfinder (with n:n connections). Some examples for unassembled cables are:
CAT7 cable
Telephone cable
Fiber optic cable