Pipes are a generalized representation of any kind of connectivity in the inventory. A pipe enables the transfer of information between two termination points. Both physical connectivity, such as cables, and logical connectivity, such as traffic flows, can be represented by pipes.
Pipes belong to the following categories:
Trails: Pipes that are enabled by some other connectivity, such as another trail or a connection.
Connections: Stand-alone, point-to-point pipes that can enable trails.
You use Pipe specifications to define both trails and connections. You use pipe termination points to define the end points of pipes. Pipe specifications can be used to model layered connectivity, such as a local loop that is enabled in the network by a series of interconnected cable pairs and cross-connects. Pipes can also be used to model hierarchical relationships of pipes. When you create a Pipe Termination Point specification, you can include characteristics for information you want to collect.
When working with Pipe specifications, see the following topics:
UIM supports three different pipe models. The models are defined by how a pipe provides other pipes and by the way the capacity is structured. Path analysis and other processes are designed to support these models.
Note:
Pipe models other than those described in this section are not supported by path analysis.When you define Pipe specifications, you should keep these models in mind. For example, if you are defining a specification for a TDM facility, you must consider that it has a signal structure but does not have any child pipes.
The following pipe models are supported in UIM:
Cable/Pair Model: A parent pipe represents a copper or fiber cable that provides child pipes to represent twisted pairs or fiber strands. The cable pipe is configured in the following way:
Minimum and maximum quantities for the child pipes are identical, so they are created automatically when the parent pipe is created in UIM.
No capacity is required or provided.
No signal structure is present.
Packet Facility Model: Supports Layer 2 links, such as ATM, Frame Relay and Ethernet. Facility pipes provide capacity in bulk to pipes that they enable. This capacity can be consumed completely by one pipe or in smaller quantities by multiple pipes. The facility pipe can enable any number of pipes if its maximum capacity and usage percentage are not exceeded.
Note:
The packet model is directly supported by Connectivity entities. Except in backward compatibility scenarios, you should use Connectivity entities to model packet connectivity.Pipes based on the packet facility model are configured as follows:
No signal structure is defined.
The capacity required reflects the capacity that the pipe must be enabled by another pipe.
The capacity provided is the total capacity provided by the facility.
No child pipes are defined.
TDM Facility Model: Supports channelized technologies, such as TDM/PDH and SONET/SDH. Facility pipes provide channels that are used to enable service trails. A signal structure is associated with the facility pipe to define the pipe's capacity and channelization.
Note:
The TDM model is directly supported by Connectivity entities. Except in backward compatibility scenarios, you should use Connectivity entities to model TDM connectivity.A TDM facility pipe is structured in the following way:
The capacity required is the capacity that is required when enabled by another pipe.
The pipe includes a signal structure that defines the pipe's capacity provided and how the signal is channelized. Channels are created either automatically or as needed in UIM depending on how the signal structure is organized.
No child pipes are defined.
See UIM Concepts for more information about pipes.
Configuring Pipe Specifications
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
In UIM, you can describe where the pipe terminates in general terms (a network) or at a high level of specificity (on a particular sub-interface). This section provides the procedure on how to configure a Pipe specification.
To configure a Pipe specification:
Create a new Pipe specification or navigate to the editor of an existing one.
See "Creating New Specifications" for more information.
In the Pipe Specification editor, click the Capacities Required tab.
Do one of the following:
Click Select to select an existing Capacity Required specification. The Add Entities dialog box appears, listing all available Capacity Required specifications.
Click Add to create a new Capacity Required specification. See "Creating New Specifications" for more information.
(Optional) If this Pipe specification is associated with a signal structure, click the Signal Structure tab and do one of the following:
Click Select to select an existing Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. The Pipe Signal Termination Point Specification dialog box appears, listing all available Pipe Signal Termination Point specifications.
Click Signal Structure to create a new Signal Termination specification. See "Creating New Specifications" for information about creating a new Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. When you have completed working on the new specification, return to the editor of the original Pipe Signal Termination Point specification.
The specification that you selected or created is displayed in the Signal Structure tab. The number of child signals is also displayed.
(Optional) If the Specification is not associated with a signal structure, click the Capacity Provided tab and do one of the following:
Click Select to select an existing Capacity Provided specification. The Add Entities dialog box appears, listing all available Capacity Provided specifications.
Click Add to create a new Capacity Provided specification. See "Creating New Specifications" to create the specification. When you have completed working on the new specification, return to the editor of the original Pipe specification.
The specification you selected or created appears in the Capacities Provided tab.
From the File menu, select Save.
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
You can add a Pipe Termination Point specification to a Pipe specification. A Pipe Termination Point specification is required only to add characteristics. You add the Pipe Termination Point specification by including it on the Related Specifications tab of the Pipe specification editor. See "Working with Pipe Termination Point Specifications" and "Defining Specification Relationships" for more information.
Use the Pipe Specification editor to define trails and connections, to model layered connectivity, and to model hierarchical relationships of pipes.
When working with the Pipe Specification editor, see the following topics:
Use the Pipe Configurations tab to select, add, and remove a pipe configuration.
| Field | Use |
|---|---|
| Pipe Configuration | Displays the name of the Pipe Configuration specification. |
| Cartridge | Displays the name of the cartridge project into which the Pipe Configuration specification is built. |
| Select | Click to select an existing pipe configuration. |
| Open | Click to open the selected configuration in the Pipe Configuration Specification editor. |
| Remove | Click to remove a pipe configuration. |
| Add | Click to add a new pipe configuration. See "Adding a Configuration to a Pipe Specification" for more information. |
Configuring Pipe Specifications
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
Use the Capacity Provided tab to create a new Capacity Provided specification or select an existing one.
| Field | Use |
|---|---|
| Capacity Provided | Displays the selected Capacity Provided specification. |
| Select | Click to select an existing Capacity Provided specification. |
| Open | Click to open the selected specification in the Capacity Provided Specification editor. |
| Remove | Click to remove a Capacity Provided specification. |
| Add | Click to create a new Capacity Provided specification. |
Configuring Pipe Specifications
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
Use the Capacity Required tab to create a new Capacity Required specification or select an existing one.
| Field | Use |
|---|---|
| Capacity Required | Displays the selected Capacity Required specification. |
| Select | Click to select an existing Capacity Required specification. |
| Open | Click to open the selected specification in the Capacity Required Specification editor. |
| Remove | Click to remove a Capacity Required specification. |
| Add | Click to create a new Capacity Required specification. |
Configuring Pipe Specifications
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
Use the Signal Structure tab to create a new Pipe Signal Termination Point specification or select an existing one.
| Field | Use |
|---|---|
| Signal Structure | Displays the name of the selected Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. Click this link to create and associate a new Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. |
| Select | Click to select an existing Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. |
| Clear | Click to remove a previously selected Pipe Signal Termination Point specification. |
Configuring Pipe Specifications
Adding Pipe Termination Point Specifications to a Pipe Specification
Use the Related Specifications tab to define and review specification relationships. Only relationships with the entity types listed in this tab are meaningful by default in UIM. If you add specifications to the Others section, you must define custom rulesets that trigger actions or behavior based on those relationships.
| Section | Use |
|---|---|
| Inventory Groups | Lists the specifications of inventory groups to which pipes based on this specification can belong. |
| Pipes | Lists specifications of pipes than can be provided by pipes based on this specification. |
| Roles | Lists roles to which entities based on this Pipe specification can be assigned. |
| Pipe Termination Points | Lists specifications of pipe termination points than can be provided by pipes based on this specification. |
| Others | Lists specifications of entities that have a customized relationship with entities based on this specification. |