12 Working with Pipes, Capacity, and Signal Structure
In Oracle Communications Unified Inventory Management (UIM), Pipe entities are a generalized way to represent connectivity in your inventory. In most cases, you can use Connectivity entities instead of pipes. Connectivity entities provide more functionality and require less customization. See "Working with Connectivity" for more information.
The connection represented by a pipe can be physical, such as a cable, or logical, such as traffic flow. Common examples of pipes include cables, cable pairs, jumpers, cross-connects, service links, and local loops.
Every pipe requires two termination points. These termination points can be associated with resources, such as device interfaces, equipment, and ports, to indicate that the pipe is terminated on those resources. You can set the directionality of the pipe between the two termination points.
Pipes can provide other pipes, as in the case of a T3 facility pipe providing T1 channel pipes. Also, pipes can enable each other. For example, a service trail pipe that represents a customer's local telephone service can be enabled by several other pipes that represent cable pair connections between various devices from the central office to the subscriber terminal.
Pipes can be versioned by using pipe configurations. Pipe configurations enable you to update the enablement and termination point assignments as changes are made in your inventory.
Pipes provide and require capacity in the form of bandwidth. You can define the capacity provided and required explicitly or as part of a multiplexing hierarchy defined by a signal structure.
You can include pipes in business interactions, reservations, and inventory groups in the same way that you include other entities. You can also apply conditions, associate places, assign roles, and search for pipes in topology using the same techniques that you use for other entities.
For a more detailed overview of pipes and a description of how you define their specifications, see UIM Concepts.
See the following topics for more information about working with pipes, capacity, and signal structure:
Creating Pipes
When creating pipes, you can determine whether to version the pipe. This option is available only if the Pipe specification is associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specification.
Note:
If you choose to version a pipe when you create it, you cannot change it later to unversioned status after a version has been created.
You can enable versioning for unversioned pipes that are associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specification.
When you create a Pipe entity, two termination points for it are created automatically. If the Pipe specification includes a Pipe Termination Point specification, it is used to create the termination points. Otherwise, they are created without specification.
To create a Pipe entity:
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In the Inventory - Resources group of the navigation section, click Pipe.
The Pipes Search page appears.
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In the Search Results section, click Create.
The Pipe Connectivity - New page appears.
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From the Specification list, select the specification you want to use for this pipe.
The page refreshes to include any customized fields from the specification. If the specification you selected is associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specifications, the Versioned check box becomes available.
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In the ID field, enter a unique ID for the entity.
The ID cannot be changed later. The specification may require that the ID be automatically generated. In these cases, the field is populated with AUTOGENERATE and is read only.
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(Optional) In the Name and Description fields, enter a name and a description.
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(Optional) From the Medium list, select the option that describes the connection medium.
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(Optional) From the Transmission Signal list, select the option that describes the type of connection.
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(Optional) Select Versioned to version this pipe entity.
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(Optional) Select Allow secondary enablement if you want the pipe to be enabled by both a primary and a secondary path. See "Manually Enabling Pipes" and "Enabling Pipes Automatically with Path Analysis" for more information.
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Enter appropriate information for all required fields.
Depending on the specification, there can be any number of additional fields, some of which may be required. Required fields are marked with an asterisk. See "Pipe Connectivity - New Page" for more information about the fields in this page.
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Click Save and Continue.
The Pipe Summary page for the pipe you created appears. The Termination Points section includes the termination points that were created automatically.
Configuring Existing Pipes for Secondary Enablement
You can configure a pipe for secondary enablement after it has been created, even if it already has one enablement.
To configure an existing pipe for secondary enablement:
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In the Pipe Information section of Pipe Summary page, click the Edit link.
The Pipe Information page appears.
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Select Allow secondary enablement.
-
Click Save and Close.
The Pipe Summary page refreshes. The Allow secondary enablement field is set to true.
Working with Termination Points
Every pipe requires exactly two termination points. When you create a Pipe entity, two termination points for it are created automatically. If a Pipe Termination Point specification is related to the Pipe specification, it is used to create the termination points. Pipe Termination Point specifications are typically used to add customized fields to termination points. If no specification is defined, termination points are created without a specification.
A pipe's termination points are listed in the Termination Points section of the Pipe Summary page. The IDs of the termination points are shown, along with the name of their specification (if any) and other information. The ID is displayed as a link to a Summary page for the termination point.
You can also assign resources to termination points. For example, you can assign a device interface to a termination point to indicate that one end of a pipe terminates on that interface. Resource assignments are important for pipe enablement, especially when using path analysis for automatic enablement. See "Enabling Pipes Automatically with Path Analysis" for more information. The way you work with termination point assignments depends on whether the parent pipe is versioned.
Termination points share some of the features of other entities. You can include them in inventory groups, manage their life cycles, and associate them with places.
See the following topics for more information about working with termination points:
Assigning Resources to Termination Points
You can assign one or more resources to a termination point to indicate that the pipe terminates at that resource. You can assign any of the following:
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Connector
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Device interface
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Equipment
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Logical device
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Network
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Physical device
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Port
The way you assign resources to termination points is different for versioned and unversioned pipes. See "Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Unversioned Pipes" and "Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Versioned Pipes" for more information.
Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Unversioned Pipes
You assign resources for unversioned pipes from the Pipe Summary page. These assignments are valid until you change them.
To assign a resource to a termination point:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity that contains the termination point to which you want to assign resources.
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On the General Information tab, termination points are shown in the Termination Points section.
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In the Termination Points section, do one of the following:
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Click the Terminate at Resource list icon beside the ID link for a termination point.
A list of resource types appears.
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Click the ID link for a termination point.
The Termination Point Summary page appears. Current assignments are shown in the Resource Terminations section for each resource type.
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In the Resource Terminations section, click Items.
A list of resource types appears.
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-
-
Select a resource type from the list.
The entity Search page appears for the resource type.
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Search for or create an entity you want to assign.
See "Searching for Entities" for more information.
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In the Search Results section, select an entity.
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Click OK.
In the Pipe Summary page, the General Information tab refreshes. The Termination Points section now displays the resource.
The Termination Point Summary page refreshes. The Resource Terminations section now displays the resource with a Resource Assignment status of Assigned.
Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Versioned Pipes
When a pipe is versioned, the Termination Point Summary page that you open from the Pipe Summary page displays lists of assignments for each resource type grouped by version. This enables you to see the assignments that were valid in each version and note how they changed.
Resource assignments for versioned pipes are started from the Pipe Configuration page. The assignments can be updated from version to version of the configuration. The assignments in the current configuration (the one in Complete status) apply. You cannot make changes to assignments in a configuration that has been completed or canceled.
To assign a resource to a termination point in a versioned pipe:
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Open the Summary page of a versioned Pipe entity.
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On the General Information tab, in the Configurations section, click the link in the Version column.
The configuration version appears in the Pipe Configuration page.
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In the Pipe Configuration Enablement section, click the ID link for a termination point.
The termination point ID link appears above the list of enabling pipes. When you click the ID, the Termination Point Summary page for the termination point appears. Current assignments are shown in the Resource Terminations section for each resource type.
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In the Resource Terminations section, click Items.
A list of resources appears.
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Select the resource that you want to assign.
The entity Search page appears.
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Search for or create an entity you want to assign.
See "Searching for Entities" for more information.
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In the Search Results section, select an entity whose Resource Assignment status is Unassigned and click Associate.
The Termination Point Summary page refreshes. The Terminations section now displays the resource with a resource assignment status of Assigned.
Deleting Termination Point Resource Assignments
You can delete termination point assignments. Deleting the assignment does not delete the resource entity, but it sets the entity's resource assignment status to Unassigned.
Note:
You cannot remove assignments for configuration versions in Complete or Canceled status.
To delete termination point resource assignments:
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Do one of the following:
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For a versioned pipe, open the Pipe Configuration page and click the ID link for a termination point above the list of enabling pipes.
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For an unversioned pipe, click an ID link in the Termination Point section of the Pipe Summary page.
The Termination Point Summary page appears.
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In the Resource Terminations section, select one or more assignments.
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Click Delete.
The Termination Point page refreshes and the assignments are deleted.
Related Topics
Setting Pipe Directionality
You can set the direction that signals or routes flow through a pipe. You set the directionality of a pipe by specifying which termination point is the source (starting point) and which is the sink (ending point). Signals and routes flow from source to sink.
The Pipe Termination Directionality section of a Pipe Summary page displays the directionality defined for the pipe. There can be up to two directionality settings listed:
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Signal directionality refers to the direction that signals flow on the pipe. Most pipes are bi-directional, meaning that signals flow in both directions. Other pipes are uni-directional, meaning that signals flow in one direction only. Examples of uni-directional pipes are seismograph, alarm, and control operation connections.
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Routing directionality constrains or enables functions such as path analysis. For example, you can define a pipe as uni-directional for routing purposes to constrain the route of a connection from an originating point to a specific terminating point while avoiding certain path segments.
To set pipe directionality:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to set pipe directionality.
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In the Pipe Termination Directionality section, click Create.
The Pipe Directionality Information page appears.
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In the Directionality Type list, select Signal or Routing.
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In the Pipe Direction list, select Uni-Directional.
Note:
Selecting Bi-Directional is equivalent to leaving directionality undefined.
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In the Direction Type 1 list, select Source if the termination point is a starting point or Sink if the termination point is the ending point.
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In the Direction Type 2 list, select an option different from the one you selected for Direction Type 1.
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Click Save and Close.
The Pipe Summary page refreshes and includes the new directionality setting. You can modify the directionality settings in the Pipe Termination Directionality section.
Related Topics
Deleting Directionality Settings
To delete a directionality setting:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity from which you want to delete pipe directionality.
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In the Pipe Termination Directionality section, select the directionality setting to be deleted.
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Click Delete.
The directionality setting is deleted.
Related Topics
Pipe Directionality Information Page
You use the Pipe Directionality Information page to define the directionality of a pipe.
Note:
The sections listed in the following table are specific to the Termination Point Summary page. See "Entity Summary Page" and "Actions Menu" for information about Summary page fields that are common among all entities.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Directionality Type |
Specifies the type of signal directionality:
|
|
Pipe Direction |
Specifies a directionality for the type selected in the Directionality Type field. Select Uni-Directional or Bi-Directional. If you do not specify a direction, Bi-Directional is assumed. |
|
Termination ID - 1 |
Displays the ID of the pipe's first termination point. This field is read only. |
|
Termination ID - 2 |
Displays the ID of the pipe's second termination point. This field is read only. |
|
Inventory Status |
Displays the pipe's status. This field is read only. |
|
Date |
Displays the pipe's creation date. This field is read only. |
|
Termination Name - 1 |
Displays the name of the pipe's first termination point. This field is read only. |
|
Termination Name - 2 |
Displays the name of the pipe's second termination point. This field is read only. |
|
Direction Type - 1 |
For uni-directional pipes, select Source if the first termination point is the starting point or Sink if it is the ending point. |
|
Direction Type - 2 |
For uni-directional pipes, select Source if the second termination point is the starting point or Sink if is the ending point. |
Termination Point Summary Page
You use the Termination Point Summary page to define the content for a termination point.
Note:
The sections listed in the following table are specific to the Termination Point Summary page. See "Entity Summary Page" and "Actions Menu" for information about Summary page fields that are common among all entities.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Information |
Displays basic information about the entity. Click Edit to change this information. Some data elements, such as the ID, cannot be changed after the entity is created. See "Creating Entities" for more information. |
|
Places |
Displays any places that are associated with the termination point. The association can imply that the termination point is located at the place or that there is some kind of relationship between the entities. The fields that appear in the Places section are common among multiple entities. See "Entity Summary Page" for more information. See "Associating Places to Entities" and for information about creating new place associations. |
|
Inventory Groups |
Displays any inventory groups to which the termination point is associated. You use inventory groups to organize entities for a particular purpose. The fields that appear in the Inventory Group section are common among multiple entities. See "Entity Summary Page" for more information. See "Adding an Entity to an Inventory Group from the Entity Summary Page" for information about associating entities with an inventory group. |
|
Resource Termination |
Displays the entities that are assigned to the termination point. You can assign one or more resources to a termination point to indicate that the pipe terminates at that resource. See "Assigning Resources to Termination Points" for more information. |
Working with Child Pipes
If a Pipe specification is associated with child Pipe specifications and does not have a signal structure, you can add child pipes to the parent. These child pipes are provided by a parent pipe. For example, if you have a Pipe entity for a 25-pair cable, you can add 25 cable-pair Pipe entities to it.
When you create a parent Pipe entity, child pipes are created automatically based on the minimum quantity specified by the parent Pipe specification. You can add additional child pipes up to the maximum specified in the relationship between the parent and child Pipe specifications. If more than the minimum number of child pipes have been added, you can delete pipes until the minimum is reached.
See the following topics for more information about working with child pipes:
Viewing Child Pipes
To view child pipes:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to view child pipes.
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From the Related Pages menu, select Provides.
The Pipe Provides page appears, listing any child pipes.
Adding Child Pipes
You can add child pipes to a Pipe entity, up to the maximum number specified by its specification. You can add only Pipe specification entities that are included in the parent Pipe specification.
If you create more than one pipe, the same identifying information, such as name, description, and so on, will be used for all. Versioning is not available for child pipes.
To add child pipes:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to add child pipes.
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From the Related Pages menu, select Provides.
The Pipe Provides page appears, listing any child pipes.
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Click Create.
The Pipe Edit - New page appears.
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In the Specification list, select a specification that is valid for child pipes of this parent pipe.
The page refreshes to include any customized fields from the specification. If the specification you selected is associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specifications, the Versioned check box becomes available.
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(Optional) In the ID field, enter a unique ID for the child pipes.
If you do not enter an ID, UIM generates sequential IDs that are based on the parent pipe ID.
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(Optional) In the Name and Description fields, enter a name and a description.
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(Optional) In the Medium list, select the option that describes the connection medium.
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(Optional) In the Transmission Signal Type list, select the option that describes the type of connection.
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In the Quantity field, enter the number of pipes you want to add.
UIM displays an error if the number exceeds the maximum defined by the parent Pipe specification.
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Enter information for all other required fields.
Depending on the specification, there can be any number of additional fields, some of which may be required. Required fields are marked with an asterisk. See "Pipe Connectivity - New Page" for more information about the fields in this page.
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Click Save and Close.
The Pipe Provides page refreshes to include the new child pipes. If you attempted to create child pipes that are not valid for the parent pipe or tried to create more than the maximum number allowed, UIM displays an error message.
Deleting Child Pipes
You can delete child pipes from a parent pipe. You can delete only the number of child pipes that exceeds the minimum defined by the parent Pipe specification. If a child pipe is involved in a pipe enablement, it cannot be deleted.
To delete child pipes:
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Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity from which you want to delete child pipes.
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From the Related Pages menu, select Provides.
The Pipe Provides page appears, listing any child pipes.
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Select the child pipes to be deleted.
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Click Delete.
The selected pipes are deleted. If the deletion process would have reduced the number below the minimum defined by the parent Pipe specification, UIM makes no deletions and displays an error message.
Pipe Provides Page
The Pipe Provides page displays a list of child pipes provided by the parent pipe. You can add or delete pipes from the list.
The Pipe Provides page includes a single section.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Pipe Provides |
Lists the parent pipe's child pipes. See "Adding Child Pipes" and "Deleting Child Pipes" for information about tasks you can perform in the list. |
Related Topics
Working with Pipe Configurations
Pipe configurations enable you to maintain versions that can change over time.
Note:
You can use pipe configurations only if the pipe's specification is related to a Pipe Configuration specification. In addition, you can add a configuration only if the pipe is defined as versioned. See "Creating Pipes" for information about versioning pipes.
Pipe configurations are more narrowly focused than other types of configurations: they are used only to define specification options for pipe enablement and termination point assignment. Pipe Configuration specifications can define specification options for the following:
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Transport—The configuration specification can define that particular Pipe specification entities be used for enablement. For example, a pipe configuration specification for a POTS local service trail might limit the enablement to particular entities based on the cable-pair specification.
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Intermediate node—This specifies a node that would not ordinarily be in a least number of hops path determined by path analysis.
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Termination—The configuration specification can define that resource assignments for some or all entity types be limited to entities of particular specifications. For example, a configuration specification could define that only particular Equipment specification entities could be assigned to the originating termination point.
Note:
The resource assignment definitions in a configuration specification are limited by entity type. For example, limiting resource assignment to a particular Equipment specification limits only the assignment of Equipment entities. You can assign entities based on any specification of other entity types.
The specification options in a configuration specification are enforced when you configure enablement or resource assignment. They also apply during automatic enablement using path analysis. See "Assigning Resources to Termination Points" and "Enabling Pipes" for more information.
Enablement and resource assignment selections you make in a pipe configuration become effective when the configuration is completed. You can create a new configuration version only when the previous version has been completed or canceled. Changes in the new version become effective when the version is completed.
Pipe Configuration Information - New Version Page
You use the Pipe Configuration Information - New Version page to create new pipe configurations.
Note:
The fields that appear on this page are determined by the specification used to create the entity. The specification is created in Design Studio. The fields in the following table are common to most specifications of this type.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Specification |
Select a Pipe Configuration specification to use for the new configuration version. See UIM Concepts for more information about configuration specifications. |
|
ID |
Enter a unique ID for the configuration or accept the default. The default value is based on the ID of the parent pipe with an incremented version number. |
|
Name |
Enter a name for the configuration or accept the default. The default value is based on the name of the parent pipe with an incremented version number. |
|
Previous Configuration |
Displays the version number of the previous configuration, if any. If you are creating the first configuration version, this value is 0. This field is read only. |
|
Version |
Displays the sequential version number of the configuration you are creating. This field is read only. |
|
Start Date |
Enter the date on which the configuration will become active. |
Related Topics
Pipe Configuration Information Page
You use the Pipe Configuration Information page to modify a pipe configuration. This page is available only before the configuration is completed.
Note:
The fields that appear on this page are determined by the specification used to create the entity. The specification is created in Design Studio. The fields in the following table are common to most specifications of this type.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Specification |
Displays the name of the specification used to create the configuration. See UIM Concepts for more information about configuration specifications. |
|
ID |
Modify the ID for the configuration. The default value is based on the ID of the parent pipe with an incremented version number. |
|
Name |
Modify the name of the configuration. The default value is the same as the ID. |
|
Previous Configuration |
Displays the version number of the previous configuration, if any. If you are creating the first configuration version, this value is 0. This field is read only. |
|
Version |
Displays the sequential version number of the configuration you are creating. This field is read only. |
|
Start Date |
Modify the date on which the configuration will become active. |
Related Topics
Pipe Configuration Page
You use the Pipe Configuration page to define specification options for pipe enablement and termination point resource assignment.
See the following topics for more information about tasks you can complete in Pipe Configuration pages:
Note:
The sections listed in the following table are specific to the Pipe Configuration page. See "Related Pages Menu" and "Actions Menu" for information about fields that are common among all entities.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Information |
Displays basic information about the entity, most of which was defined when you created the entity. Click Edit to change this information. Some data elements, such as the ID, cannot be changed after the entity is created. See "Creating Entities" and "Configuration New Page" for more information. |
|
Primary Path Enablements |
Specify the pipes that enable the parent pipe of the configuration. In most cases, the Pipe Configuration specification defines the pipes that can be selected. If secondary enablement is not selected, this is the only enablement section. See "Enabling Pipes" for more information. |
|
Secondary Path Enablements |
If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, specify the pipes that provide secondary enablement for the parent pipe of the configuration. In most cases, the Pipe Configuration specification defines the pipes that can be selected. See "Enabling Pipes" for more information. |
|
Pipe Enabled By |
If the pipe is manually configured, you can navigate to the corresponding pipe summary page by clicking the ID value from this field. |
Related Topics
Enabling Pipes
A pipe can be enabled by one or more other pipes. The enabling pipes establish the connectivity represented in the enabled pipe. For example, a POTS service trail represents the connectivity from a voice switch in a central office to the subscriber terminal. This service trail is enabled by a number of different pipes, including cable pairs between the main distribution frame (MDF) to a cross-connect terminal and from the cross-connect terminal to the subscriber terminal.
Pipes can also be enabled by two connectivity paths. For example, in a SONET or SDH network, a service trail can be enable by a primary path and a secondary (or protection) path.
You can enable pipes in two ways:
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You can manually configure the enablement, which involves specifying the enabling cable pairs and their termination points. UIM can automatically create gap pipes to bridge gaps between pipes.
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You can have UIM automatically configure the enablement using path analysis. Path analysis calculates a least-number-of-hops path between two points that you specify.
When you enable a pipe manually or automatically, UIM ensures that the enabling pipes offer the bandwidth required. When you enable a pipe with a channel in a signal structure, UIM by default ensures that the channel has precisely the capacity required by the pipe. You can configure signal structures so that they can support not only signals of exactly matching capacity but also signals of lesser capacity. For instance, a SONET STS1 channel with a bit rate of 51.840 Mbps can support an STS transmission facility of 51.840 Mbps capacity and also a DS3 facility at a rate of 44.736 Mbps. See UIM Concepts and the Design Studio Help for more information about configuring Signal Termination Point specifications for compatible signals.
See the following topics for more information about enabling pipes:
Manually Enabling Pipes
The method you use to manually enable pipes depends on whether the pipe is versioned and whether it is enabled by one or two connectivity paths.
When you manually configure enablement, UIM can automatically create gap pipes to ensure that there is a continuous path from the originating termination point to the terminating termination point. A gap pipe is required when the enabling pipes you specify do not share a common termination point. For example, if CablePairA has termination points 112 and 113 with 112 set as the originating termination point and CablePairB has termination points 122 and 123 with 123 set as the terminating termination point, UIM creates a gap pipe between termination points 113 and 122.
In a POTS scenario, for example, a cable pair from the MDF terminates on a cross-connect terminal and another cable pair connects the cross-connect terminal block to the subscriber terminal. When you set up the enablement in UIM, a gap pipe would be created to represent a jumper that connects the two termination points on the cross-connect terminal. When the jumper is physically created, you can update the gap pipe entity to reflect information about the jumper.
If you change your mind after beginning to manually enable pipe, you can switch to automatic enablement (path analysis) by clicking the Alternate Primary Paths button. After you have already manually enabled a primary path, you can switch to path analysis for the secondary path by clicking the Alternate Secondary Paths button. See "Enabling Pipes Automatically with Path Analysis" for more information about automatic enablement.
See the following topics for more information about manually enabling pipes:
About Pipe Enablement Lists
When you open the Manual Configure and Pipe Configuration pages, the enabling pipes are displayed in a list.
For each enabling pipe, the list includes columns for the sort order, parent pipe information, child pipe information, and assignment status.
The parent and child pipe and termination point information enables you to see information about all pipes involved in the enablement, including their parents. For example, a cable pair pipe is likely to be a child of another pipe, such as a 100-pair cable. When you include a cable pair in the enablement, the cable pair's name and termination points are shown in the Child TP and Child Pipe columns. The Parent TP and Pipe columns show the name and termination points of the 100-pair cable pipe.
The Originating Termination Point and Terminating Termination Point fields above the list enable you to set the originating and terminating termination points. In the Pipe Configuration page, the termination points of the pipe being enabled are displayed as links next to these fields. You can use these links to change the resource assignments of the termination points for the configuration. See "Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Versioned Pipes" for more information.
Manually Enabling an Unversioned Pipe
To manually enable an unversioned pipe:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to manually enable an unversioned pipe.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Manually Configure.
The Manual Configure page appears. If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, the page contains both a Primary Path Enablement and a Secondary Path Enablement section. If it is configured for single enablement, only the Primary Path Enablement section is displayed.
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Click Associate.
The Associate Pipes dialog box appears.
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Search for or create a Pipe entity.
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In the Search Results section, select the Pipe entity.
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Click OK.
The new Pipe entity appears in the Manual Configure page.
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(Optional) Edit the numbers in the Sort Order column and click the Sort to change the order in which the pipes appear.
Pipes should be listed so that the pipe with the originating termination point is first and the pipe with the terminating termination point is last.
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Click the Change link next to Originating Termination Point above the list of enabling pipes.
The Termination Points for Pipes dialog box appears, listing the termination points for the first pipe in the list.
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Select a termination point to be the originating termination point and click Choose.
The termination point you selected appears next to Originating Termination Point.
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Click the Change link next to Terminating Termination Point above the list of enabling pipes.
The Termination Points for Pipes dialog box appears, listing the termination points for the last pipe in the list.
-
Select a termination point to be the terminating termination point and click Choose.
The termination point you selected appears next to Terminating Termination Point.
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Click Save and Update.
UIM checks to ensure that the enabling pipes offer the capacity required by the trail pipe. An error is displayed if there is insufficient capacity. If sufficient capacity exists, UIM creates the gap pipes necessary to create a continuous path from the originating termination point to the terminating termination point. The gap pipes are inserted in their correct positions in the list and the other pipes are reordered as necessary.
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If the pipe is configured for multiple enablement, repeat steps 2 through 11 in the Secondary Path Enablement section.
Manually Enabling a Versioned Pipe
In a versioned pipe, you can create a different enablement in each configuration version. Changing the enablement is often the reason for creating a new version. After a configuration version has been completed or canceled, you cannot change its enablement. You must create a new configuration version for the updated enablement.
You use the Pipe Configuration Enablement section in the Pipe Configuration page to specify the pipes that enable the parent pipe of the configuration. In most cases, the Pipe Configuration specification will have defined the pipes that can be selected.
To manually enable a versioned pipe:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity that contains a version that you want to manually enable.
-
In the Configurations section, click the link in the Version column.
The configuration version appears in the Pipe Configuration page.
-
In the Primary Path Enablement section, click Associate.
The Add Pipes Search page appears. All returned search results will relate to the entities based on the specifications that are defined as options for the Transport configuration option. If no specifications have been defined, you can search for any pipe.
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Search for or create a Pipe entity.
-
In the Search Results section, select the Pipe entity.
-
Click OK.
The new pipe appears in the Pipe Configuration Summary page Pipe Configuration Enablement section.
-
(Optional) Enter appropriate numbers into the fields in the Sort Order column and click the Sort button to change the order in which the pipes appear.
Pipes should be listed so that the pipe with the originating termination point is first and the pipe with the terminating termination point is last.
-
Click the Change link next to Originating Termination Point above the list of enabling pipes.
The Termination Points for Pipes dialog box appears, listing the termination points for the first pipe in the list.
-
Select a termination point to be the originating termination point and click Choose.
The termination point you selected appears next to Originating Termination Point.
-
Click the Change link next to Terminating Termination Point above the list of enabling pipes.
The Termination Points for Pipes dialog box appears, listing the termination points for the last pipe in the list.
-
Select a termination point to be the terminating termination point and click Choose.
The termination point you selected appears next to Terminating Termination Point.
-
In the Actions menu, select Manual Configure.
UIM checks to ensure that the enabling pipes offer the capacity required by the trail pipe. An error is displayed if there is insufficient capacity. If sufficient capacity exists, UIM creates the gap pipes necessary to create a continuous path from the originating termination point to the terminating termination point. The gap pipes are inserted in their correct positions in the list and the other pipes are reordered as necessary.
-
If the pipe is configured for multiple enablement, repeat steps 2 through 11 in the Secondary Path Enablement section.
Enabling Pipes Automatically with Path Analysis
You can use path analysis to automatically enable a pipe. Path analysis finds a path based on criteria that you enter and presents you with a number of possible paths from which to choose. You can search for paths between any of the following:
-
Equipment
-
Logical device (including devices configured as network entities)
-
Network
-
Network node
-
Physical device
-
Place (site and location only)
-
Network locations (Property Location entities that have been configured as network locations)
If the pipe you are enabling is configured for multiple enablement, you can use path analysis to find both primary and the secondary connectivity paths. If the pipes and entities associated with them are included in a network, path analysis takes the network's Protection Type setting into account when finding secondary paths. For example, different secondary paths may be returned for a network with USPR protections and one with BSLR/2 protection.
Similarly, path analysis considers whether the network is configured for same channel assignment. If a network is configured with this data element, path analysis does not return paths in which it is not possible to ensure that the signal remains on the same channel throughout the path. This may result in no paths being returned even when connectivity exists. See "Creating Networks" for more information.
See UIM Concepts and UIM Developer's Guide for more information about path analysis.
See the following topics for more information about enabling pipes automatically with path analysis:
Running a Path Analysis
You run path analysis to automatically enable a pipe. Path analysis finds a path based on criteria that you enter and presents you with possible paths from which to choose.
To enable a pipe by running path analysis:
-
Open the Summary page or the Pipe Configuration page of the Pipe entity for which you want to run a path analysis.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Path Analysis.
The Path Analysis page appears.
Note:
If a pipe is terminated at a source and at a target, the source type, source ID, target type, and target ID are prepopulated in the Path Analysis page. You can modify the prepopulated values for the source and target to perform partial path analysis between intermediate nodes.
-
In the Source Type list, select the type of entity that represents the source.
-
In the Source ID field, enter the ID of the source entity.
To locate a source ID:
-
Click Search.
The Search page appears for the source entity.
-
Search for an existing entity, or create a new entity.
See "Searching for Entities" and "Creating Entities" for more information.
-
In the Search Results section, select an entity.
-
Click OK.
The ID appears in the Source ID field.
Note:
If the source entity is part of a logical device, physical device, or equipment hierarchy, specify the highest-level entity in the hierarchy as the source.
-
-
(Optional) Specify information about an intermediate node in the Intermediate Type and Intermediate ID fields.
See "About Intermediate Nodes for Path Analysis" for more information.
-
In the Target Type list, select the type of entity that represents the target.
-
In the Target ID field, enter the ID of the target entity.
To locate a target ID:
-
Click Search.
The Search page appears for the target entity.
-
Search for an existing entity, or create a new entity.
See "Searching for Entities" and "Creating Entities" for more information.
-
In the Search Results section, select an entity.
-
Click OK.
The ID appears in the Target ID field.
Note:
If the target entity is part of a logical device, physical device, or equipment hierarchy, specify the highest-level entity in the hierarchy as the source.
-
-
(Optional) Select Include Secondary Paths if you want path analysis to find both primary and secondary paths.
-
(Optional) Enter information in all required fields.
See "Path Analysis Page" for more information about the fields in this page.
-
Click Find Paths.
The Available Paths page appears, listing all the paths that exist between the source and the target. Each path consists of one or more segments, each of which is listed in its own row. The ID in the From ID column of the first row of the path and the ID in the To ID column of the last row in the path represent the source and target you entered. You can view the paths in topology. See "Viewing Paths in Topology" for more information.
-
Select the desired primary path.
If secondary paths are available, they are displayed.
-
(Optional) Select the desired secondary path.
-
Click Update.
The Pipe Enabled page appears, displaying the primary and optional secondary paths that enable the pipe.
About Intermediate Nodes for Path Analysis
You can include an intermediate node between the source and target in a path analysis. Specifying an intermediate node means that path analysis finds a path that includes that node. For example, you can find a path between a subscriber terminal and a switch that specifies a particular DSLAM as an intermediate node.
You specify the intermediate node when you set the parameters for the path analysis. See "Running a Path Analysis" for more information. You specify the intermediate node by selecting an entity type and then selecting a particular entity of that type.
The entities you can specify as an intermediate node can be limited if the pipe for which you are performing the path analysis has a pipe configuration associated with it. If the pipe configuration specification includes a relationship with one or more entity specifications for the Intermediate Node configuration item, you can specify only entities based on those specifications as intermediate nodes.
Related Topics
Viewing Paths in Topology
You can view the paths found by path analysis in your inventory topology.
To view paths in topology:
-
Open the Summary page or the Pipe Configuration page of the Pipe entity for which you want to run a path analysis.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Path Analysis.
The Path Analysis page appears.
-
Run the path analysis.
See "Running a Path Analysis" for more information.
-
In the Available Paths section, select a path and click the View Topology button.
The Topology page appears. See "Working with the Inventory Topology" for information.
Related Topics
Path Analysis Page
You use the Path Analysis page to enable a pipe.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Source Type |
Select the source entity type. |
|
Source ID |
Enter the ID of the source entity. Click Search to search for the entity. If the source entity is part of a logical device, physical device, or equipment hierarchy, specify the highest-level entity in the hierarchy as the source. After you select or enter a source ID, the entity name appears in the Source Name field. |
|
Intermediate Type |
(Optional) Select the entity type of the intermediate node that you want to include in the path found by path analysis. If the pipe has a pipe configuration that includes specification relationships for the Intermediate Node configuration item, you can select only from the types of those specifications. See "About Intermediate Nodes for Path Analysis" for more information. |
|
Intermediate ID |
Enter the ID of the entity to use as an intermediate node. Click Search to search for the entity. The search is limited to entities of the type specified in the Intermediate Type field. If the pipe has a pipe configuration that defines specification relationships for the Intermediate Node configuration item, the search is further limited to entities based on those specifications. After you enter or select an ID, the Intermediate Name field is populated. After you select or enter an ID, the entity name appears in the Intermediate Name field. See "About Intermediate Nodes for Path Analysis" for more information. |
|
Target Type |
Enter the target entity type. |
|
Target ID |
Enter the ID of the target entity. Click Search to search for the entity. If the target entity is part of a logical device, physical device, or equipment hierarchy, specify the highest-level entity in the hierarchy as the target. After you select or enter a target ID, the entity name appears in the Target Name field. |
|
Bit Rate |
(Optional) Enter a required bit rate to ensure that path analysis finds paths with sufficient capacity. For example, enter 64 for a 64 Kbps connection. Usually, this value is entered automatically from the pipe's capacity-required information. If path analysis fails to find a path using the automatically entered bit rate, you can remove it and run path analysis again. If a path is returned, you can make design changes to accommodate it. |
|
UOM |
(Optional) Enter the unit of measure that applies to the bit rate. For example, choose kbps if the bit rate was specified for that unit of measure. Usually, this value is entered automatically from the pipe's capacity-required information. |
|
Quantity |
(Optional) Enter the number of connections required. This field is used for fractional TDM services such as Fractional T1. For example, if you need 256 Kbps of capacity, this translates into four 64 Kbps channels. Usually, this value is entered automatically from the pipe's capacity-required information. |
|
Enforce Direction |
(Optional) Select if you want path analysis to consider the direction set in the Pipe Summary page. By default, path analysis treats all pipes as bi-directional. Selecting Enforce Direction slows the path analysis calculation. |
|
Include Partial Paths |
(Optional) Select Include Partial Paths if you want to see partial paths through the network in addition to continuous paths. By default, path analysis returns only paths that are continuous through the network from source to target. For example a path from San Francisco to New York may be continuous to and from Dallas, but include a gap in connectivity in Dallas. If you view partial paths, you can see this potential path and possibly decide to build additional connections to complete it. |
|
Include Network Nodes and Edges |
(Optional) Select Include Network Nodes and Edges to include these entities when finding paths. By default, path analysis does not consider Network Node and Network Edge entities because they do not provide connectivity that can be provisioned. Paths that include a network node or edge cannot be provisioned, but they can provide information about the quickest routes through networks. |
|
Same Wavelength or Frequency Channel |
(Optional) Select Same Wavelength or Frequency Channel to find the paths with same wavelength or frequency. If the paths with same wavelength or frequency are not available, the application throws an error as follows: Same wavelength or frequency fiber not found. Refine criteria and rerun Path Analysis. Note: This filter is applicable only for connectivity enablement. |
|
Include Secondary Paths |
(Optional) Select Include Secondary Paths if you want path analysis to find both primary and secondary paths. |
|
Custom Tuning |
(Optional) Adjust the slider to control the number of paths returned. If you want path analysis to find the simplest paths in the shortest time, move the slider to the left. Move the slider to the right to have path analysis spend more time to find additional paths. |
|
Find Paths |
Click to view the paths that exist between the source and the target entities, which appear in the Available Paths section. |
|
Available Paths |
Displays the paths that exist between the source and the target entities. Each path consists of two or more segments, each listed in its own row. The ID in the From ID column of the first row of the path and the ID in the To ID column of the last row in the path represent the source and target you entered. See "Viewing Paths in Topology" for more information. |
|
Update |
Select the desired path and click Update to update the enablement of the pipe or configuration to reflect the path you selected. The results are visible in the Manual Configure and Graphic View pages. |
Viewing Pipe Enablement Information
After you have enabled a pipe, you can view its enablement information in the Manual Configure page for unversioned pipes or in the Pipe Configuration page for versioned pipes. (These are the same pages from which you perform manual enablement.)
Both of these pages display enablement information in lists. If the pipe is configured for single enablement, a single list is shown in the Primary Path Enablement section. If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, the page displays two lists: one in the Primary Path Enablement section and another in the Secondary Path Enablement section. The Secondary Path Enablement list can be empty if the pipe is configured for secondary enablement but does not yet have a secondary connectivity path.
For each enabling path, the list includes a series of rows, one for each pipe in the path. For each of these pipes, columns display the sort order, parent pipe information, child pipe information, and assignment status.
The parent and child pipe and termination point information enables you to see information about all pipes involved in the enablement, including their parents. For example, a cable pair pipe is likely to be a child of another pipe, such as a 100-pair cable. When you include a cable pair in the enablement, the cable pair's name and termination points are shown in the Child TP and Child Pipe columns. The Parent TP and Pipe columns show the name and termination points of the 100-pair cable pipe.
The Originating Termination Point and Terminating Termination Point fields above the list allow you to set the originating and terminating termination points. In the Pipe Configuration page, the termination points of the pipe being enabled are displayed as links next to these fields. You can use these links to change the resource assignments of the termination points for the configuration. See "Assigning Resources to Termination Points for Versioned Pipes" for more information.
You can modify the enablement from this page. See "Modifying a Pipe Enablement" for more information.
To view enablement information for an unversioned pipe:
-
In the Pipe Summary page, select Manual Configure from the Related Pages menu.
The Manual Configure page appears. If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, the page contains both a Primary Path Enablement and a Secondary Path Enablement section. If it is configured for single enablement, only the Primary Path Enablement section is displayed.
To view enablement information for a versioned pipe:
-
Open a Pipe Configuration page.
If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, the page contains both a Primary Path Enablement and a Secondary Path Enablement section. If it is configured for single enablement, only the Primary Path Enablement section is displayed.
Manual Configure Page
You use the Manual Configure page to specify and view enablement details for an unversioned pipe (a pipe that has no configuration versions). If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, the page contains both a Primary Path Enablement and a Secondary Path Enablement section. If it is configured for single enablement, only the Primary Path Enablement section is displayed.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Primary Path Enablement |
Specify the pipes that enable this pipe of the configuration. If secondary enablement is not selected, this is the only enablement section. See "Manually Enabling an Unversioned Pipe" for more information. |
|
Secondary Path Enablement |
If the pipe is configured for secondary enablement, specify the pipes that provide secondary enablement for this pipe. See "Manually Enabling an Unversioned Pipe" for more information. |
Modifying a Pipe Enablement
You can modify a pipe enablement that you have performed manually or with path analysis.
Note:
You can modify enablements only for pipes, not pipe configurations. To modify a pipe configuration enablement, you must create a new version.
For example, if a pipe is configured for secondary enablement, you can add a secondary path.
See the following topics for more information about modifying pipe enablement:
Removing Pipes From a Path
You can remove one or more individual pipes from a connectivity path. In most cases, deleting a pipe makes the path incomplete, so you have to add new pipes to replace the ones you removed.
To remove a pipe from a connectivity path:
-
Open the Manual Configure or Pipe Configuration page.
-
In the Primary Path Enablement or Secondary Path Enablement section, select one or more pipes in the list.
-
Click Delete.
The selected pipes are removed from the list.
-
If necessary, add pipes to the path to replace the ones you removed. See "Adding Pipes to a Path" for more information.
-
Click Save and Update.
UIM updates the connectivity path, checking for required capacity and creating gap pipes as necessary.
Adding Pipes to a Path
Adding pipes to a connectivity path may cause the connectivity to break, so you may need to delete paths or change the arrangement of existing pipes.
To add a pipe to a connectivity path:
-
Open the Manual Configure or Pipe Configuration page.
-
In the Primary Path Enablement or Secondary Path Enablement section, click Associate.
The Add Pipes dialog box appears, containing a search section. The search relates to the entities based on the specifications that are defined as options for the Transport configuration option. If no specifications have been defined, you can search for any pipe.
-
Search for the pipes that enable the parent pipe or add new ones.
See "Searching for Entities" for more information.
The Add Pipes dialog box displays the search results or the new pipes.
-
In the Add Pipes dialog box, select the pipes and click Create.
The new pipes appear in the Primary Path Enablement or Secondary Path Enablement section.
-
Do one of the following:
-
In the Manual Configure page, click Save and Update.
-
In the Pipe Configuration page, select Update from the Actions menu.
UIM updates the connectivity path, checking for required capacity and creating gap pipes as necessary.
-
Replacing Paths by Using Path Analysis
Replacing a primary path by using path analysis requires replacing the secondary path if one exists.
Replacing a secondary path without changing the primary path is the same as adding a secondary path where one did not exist previously. See "Adding Secondary Paths to Enablements" for more information.
To replace a primary connectivity path:
-
Open the Manual Configure or Pipe Configuration page.
-
In the Primary Path Enablement section, click Alternate Primary Paths.
The Path Analysis page appears.
-
Follow the steps in "Enabling Pipes Automatically with Path Analysis" to complete the path analysis and select a connectivity path.
Adding Secondary Paths to Enablements
You can add a secondary connectivity path to an enablement that does not already have one. You can also replace an existing secondary path.
To add a secondary connectivity path:
-
If necessary, configure the pipe for secondary enablement. See "Configuring Existing Pipes for Secondary Enablement" for more information.
-
Open the Manual Configure or Pipe Configuration page.
-
In the Secondary Path Enablement section, click Alternate Secondary Paths.
The Available Paths page appears. The Secondary Paths list shows all the available secondary paths for the current primary path. If no secondary paths are shown, none are available.
-
Select a secondary path and click Update.
The Manual Configure or Pipe Configuration page appears, displaying the new secondary path in the Secondary Path Enablement section.
Viewing a Pipe Enablement Visualization
You can view a visualization of the enablement of a pipe or pipe configuration. The visualization displays the following:
-
Primary and secondary paths. If a pipe is enabled by two connectivity paths, the visualization shows both. You can highlight one or the other of the paths to see it more clearly.
-
Termination points. If the termination points are not terminated on a resource, they are labeled with their IDs. If they are terminated, they are labeled with the ID and name of the resource or its parent. For example, if a termination point is terminated on a device interface, the visualization displays the name and ID of the logical device that holds the interface. Boxes representing parent resources surround the termination points. If two termination points are terminated on the same parent resource, they are displayed in the same box.
-
Pipes. Pipes are labeled with their IDs and names and the names of their parent pipes (if any). For example, if the second channel pipe of Facility Pipe LS_BW_A is included in the enablement, it would be labeled LS_BW_A (LS_BW_A-2) in the schematic view.
-
Gap pipes. If gap pipes were created during the enablement, they are shown as a thin line connecting the thicker lines that represent other pipes.
The Enabled By Visualization page includes tools that you use to control the view. Many of these tools are common to all similar features in UIM. See "Working with Visualizations and Diagrams" for more information. In addition to these common tools, the Enabled By Visualization page allows you to expand and collapse termination points to see their resource termination.
See the following topics for more information about viewing a pipe enablement visualization:
Opening the Pipe Enablement Visualization
The Enabled By Visualization page controls the view of the enablement of a pipe or pipe configuration.
To open the pipe enablement visualization:
-
Open the Summary page or the Pipe Configuration page of the Pipe entity for which you want to open the pipe enablement visualization.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Graphic View.
The Enabled By Visualization page appears. See "Enabled By Visualization Page" for more information about the fields in this page.
-
Select a pipe or termination point to view detailed information about the entity.
Entity details appear in the information section to the right of the canvas. Termination Point entities include the name, ID, and parent pipe. Pipe entities include the name and ID.
Highlighting a Connectivity Path
If a pipe is enabled with two paths, both are shown in the enablement visualization. You can highlight either of the two paths to make it more visible. The unhighlighted path is shown in blue. The primary path is highlighted by default.
To highlight a path in the enablement visualization:
-
In the Paths section of the Enabled By Visualization page, click the Primary Path or Secondary Path link.
The path whose link you clicked is highlighted in red. The other path is displayed in blue.
Viewing Termination Point Resource Terminations
You can expand termination points in the visualization to view their resource terminations. You can expand individual termination points or all termination points simultaneously.
To view individual resource terminations:
-
Open the Summary page or the Pipe Configuration page of the Pipe entity for which you want to view individual resource terminations.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Graphic View.
The Enabled By Visualization page appears. See "Enabled By Visualization Page" for more information about the fields in this page.
-
Select a termination point.
-
Click the switch icon in a termination point.
The termination point expands to show its resource termination.
-
Click the switch icon again to collapse the termination point.
-
(Optional) In the toolbar, click Open Subgraphs.
All termination points in the visualization expand to show their resource termination. Click Close Subgraphs to collapse all the termination points.
Enabled By Visualization Page
Use the Enabled By Visualization page to view a visualization of the enablement of a pipe or pipe configuration. The Enabled By Visualization page shows schematic views of the trail pipe in the upper part of the canvas and the enabling pipes in the lower part.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Select |
Click this button, then select an entity in the canvas area. After you select an entity, you can perform actions on the entity. For example, you can right-click a termination point and edit the entity information. When you select an entity, information about it is displayed in the Information section. |
|
Zoom |
Click this button, then drag out an area in the visualization to zoom in on that area. |
|
Pan |
Click to move the visualization within the canvas to display another area. When you click the this button, the cursor changes to a hand, and enables you to drag the visualization to display a different area. Panning is useful when the visualization is enlarged so that only part of the visualization is viewable. |
|
Show All |
Click to refresh the visualization to the zoom level required to show all elements in the diagram. |
|
Zoom In |
Click to enlarge the visualization on the current center point of the diagram. |
|
Zoom Out |
Click to reduce the size of the visualization on the current center point of the diagram. |
|
Open Subgraph |
Click to expand all termination points in the visualization to display their resource termination. |
|
Close Subgraph |
Click to collapse all the termination points. |
|
Information section |
Displays information about the element selected in the Canvas area, including:
|
Related Topics
Setting Pipe Capacity and Signal Structure
Pipes use bandwidth (the capacity to move data). Pipes can require capacity, provide capacity, or both. A pipe's capacity is typically defined in its specification. For example, a Pipe specification could define the capacity required and provided as 100 Mbps of bandwidth. (Capacity types and their units of measure are also defined in Design Studio.)
There are two ways to define a pipe's capacity:
-
By associating Capacity Required and Capacity Provided specifications with the Pipe specification. For example, you can define a PVC service trail's capacity required as 56 Kbps. Packet-switched and other non-channelized pipes define their capacity this way.
-
By associating the specification with a signal structure that defines how capacity can be broken into channels. The signal structure in turn is associated with a Capacity Provided specification. For example, an OC3 facility can provide 155.52 Mbps divided into three STS1 channels, each of which is divided into 28 VT1 channels. Signal structures are used to define capacity for channelized pipes, such as TDM (Time Duplex Multiplexing) pipes.
For a more detailed overview of capacity and signal structure and how their specifications are defined, see UIM Concepts.
Because capacity is defined in Pipe specifications, it is set up automatically when Pipe entities are created in UIM. Usually, you are not required to configure capacity in UIM.
In cases when a signal structure has not been associated with a specification, you can map a signal structure to a pipe. You can also open a tree view of a pipe's signal structure. Additionally, you can view and update a pipe's Capacity Required and Capacity Provided information.
See the following topics for more information about setting up pipe capacity and signal structure:
About Signal Structure Channels
When a signal structure is associated with a Pipe specification, channels are not usually created automatically when you create a Pipe entity based on the specification. The structure is in place, but the actual channels are not created until they are required by an enablement. No child pipes will be shown in the Pipe Provides page you open from the Pipe Summary page until they are created by an enablement.
For example, the signal structure of an OC3 pipe divides its capacity into 3 STS1 channels, each of which can be divided into 28 VT1 channels. These channels are not created when you create an OC3 pipe entity because it is not possible to predict exactly how the channels will be used for enablement. An entire STS1 channel or just some individual VT1 channels may be required to enable a pipe. The channels are created only when an enablement requires them.
The one exception is when a signal structure has only two levels. For example, a DS3 signal structure might have only one level of child signals, for 28 DS1 signals. In this case, when you create a Pipe with the DS3 signal structure, 28 DS1 child pipes are created automatically. In this case, there is no ambiguity about how the DS3 will be channelized, so the channels can be created safely. They will be visible in the Pipe Provides page immediately.
Viewing a Pipe Signal Structure
If a pipe has a signal structure, you can see a tree view of the structure and the status of items it contains.
To view a pipe signal structure:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to view an associated signal structure.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Signal Structure.
The Signal Termination Point Structure Search page appears.
-
Search for the Signal Termination Point specification that defines the signal structure.
Each item in the structure has an icon that indicates its status:
-
A plain icon indicates that the item exists in the structure but has not yet been created in inventory.
-
An icon with the letter C indicates that the item has been created in inventory.
-
An icon with a red cross through it indicates that the item is unavailable because it is already enabling a service trail.
-
Mapping a Signal Structure to a Pipe
If a signal structure has not already been associated with a Pipe entity by its specification, you can map one manually. You can choose from the signal structures defined by Signal Termination Point specifications created in Design Studio.
There are two types of Signal Termination Point specifications: Trail Termination Points, which define the top level of a signal structure, and Connection Termination Points, which define lower levels of the signal structure.
Note:
Signal termination points are different from pipe termination points. See "Working with Termination Points" for more information about pipe termination points.
See UIM Concepts for more information about Signal Termination Point specifications.
To map a signal structure to a pipe:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity to which you want to map a signal structure. The Pipe entity must not previously have been associated with a signal structure.
-
From the Actions menu, select Map Signal Structure.
The Signal Termination Points Search page appears.
-
Search for the Signal Termination Point specification that defines the signal structure you want.
See "Searching for Entities" for more information. The Search Results section lists the Signal Termination Point specifications that match your search criteria. The Entity Type column indicates whether a specification is for a trail connection point or a child connection point.
-
In the Search Results section, select a Signal Termination Point specification and click OK.
A signal structure entity is associated with the Pipe entity. Its structure can be viewed in the Signal Structure page. See "Viewing a Pipe Signal Structure" for more information.
Removing a Signal Structure
You can remove a signal structure from a Pipe entity if channels have not been created.
Note:
The removal process includes no confirmation step and is not reversible.
To remove a signal structure from a pipe:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity from which you want to remove a signal structure.
-
From the Actions menu, select Remove Signal Structure.
The pipe's signal structure is removed.
Maintaining Capacity Information
Capacity is defined by Capacity Provided or Capacity Required specifications associated with a Pipe specification in Design Studio, either directly or as the result of a signal structure.
It is unusual to change the capacity information, but this may be necessary if a facility pipe has been upgraded after installation. The following rules apply to changing the capacity-provided amount.
-
You cannot change the capacity-provided information if the pipe has a signal structure.
-
If a pipe is not enabling any other pipes (has no capacity consumed), you can increase or decrease the total capacity provided.
-
If a pipe is enabling another pipe (has some capacity consumed), you can only increase the capacity provided. You cannot lower the percentage of capacity that is consumable because that would lower the effective amount of capacity provided.
There are no rules concerning changing the capacity-required amount. You can increase the capacity required after a pipe has been enabled by another pipe, even if you increase it to more than the capacity available on the enabling pipe. Changing the capacity required on a pipe that is already enabled by another pipe does not change the amount of capacity consumed on the enabling pipe.
You can view and update a pipe's capacity information on the Pipe Summary page, which includes Capacity Provided and Capacity Required sections that display information about the pipe's capacity. See "Updating Capacity Information" for more information.
Updating Capacity Information
To update capacity information:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to update capacity information.
-
In the Capacity Provided or Capacity Required section, select a row and click Edit.
The Pipe Capacity Provided or Pipe Capacity Required page appears.
-
Make changes to any of the capacity settings and click Update.
Related Topics
Creating Pipes and Channels for CWDM and DWDM
You can create optical fiber pipes and their corresponding channels for Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM). The UIM package includes ora_uim_basewdm cartridge, which you can deploy to access the optical fiber specifications for CWDM and DWDM.
You can create the optical fiber pipes and their corresponding channels using the following pipe specifications:
-
CWDM Optical Fiber: This specification has a parent pipe (CWDM_Optical_Fiber) and a child channel type (CWDM_Fiber_Channel). The CWDM_Optical_Fiber pipe has unlimited capacity so that it can adapt to any bit rate, according to the connectivity. See "Creating CWDM Pipe and Channels" for information on creating a CWDM pipe and its corresponding channels.
-
DWDM Optical Fiber: This specification has a parent pipe (DWDM_Optical_Fiber) and a child channel type (DWDM_Fiber_Channel). See "Creating DWDM Pipe and Channels" for information on creating a DWDM pipe and its corresponding channels.
Creating CWDM Pipe and Channels
To create a CWDM pipe and its corresponding channels:
-
In UIM, go to the Pipes page.
-
Click Create.
-
In the ID field, enter a unique ID.
-
From the Specifications menu, select CWDM_Optical_Fiber.
By default, the Medium field displays the value Fiber and the Transmission Signal Type field displays the value Optical.
Note:
You can change the values in the Medium and Transmission Signal Type fields.
-
(Optional) Select ITU Channel Numbering.
-
Click Save and Continue.
The Pipe Summary page appears.
-
To create a channel(s) as a child for the pipe, click Related Pages and then click Provides.
The Pipe Provides page appears.
-
Click Create.
The Pipe-New page appears.
-
In the Number of Channels field, enter the number of channels you want to create.
-
In the Starting Wavelength list, select a value.
Note:
The available wavelength values range from 1270 nm to 1810 nm. You can customize the minimum and maximum wavelengths within a range of 1000 nm, by updating the Fiber.properties file.
Note:
You can associate these wavelengths with colors. You can also customize these wavelength-color associations by updating the Fiber.properties file. See Table 12-1 for the default wavelength-to-color associations.
-
Click Save and Close.
The Pipe Provides page appears and displays the list of channels that are created.
Table 12-1 Wavelength-to-Color Default Associations for CWDM Channels
| Wavelength (in nm) | Color Value |
|---|---|
|
1470 |
VIOLET |
|
1490 |
GREY |
|
1510 |
BLUE |
|
1530 |
GREEN |
|
1550 |
YELLOW |
|
1570 |
ORANGE |
|
1590 |
RED |
|
1610 |
BROWN |
Note:
The Name of a channel is generated automatically by the concatenation of the Fiber Channel ID, Wavelength, and Color.
Creating DWDM Pipe and Channels
To create a DWDM pipe and its corresponding channels:
-
Go to the Pipes page.
-
Click Create.
The Pipe-New page appears.
-
In the ID field, enter a unique ID.
-
From the Specifications menu, select DWDM_Optical_Fiber.
By default, the Medium field displays the value Fiber and the Transmission Signal Type field displays the value Optical.
Note:
You can change the values in the Medium and Transmission Signal Type.
-
(Optional) Select ITU Channel Numbering.
-
In the Offset list, select a value.
Note:
The available options for offset are 0 GHz and 50 GHz.
-
In the Channel Spacing field, select the spacing required between the channels. The available channel spacing values are 100 GHz, 200 GHz (Even), 200 GHz (Odd), and 50 GHz.
-
In the Grid Type field, select Flex Grid or Fixed.
Note:
The Fixed grid option uses the values from Channel Spacing for creating the channels. Whereas, the Flex Grid option creates the channels based on the Starting Frequency and Flex Grid Channel Spacing that you select while creating the Provides. -
Click Save and Continue.
The Pipe Summary page appears.
-
To create a channel(s) as a child for the pipe, click Related Pages and then click Provides.
The Pipe Provides page appears.
-
Click Create.
The Pipe-New page appears.
-
In the Number of Channels field, enter the number of channels you want to create.
-
In the Flex Grid Channel Spacing field, select a value.
Note:
This option is available only for Flex Grid type. -
In the Starting Frequency list, select a value.
Note:
The available frequency values range from 190.1 THz to 197.20 THz. You can customize the minimum and maximum frequencies within a range of 10 THz, by updating the Fiber.properties file.
Note:
The Name of a channel is generated automatically by the concatenation of Fiber Channel ID and Wavelength.See Example 12-1 for an example of how to calculate the wavelength from a frequency.
-
Click Save and Close.
The Pipe Provides page appears and displays the list of channels that are created.
Example 12-1 shows how a wavelength is calculated from a frequency.
Example 12-1
Speed of light in vacuum (constant) = 2.99792E-08 Wavelength(nm) = 2.99792E-08/Frequency(THz)*10000000000000 If the offset is 50 GHz, subtract 0.05 from the frequency to calculate the wavelength.
Viewing Pipe Information in Map View
You can view pipe design in a map from the Map View page. The Map View page for a pipe uses the default settings present in topologyProcess.properties file.
To open the Map View page and view the pipe design on a map:
-
Open the Summary page of the Pipe entity for which you want to view in the map view.
-
From the Related Pages menu, select Map View.
The Map View page appears.
-
Use the Map View page of a pipe to view the primary and secondary paths that are configured in the Manual Configuration page of the pipe.
See "Map View Page" for more information.
Note:
You cannot make any changes to the pipe from the Map View page, but you can use tools to control the map display. You can make any changes to the pipe from the Manual Configuration page of the pipe. - Double-click on any location in the map to view the corresponding latitude and longitude coordinates.
Pipe Connectivity - New Page
You use the Pipe Connectivity - New page to create new pipes and to add child pipes.
Note:
The fields that appear on this page are determined by the specification used to create the entity. The specification is created in Design Studio. The fields in the following table are common to most specifications of this type.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Specification |
Select a Pipe specification to use to define the new entity. See UIM Concepts for more information about Pipe specifications. See "Creating Pipes and Channels for CWDM and DWDM" for creating CWDM or DWDM pipes and channels. |
|
ID |
If the entity specification requires a manually entered ID, enter a unique ID for the entity. Most entity specifications are defined in Design Studio so that IDs are generated automatically. The ID field for these specifications contains the text AUTOGENERATE. |
|
Name |
Enter a name for the Pipe entity. |
|
Description |
Enter a description of the Pipe entity. |
|
Versioned |
Determines whether to version the pipe. This option is available only if the Pipe specification is associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specifications. If you intend for the pipe to have configurations at any point during its life cycle, select Versioned when creating the new entity. After a pipe is versioned, you cannot change it back to unversioned if configuration versions have been created. |
|
Medium |
Select the option that describes the connection medium. |
|
Transmission Signal Type |
Select the option that describes the type of connection. |
|
Gap Pipe |
Indicates whether the Pipe entity is a gap pipe. Gap pipes ensure that there is a continuous path from the originating termination point to the terminating termination point. A gap pipe is required when the enabling pipes you specify do not share a common termination point. This option is read only. |
|
Quantity |
Enter the number of pipes you want to add. |
|
Inventory Status |
Displays the stage in the life cycle of the pipe. This field is read only. See UIM Concepts for more information about inventory statuses. |
|
Assignment Status |
Displays the stage in the life cycle of a specific assignment of the pipe to another entity. This field is read only. See UIM Concepts for more information about resource assignment statuses. |
|
Allow Secondary Enablement |
Select if you want the pipe to be configured for enablement by more than one path. |
Pipe - Information Page
You use the Pipes - Information page to edit the information that appears in the Summary page Information section. Some data elements, such as the ID, cannot be changed after the entity is created.
Note:
The fields that appear on this page are determined by the specification used to create the entity. The specification is created in Design Studio. The fields in the following table are common to most specifications of this type.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
|
Specification |
Displays the specification used to define the entity. This field is read only. |
|
ID |
Displays the unique ID generated for the entity. This field is read only. |
|
Name |
Edit the name for the Pipe entity. |
|
Description |
Edit the description of the Pipe entity. |
|
Versioned |
Determine whether to version the pipe. This option is available only if the Pipe specification is associated with one or more Pipe Configuration specifications. If you intend for the pipe to have configurations at any point during its life cycle, select Versioned when creating the new entity. After a pipe is versioned, you cannot change it back to unversioned if configuration versions have been created. |
|
Medium |
Select the option that describes the connection medium. |
|
Transmission Signal Type |
Select the option that describes the type of connection. |
|
Gap Pipe |
Indicates whether the Pipe entity is a gap pipe. Gap pipes ensure that there is a continuous path from the originating termination point to the terminating termination point. A gap pipe is required when the enabling pipes you specify do not share a common termination point. This option is read only. |
|
Inventory Status |
Displays the stage in the life cycle of the pipe. This field is read only. See UIM Concepts for more information about inventory statuses. |
|
Assignment Status |
Displays the stage in the life cycle of a specific assignment of the pipe to another entity. This field is read only. See UIM Concepts for more information about assignment statuses. |
|
Allow Secondary Enablement |
Select if you want the pipe to be configured for enablement by more than one path. |
|
Arrangement |
(Visible only in data cooperation scenarios.) The cooperation model for the entity as defined by the parties or systems exchanging entity data. |
|
Entity Name |
(Visible only in data cooperation scenarios.) The name of the entity in the context specified in the Other System field. |
|
Entity ID |
(Visible only in data cooperation scenarios.) The identifier of the entity. This identifier is unique in the context specified in the Other System field. |
|
Other System |
(Visible only in data cooperation scenarios.) The external system or domain that is participating in the data cooperation. |
Pipe Summary Page
You use the Pipe Summary page to define the content for a pipe. The page is arranged into tabs, each of which is used for a different purpose:
See the following topics for more information about summary pages:
See "Entity Summary Page" for information about Summary page fields that are common among all entities.
General Information Tab
You use the General Information tab to view basic information about the pipe, pipe's termination points, pipe configurations, and the directionality defined for the pipe.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Pipe Information |
Displays basic information about the entity, most of which was defined when you created the entity. Click Edit to change this information. Some data elements, such as the ID, cannot be changed after the entity is created. See "Creating Entities" and "Pipe Connectivity - New Page" for more information. Click Other System to view fields related to systems with which UIM is cooperating. These fields are visible by default when populated and hidden by default when not populated. Click the ID from Parent Pipe field to navigate to the corresponding parent pipe summary page. Note: The Parent Pipe field appears only if the current pipe is a child pipe and it has a parent pipe associated. See "Creating Pipes and Channels for CWDM and DWDM" for more information on CWDM and DWDM pipes and channels. |
|
Termination Points |
Displays a pipe's termination points. The information for each termination point includes network location and termination information for associated logical devices, physical devices, and equipment. Click the termination point ID to navigate to the Summary page for the termination point. Every pipe requires exactly two termination points. When you create a Pipe entity, two associated termination points are created automatically. If the Pipe specification includes a Pipe Termination Point specification, it is used to create the termination points. See "Working with Termination Points" for more information. |
|
Configurations |
Displays any pipe configurations created for the entity. Pipe configurations enable you to update the enablement and termination point resource assignments as changes are made in your inventory. Note: You can use pipe configurations only if the pipe's specification is related to a Pipe Configuration specification. In addition, you can add a configuration only if the pipe is defined as versioned. The fields that appear in the Configurations section are common among multiple entities. See "Entity Summary Page" for more information. See "Adding the First Version of a Configuration to an Entity" and "Adding Additional Configuration Versions" for information about creating configurations. |
|
Pipe Termination Directionality |
Displays the directionality defined for the pipe, which represents the direction that signals or routes flow through a pipe. You set the directionality of a pipe by specifying which termination point is the starting point and which is the ending point. See "Setting Pipe Directionality" for more information. |
Capacity Tab
You use the Capacity tab to view capacity-related information for the pipe.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Capacity Provided |
Displays the capacity the pipe provides as defined by the Pipe specification. Pipes can require capacity, provide capacity, or both. Because a pipe's capacity is typically defined in its specification, it is set up automatically when Pipe entities are created in UIM. See UIM Concepts for more information about capacity. |
|
Capacity Required |
Displays the capacity the pipe requires as defined by the Pipe specification. Pipes can require capacity, provide capacity, or both. Because a pipe's capacity is typically defined in its specification, it is set up automatically when Pipe entities are created in UIM. See UIM Concepts for more information about capacity. |
|
Capacity Consumed |
Displays information about bandwidth consumption by enabled pipes. For each enabled pipe, the table displays the percentage of bandwidth consumed and the corresponding percentage of the total capacity consumed. |
Associated Resources Tab
You use the Associated Resources tab to view information about the custom involvements and network edges of the pipe.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Custom Involvements |
Displays any custom associations defined for the pipe with entities that are not otherwise associated. See "Working with Custom Involvements" for more information. |
|
Network Edges |
Displays the name of the network edge (if any) that represents the pipe in networks. The association occurs when you select a pipe to be represented by an edge in a network. The same entity can be represented by edges in different networks. For each network association, you can see the network name, network description, edge name, and edge description. |
Consumers Tab
You use the Consumers tab to view information about assignments, references, and business interactions of the pipe.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Assignments |
Lists the configurations to which the pipe has been assigned. For each assignment, you can see the entity to which the assignment has been made, that entity's type, and the start and end dates. |
|
References |
Lists the configurations to which the pipe has been referenced. For each assignment, you can see the entity to which the assignment has been made, that entity's type, and the start and end dates. |
|
Business Interactions |
Displays any business interactions with which the pipe is associated. See "Working with Business Interactions" for more information. |
Groups and Infrastructure Tab
You use the Groups and Infrastructure tab to view information about the places, inventory groups, and roles associated with the pipe.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
|
Places |
Displays any places that are associated with the pipe. The association can imply that the some part of the pipe is located at the place or that there is some kind of relationship between the entities. The fields that appear in the Places section are common among multiple entities. See "Entity Summary Page" for more information. See "Associating Places to Entities" and for information about creating new place associations. |
|
Inventory Groups |
Displays any inventory groups to which the pipe is associated. You use inventory groups to organize entities for a particular purpose. The fields that appear in the Inventory Groups section are common among multiple entities. See "Entity Summary Page" for more information. See "Adding an Entity to an Inventory Group from the Entity Summary Page" for information about associating entities with an inventory group. |
|
Roles |
Displays any roles that are associated with the pipe. You can associate roles with entities to define the functions they perform in your inventory. An entity can have multiple roles simultaneously, and its roles can change over time. See "Working with Roles" for more information. |