Glossary

Active component

Active components are devices, which fulfill an active role in the network. These are for example, terminal devices, rack servers, routers and switches.

Active network

The sum of all component instances used in the Pathfinder to recreate your physical network.

API

Application Program Interface. A set of calling conventions defining how a service is invoked through a software package.

AutoCAD files

Architectural design files. They can be imported in pathfinder for floor background and information.

Bridge

A device that connects two or more physical networks and forwards packets between them. Bridges can usually be made to filter packets, that is, to forward only certain traffic.

Bookmarks

Contains all locations bookmarked to save for quick access.

Bookmark: register protocol handler

Registers Pathfinder to allow use of Bookmarks as URL.

Cable

Different types of telecommunication or fiber optic cables. The cable types correspond to the cable categories in the catalog.

Cable definition

A cable definition describes the following physical properties:

• General properties: type of cable, length, shielding

• cable/fiber definitions: number of cables and bundles

Cable type

The cable type defines the type of a wire (e.g. fiber optic cable or telecommunication cable).

There are two fundamental cable types in Pathfinder:

• Prefabricated cables or terminated cables

• Unassembled cables or unterminated cables

Caption Position

The caption position field defines the position of the caption relative to it’s top view icon of the component. If a top view icon is not assigned to the component, the caption position is set to centered automatically. You can change the caption position of component definition, instances, for all components in sub-folders and for all components in parent folders.

Catalog

The Pathfinder catalog includes predefined categories to help you structure the catalog by objects with similar component definitions.

Category

A category groups definitions of components of the same type. Moreover, choosing a category defines which parts of the component definition are included.

Characteristics

Are the features of ports or lines that define the properties and specifications. The definition of a port or line can have any number of characteristics. By assigning qualities pathfinder is able to perform a validity test when generating connections.

Component

A component is an actual device in the network. In Pathfinder components are always depicted and managed in the local infrastructures (location, building, floor, room). The documentation in Pathfinder requires components to be based on a component definition in the catalog.

Component definition

Component definitions are templates of the vendor standard physical components, represent in Pathfinder. A component definition summarizes all properties of a component.

Csv-document

A csv document contains text with data separated by commas (comma separated values). It is used to store and exchange simple data sets and can contain lists and tables.

Full-duplex

It is a mode of data transmission. In full-duplex mode, both stations can transmit and receive simultaneously. In full-duplex mode, signals going in one direction share the capacity of the link with signals going in other direction.

GBIC

GBIC (gigabit interface converter) is a standard port that can support a wide range of physical media, from copper wires to optical fibers.

Geometry

A geometry is assigned to a component or a slot and noted in the component definition. The geometry of a component defines its height and width. Pathfinder uses geometries to standardize sizes of built-in components and to avoid mistakes when entering data.

Half-duplex

It is a mode of data transmission. In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time. When one device is sending, the other can only receive, and vice versa.

Height Unit

Height unit (HE) is a unit of measurement used for electronics housings and describes the height of devices. 1 HE corresponds to 1.75 inches or 4.45 cm.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of your network in Pathfinder includes the spatial conditions of your network (locations, buildings, floors, rooms)

Instance

Instances are network objects which you display and document in Pathfinder and which are always based on a component definition.

ICMP

ICMP stands for internet control message protocol. It is used to send messages between devices to indicate the availability or error conditions. These packets are used in a variety of network diagnostic tools, such as ping and traceroute.

IP address

An IP address is a unique label, assigned to each device (or group of devices) connected to the internet. More than one IP addresses can be assigned to a single computer. The IP address is used to locate the receiver of sent data.

LC

LC is a small form factor connector, half the size of the SC. It's a standard ceramic ferrule connector, highly favored for singlemode data transfer.

Line cable

In Pathfinder, open ended, unterminated or unassembled cables are known as line cables. A line cable can consist of different types of wires based on the cable definition.

Line definition

The line definition describes the features of a line within a cable (e.g. number of wires/fibers and wire/fiber type)

Line type

The line type describes the property of a line within a cable.

Physical Network

The sum of the physical and virtual components in your network.

Local catalog

The local catalog contains component definitions from the local database. it is populated by the component definitions imported from the online catalog.

Location

A location in pathfinder describes a local definition, like a company building complex or a university campus. A location site can be further structured into building, room, floor and cabinet.

Media Access Control

Media access control is a communications protocol that is used to distinguish specific devices. Each device gets a unique MAC address during the manufacturing process that differentiates it from every other device on the internet.

MIB

A management information base (MIB) is a database used for managing the entities in a communication network. 

Module

Modules are hardware devices that can be used to add interfaces to existing network systems. Network modules are installed in component slots.

Naming rule

Naming rules can be defined in Pathfinder to ensure consistent and unique naming of cables and components in your network. A naming rule for a certain component type defines a pattern, which is used for generating instance names.

Network cable

Network cables are hookup cables used to connect active and passive components. Different types of network cables, such as coaxial cable, optical fiber cable, and twisted pair cables can be used depending on the network's physical layer, topology, and size.

Network report

A network report creates a report of the connection between the source component and destination component only. It excludes any hops in between.

Network path

A network path notes every hop between the source and destination ports. In pathfinder, a network path includes the physical network paths with line and patch connections. The network path management happens automatically and ensures that existing network paths are updated according to the changes made in the system.

Network map

Online catalog

The online catalog is a database that includes all component definitions available in Pathfinder. They can be imported into your local catalog and are available to use afterwards.

Passive component

Passive components are devices, which do not fulfill an active role in the network. These are for example, racks, distributors like patch panels, data sockets, etc.

Permanent cables/site-to-site

Permanent cables are network cables that run through buildings and between sites. These are generally described as large cable bundles for robust and long term cable laying for network infrastructures.

Port

A port is a specialized outlet on a component to which prefabricated cable connects.
Ports in Pathfinder are the actual existing ports on a component instance. They are defined by port definitions, which are part of the component definition.

Port definition

A port definition is part of a component definition and defines type and position of a port on that component.

Port type

In Pathfinder, port types define the port properties, availability for cable connections and defines connections of components. Port types are described by their features, for example, shielding, number of pins, port size, etc.

Prefabricated/ Preassembled cables

Prefabricated cables, also called patch cables, enable the flexible connection between two ports (1:1 connection). In contrast to an open ended cable, a prefabricated cable has a connector plug on each end. When creating cables networks, the connectors of the source component must be compatible to the sockets/ports of the destination component.

Qualities/Characteristics

Qualities stand for features of ports or lines. Examples are “100 Mbit” or “signal characteristics”. The definition of a port or line can have any number of qualities. By assigning qualities pathfinder is able to perform a validity test when generating connections.

Rack Unit

Rack Unit (U) is a unit of measure defined as 1.75 inches or 4.45 centimeters. It is most frequently used as a measurement of the overall height of 19 inches or 48.26 centimeters and 23 inches or 58.42 centimeters rack frames, as well as the height of components that mount in these frames, whereby the height of the frame or equipment is expressed as multiples of rack units.

RJ-45 connector

RJ45 is a type of connector commonly used for Ethernet networking. A RJ45 connector is a modular 8 position, 8 pin connector used for terminating Cat5e or Cat6 twisted pair cable.

Room stamps

Room stamps are used for example, in AutoCAD to define spaces; giving them an identifier and storing information like size. They can be imported to Pathfinder.

SC

An SC (subscriber connector) is used to connect fiber optic cables.

Scaling factor

The scaling factor is the number by which a given scheme or drawing is to be enlarged or shrunk. If you want to shrink a design by 50%, the scaling factor is 0.5.

Simplex

It is a mode to data transmission. In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, as on a one-way street. Only one of the two devices on a link can transmit, the other can only receive.

Slot

A component with a slot role can be built in a component with a slot. The components that can be built in a slot is defined by the corresponding slot types. Slots allow addition of modules to the component.

Slot definition

A slot definition is part of a component definition and defines the properties of a slot, like position and slot type.

Slot role

The slot role of a component definition define which type of slots can be built in a component.

Slot type

The slot type describes the dimensions of a slot. In pathfinder, component definitions can include several different slots and slot types. Moreover, you can define allocations of slots under component definitions.

SNMP

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on IP networks and for modifying that information to change device behavior.

Subnet

Subnets are parts of a computer network, to which a certain address range is allocated.

Tag system

The tag system allows the user to add individually designed tags to ports and network components.

Terminal device

A terminal device is a network device which ends a communication line. Signals can enter and leave a signal pathway via a terminal device like a telephone or printer.

Tray

A cable tray is a container, in which several cables can be pooled. A tray can e.g. be placed between two buildings or two floors.

Unassembled cables

Unassembled cables (mounting cable or permanent cabling) are used for long term connections. In contrast to a prefabricated/ preassembled cable, an unassembled cable lacks plugs because it is usually screwed or clamped. A group of wires or fibers are patched to the back end of a data outlet or patch panel and builds a long term physical connection between two ports. You can assign several connections to an unassembled cable in Pathfinder (with n:n connections).