Netbox 2.5.x and Modelling Patch Panels

[Olaf de Bree]

Hi all,

I am reasonably new to Netbox and very interested in the patch panel feature but I am unsure the best approach to model.

We generally use 24 port LC front and MPO rear single mode cassettes inside a patch panel with 4 bays and this models just fine in Netbox using a device with the front / rear ports.

The issue I face is attaching duplex vs simplex cables to network device interfaces, simplex seems OK because there is a 1:1 mapping between interface and LC patch panel port.

Duplex however seems problematic because and interface has no concept of RX/TX breakout to the patch panel.

At present I have modeled this as such but I am unsure if this is the best approach?

Switch Chassis Parent device 

-->  Line card Child/Parent device  

      

       --> XFP Child device

            --> Electrical Rear Port 1

                 --> 1:1  ---> Fibre RX

                 --> 1:2. ---> Fibre TX

       --> Interface TeX/X/X

       

Patch Panel Parent Device

     --> Cassette Child Device

           --> Rear Port 1

                --> 1:[1-12]

           --> Front Port [1-12]

when creating a cable connection 

Linecard Interface TeX/X/X

   --> XFP Child device

      --> Electrical Rear Port 1 

            --> Fibre RX --> Cassette Child Device Front Port 1 --> Rear MPO 1

            --> Fibre TX --> Cassette Child Device Front Port 2 --> Rear MPO 2

The above seems to work OK...thoughts / advise would be much appreciated.

Lastly I have noticed that the cable trace form the interface contended as such only seems to show one fibre between the XFP and the patch panel.

Thanks 

Olaf

[Brian Candler]

On Friday, 25 January 2019 07:41:36 UTC, Olaf de Bree wrote: 

I have noticed that the cable trace form the interface contended as such only seems to show one fibre between the XFP and the patch panel.

Yes, that is a consequence of a single "interface" splitting into two separate fibre paths.  Has been noted here:

https://github.com/digitalocean/netbox/issues/2633

... which I think is the same issue you're describing in general.

Aside: it's not a good idea to model line cards as child devices.  Child devices are supposed to be completely independent entities, the parent is just a passive housing.  You'll find for example that you cannot create a LAG between interfaces on two different line cards, if the line cards are separate devices.

[Olaf de Bree]

Thanks for the reply Brian,

So just add interfaces directly to device then? and transceivers still as sub / passthrough type device?  

[Brian Candler]

On Friday, 25 January 2019 16:41:21 UTC, Olaf de Bree wrote:

So just add interfaces directly to device then?

Yes.  And line cards as Inventory Items.

 

and transceivers still as sub / passthrough type device?  

I think that's the only real choice sadly, which makes it pretty messy  - particularly because you need a fake "cable" between the interface and the transceiver.

Actually, the other choice would be to terminate the cable directly in the interface, and have the SFP as an inventory item.  Unfortunately this breaks down when you want separate TX and RX fibre strands modelled as separate cables.