Describes the different aspects of the graphical representation of a network element in a network.

The network element type defines how a given network element will be displayed. The network element type is specified by setting the value of the attribute type in the business object. This attribute can be set programmatically using IltNetworkElement.TypeAttribute or through XML.

How to set the network element type using the API

or

How to set the network element type using XML

Depending on the nature of the application, a network element can be represented by a bitmap image, a symbol, or a shape.

Pictorial representation

In its pictorial representation, the network element base is a bitmap drawing, which is composed of individual graphic objects. This drawing is meant to be realistic, as you can see in the following figure:

Several predefined bases are available for shelf-based equipment, terminals, and mobile phone access network elements. JViews TGO includes a number of predefined network element images. The following tables show these drawings and the corresponding network element type name.

JViews TGO also provides a pictorial representation for clusters. A cluster network element is an abstraction of a network element that is made up of two or more distinct subcomponents such as other network elements that can be (and often are) managed as standalone telecom objects. Clusters can be co-located or distributed, depending on how their subcomponents are organized (either within a managed area or spread across different areas). As with the new partial network elements concept, it is possible to represent wholly owned clusters (that is, all the subcomponents are managed by the user), or partially-owned clusters (only some of the subcomponents are managed by the user).

You can create custom network element types by providing a bitmap image or a vector drawing. This process is detailed in Customizing network element types in the Styling documentation.

Symbolic representation

In the symbolic representation, network elements can be used for components, nodes or clusters. These objects are represented differently depending on which aspect of the OSS application you consider, for example, the data plane of physical managed telecom objects, the control and management planes or the logical managed telecom objects. The default type corresponding to the default symbolic network element representation is simply called NE (for Network Element). The following figure illustrates an NE type network element: here, an add-drop multiplexer with a capacity of OC192.

Symbolic information for NE type network elements consists of an icon representing the function of the equipment corresponding to the network element and a string representing the family of the equipment.

Shape representation

In this representation, the network element base is depicted by a geometric shape that symbolizes the network element type (or function class). The center of the base can contain an icon that further defines the representation of the network element function. Several predefined shapes are provided as types of the network element.

JViews TGO includes a limited number of network element shapes that can be used to build iconic network elements. The following table gives the available shapes and the corresponding network element type name.

The API that enables developers to include new network element shapes corresponding to new types of network element is detailed in Customizing network element types in the Stylingdocumentation.

How to retrieve a network type image through the API

You can retrieve the URL path of the image used by a network element type by calling IltSettings.GetValue (Object), where the Object argument is the access key to the icon renderer factory for the network element type. When the network element is rendered using an image, its default renderer factory is an IltNEImageBaseRendererFactory object. The getSourceImageName method on this object points to the image location inside the image repository service (the IltDefaultImageRepository object, accessible from IlpContext).

The following code retrieves the URL path in the distribution package for the image used by the IP_ComputerFlat network element type:

Replace the IP_ComputerFlat type name with the name of any network element type to retrieve the image associated with that network element type.

JViews TGO includes a certain number of icons representing functions. The design of the icons included in the library stem from recommendations of Standards organizations specialized in this domain (ITU/ANSI).

The following table illustrates the icons that are available in the library.

New functions can be added, as detailed in Customizing network element types in the Stylingdocumentation.

For a given function, several families of network elements can exist. Usually the family represents the capacity of the network element. Values of the network element families are listed in the following table along with their corresponding numbers as shown on the symbolic network element.

A partial network element is an abstraction which denotes a network element that is only part of the real-world network element. Partial network elements can be used in several situations, for example:

A network element can be defined as partial by setting the value of the attribute partial in the business object. This attribute can be set programmatically using PartialAttribute.

How to create a partial network element

The following example illustrates how a network element is created using the attribute partial via XML

Partial network elements are graphically represented by an icon located at the bottom left of the network element base.

A shortcut network element is an abstraction denoting an object that is only a reference to an existing network element. IltNetworkElement provides a new attribute, ShortcutAttribute, whose value can be:

A network element can be defined as shortcut by setting the value of attribute shortcut in the business object. This attribute can be set programmatically using IltNetworkElement. ShortcutAttribute.

How to create a shortcut

The following example illustrates how a network element is created using the attribute shortcut via XML.

Shortcut network elements are graphically represented by an icon located at the bottom left of the network element base.

Network elements can be represented at various scales. The amount of information attached to the network element is proportional to the size of the network element. Two sizes are provided by default:

Using the network element sizes in custom programming is shown in Customizing network element types in the Stylingdocumentation.