Connection Paths

A connection path is the mode of transmission for the connection group. For example, if the connection is cable the path would be the wire, if the connection is fiber the path would be a strand, and so on.

After adding a connection group, you need to add the beginning and ending paths to determine the connection range. A connection path is the pair count for the cable. You can delete path ranges; however, those paths must be free of all assignments and unassociated from all buildings before CAIRS allows you to delete them.

Adding a Connection Path Range

  1. Click the Facilities
  2. In the Navigation pane, click Connections.
  3. Depending on the amount of records you have within your database, the list may not immediately populate. To populate the list, perform one of the following actions:
    • Within the search box, type the connection group name or portion of the name and then click the magnifying glass or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
    • Click the Show All
  1. The Connections list displays. Double-click the connection you are adding a range to.
  2. The Connection window opens. Within the Connections Paths ribbon group, click the Add Range
  3. The Add Range pop-up opens. Complete the following fields:
    • Beginning Path – click the drop-down arrow to access a list and select the number of the first path within the connection.
    • Ending Path – click the drop-down arrow to access a list and select the number of the last path within the connection.
    • Path Information – type any miscellaneous path information up to 30 characters.
    • Reserved – click the box to insert a checkmark to reserve the entire path count or leave the field blank to indicate the paths are available for use.
    • Working – this field defaults to all paths working. Click the box to clear the checkmark indicating the entire path count is non-working.
    • Protected – click the box to insert a checkmark to protect the entire path count or leave the field blank to indicate the paths are unprotected.
    • Loaded – click the box to insert a checkmark to indicate the entire path count is loaded or amplified. Leave the field blank to indicate a normal connection path.
    • Path Miscellaneous 1 & 2 – type miscellaneous connection path information.
  1. Within the lower half of the pop-up, click the Save button or click Cancel to return to the General – Connection window
  2. Once you click Save, the Add Range pop-up closes and returns you to the Connection window.
  3. Within the Pick List pane of the General Information window, the complete path range populates.
  4. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with connection paths, or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the Connection Group list.

Modifying a Connection Path Range

  1. Click the Facilities
  2. In the Navigation pane, click Connections.
  3. Depending on the amount of records you have within your database, the list may not immediately populate. To populate the list, perform one of the following actions:
    • Within the search box, type the connection group name or portion of the name and then click the magnifying glass or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
    • Click the Show All
  1. The Connection list displays. Double-click the connection name with the path range you want to modify.
  2. The Connection window opens. Within the Connection Paths ribbon group, click Modify Range.
  3. The Modify Range pop-up opens. You can perform several actions:
    • Increase the path count by selecting a new number within the Ending Path drop-down list.
    • Reserve the entire path count (insert a checkmark) or free the entire path count (clear the checkmark).
    • Make the entire path count working (insert a checkmark) or non-working (clear the checkmark).
    • Make the entire path count protected (insert a checkmark) or unprotected (clear the checkmark).
    • Make the entire path count loaded (insert a checkmark) or unloaded (clear the checkmark).
    • Type additional miscellaneous information.
    • Make changes to the path counts by selecting the path numbers in the Beginning Path and Ending Path For example, if you wish to mark paths 1 through 5 as protected, you would enter 1 for Beginning Path and 5 for the Ending Path. Then checkmark the Protected box.
  1. Within the pop-up, click the Save button or click the Cancel button to stop the operation.
  2. The changes you just made display within the Pick List

Deleting a Connection Path Range

To delete a range of paths, the path numbers must be free of all assignments and removed from all buildings. It is important to remember that when you are deleting a path range you are deleting specific path numbers. For example, if you have a path count of 1 to 100, and you want to delete 25 pairs, you would have to select paths 1 to 25 or 50 to 75.

  1. Click the Facilities
  2. In the Navigation pane, click Connections.
  3. Depending on the amount of records you have within your database, the list may not immediately populate. To populate the list, perform one of the following actions:
    • Within the search box, type the connection group name or portion of the name and then click the magnifying glass or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
    • Click the Show All
  1. Within the Connection Group list, double-click the connection name to delete.
  2. The Connection window opens. Within the Connections Paths ribbon group, click Delete Range.
  3. The Delete Range pop-up window opens.
  4. Click the drop-down arrow within the Beginning Path field to access a list and select the first path in the range to delete.
  5. Click the drop-down arrow within the Ending Path field to access a list and select the last path in the range to delete.
  6. Within the pop-up, click the Save button or click the Cancel button to stop the removal of the path range.
  7. The path range is removed from the connection and no longer displays within the Pick List

Modifying a Single Connection Path

After the connection path range has been added, individual paths can be modified.

  1. Click the Facilities
  2. In the Navigation pane, click Connections.
  3. Depending on the amount of records you have within your database, the list may not immediately populate. To populate the list, perform one of the following actions:
    • Within the search box, type the connection group name or portion of the name and then click the magnifying glass or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
    • Click the Show All
  1. The Connection Group list displays. Double-click the connection name.
  2. The Connection window opens to General information. Within the Pick List pane, double-click the path number to modify.
  3. The Connection Path window opens displaying three panes: Path Information, Path Appearances and Telephone/Circuit pane. The Path Appearance and Telephone/Circuit panes display Read Only information.
  4. Within the Path Information pane, the connection name and path number populate with read-only information. You can modify the following fields as necessary:
    • Path Information – type any information regarding the path.
    • Reserved – click the box to insert a checkmark indicating the path is reserved. Click the field to remove checkmark indicating the path is free to use.
    • Working – click the box to clear the checkmark indicating the path is non-working. If the field is blank, click the field to insert a checkmark indicating the path is working.
    • Protected – click the box to insert a checkmark indicating the path is protected. Click the field to clear the checkmark indicating the path is unprotected.
    • Loaded – click the box to insert a checkmark indicating the path is loaded. Click the field to clear the checkmark indicating a normal path.
    • Path Misc 1 and 2 – type any miscellaneous path information.
  1. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) to continue working with connection paths or click Save & Close (to save and exit) to return to the Connection Group window.

Path Assignments

Viewing Path Assignments

  1. Click the Facilities
  2. In the Navigation pane, click Connections.
  3. Depending on the amount of records you have within your database, the list may not immediately populate. To populate the list, perform one of the following actions:
    • Within the search box, type the connection group name or portion of the name and then click the magnifying glass
    • Click the Show All
  1. The Connection Group list displays. Double-click the connection name.
  2. The Connection window opens. Within the Show ribbon group, click the Path Assignments
  3. The lower half of the window displays the Connection Path Assignments. The following read only information is displayed:
    • Directory Number
    • Circuit Name
    • Port
    • Assignment Building Name
    • Connection Name
    • Path Number
    • Dedicated Plant
    • Connected Building Name
    • Status

History

Please see Common Elements -> History to learn more.