Cablefolio

Documenting sites

Cable runs and testing

Updated

A cable run (a "drop") is one pulled cable with its own cable ID, where it comes from and goes to, and the tester's readings; this page covers adding runs one at a time or in a batch, recording tests, and threading runs through pathways.

Add a run

  1. Open the room the run serves and press Add drop in the Cable drops heading.
  2. Leave Cable ID blank to take the next number in the property's CBL- sequence, or type the ID written on the cable. A cable ID is unique within the property. The camera button beside the field can read it off the cable's label.
  3. Type the Label as written on the cable or jack.
  4. Enter the Length and Length unit, then the Cable type, Termination, Status (Active or Spare), and Colour on the map.
  5. In Comes from and Goes to, choose the room, rack, or device at each end, then Lands on port and Reaches port where it ends on a numbered port. From location (free text) is for anything the list does not hold.
  6. Press Add drop.

A spare run is pulled and labelled but links nothing; it only needs its two ends. A run with a device at both ends makes the link between them for you. See Ports and links.

Add many runs from a pattern

  1. In the room, press Add runs from a pattern beside Add drop.
  2. Type a Label pattern. {n} is replaced by a counter, and {port} by the panel port each run lands on.
  3. Set Start at, How many (up to 96), and Pad numbers to (2 writes 01, 02, and so on).
  4. Choose the Length unit (the lengths themselves are measured later, on each run's page), the cable type and status, Comes from, and the First run lands on port if they land on a panel.
  5. Check the preview of the labels it will make, then press Add runs.

Read a run's page

The page leads with the run's facts — Cable ID, Length, Status, Cable, Termination, Test, Comes from, Goes to — then its Test readings and the Pathways it runs through. Its photos, files, notes, and history sit alongside.

If both ends of the run are pinned on a scaled floor plan and the run has no length yet, the page offers the straight-line distance between them as Use … from the plan. It is the shortest the cable could be, so it is only filled in when you press it.

Record a test reading

  1. On the run's page press Record a reading in Test readings.
  2. Fill in Tested on, the Result (Pass, Fail, or Marginal), the Wiremap verdict, the Measured length, and, from a certification tester, the NEXT margin (dB) and Insertion loss (dB).
  3. Name the Tester, add Notes if needed, and press Record a reading.

Every reading is kept. The latest one becomes the run's own result, so once a run has readings its edit form shows the verdict rather than letting you type one. Remove takes a reading off after a confirm.

Runs never tested, runs that failed, and runs marginal on their last test are counted on the home page under Needs attention, as are runs longer than their cable type allows.

Record the test without a tester file

For a quick record, press Edit cable drop on the run's page and fill the Test part of the form: Tested on, Result, and Measured length. This is only offered while the run has no readings.

Track pathways

Pathways are the conduits, trays, J-hooks, sleeves, risers, and ducts the runs travel through.

  1. On the property page press Pathways.
  2. Press Add pathway. Give it a Name, a Kind, a Capacity (cables), and a Trade size if it has one.
  3. On the pathway, choose a run in Add a run and press Add. Repeat for each run through it.

Each pathway shows how full it is against its capacity. One over capacity is flagged and counted under Needs attention. A run's own page lists every pathway it threads.

The property's labels page can print a flag for each end of every run, carrying the cable ID and where the other end lands. See Labels and QR codes.