The trace report can be compared to tools such as the connection report, layout reports, duct carving plan and show customer trace data, all of which visualize the results of fiber/wire-level or pipe-level tracing in different ways.
The trace report is a compilation of information that forms the basis of the connection report, but shows the extent horizontally and includes all fibers/wires or pipes that are in the starting object depending on which of the trace reports you select.
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The trace may show different columns depending on the object you start from. For example, if you start from a switch, the trace can only go in one direction. The same applies to an ODF without patches or if you have set the trace to stop at the ODF. If instead you were to start from, for example, a cable, the tracing goes in two directions. Since the object you start from becomes a center point, the paths will spread out to both the right and left. A column can also represent different object types for the different rows, and in that case the current object type is entered in a separate adjacent field. |
Create a trace report
1.In the menu bar, select Reports > Trace report > [desired trace report].
2.Select an object in the map based on which trace report you selected. The dialog Create trace report opens.
3.Decide if you want to either select a profile or edit profile:
oSelect a profile:
a.Select a profile from the drop down menu.
oEdit profile:
a.Press 
. The dialog Configure profiles for trace report opens, see section Options in the dialog Configure profiles for trace report.
b.Select a profile to edit from the drop down menu, or select New profile to create a new one.
c.Select desired options and press OK.
4.Press Table. You can also either select to show Normal schema or Compact schema.
5.To export the trace report, press 
to export to spreadsheet, or press 
to export to pdf.
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You can also: 1.Right-click on an object in the map and select Create report > [desired trace report]. The Create trace report dialog opens. 2.Continue with step 3 above. |
Options in the dialog Configure profiles for trace report
Options in the left part of the dialog box |
Description |
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Color repeating values |
Switch between white and gray background if the value in this box has changed compared to the value above. For example, in the column for fiber tube (in a cable), the first twelve rows (located in tube 1) will be white, the next twelve gray and so on. This is a quick way to find the hierarchies of the objects. |
Use state coloring |
Apply coloring based on states. The coloring will then be in accordance with the state colors used in the map, in accordance with the settings in the Show states tool. Since these colors are normally quite dark, they are applied as font colors in the table. |
Use coloring of changed objects |
Apply changeset coloring by using the color for changed components specified in Settings > Preferences... > Color. |
Trace through patches and thread/carrier connections |
Uncheck this box to have tracing stop at patch. The last object visible is an ODF or terminal. Check the box if the tracing should continue. |
Trace through branching objects |
Uncheck this box to have tracing stop at branch objects (splitter, coaxial device). Check the box if the tracing should continue. |
Show only end points |
Do not show any intermediate objects, and only show the object you start from plus the start and end points. This then becomes a form of disposition report. |
Show only nearby connections |
Only show the closest connections for the starting object. For line objects, this means that the nearest point and the next line are included at each end. For point objects, for each end, the nearest line and the next point are included instead. |
Stop on cable/equipment w/ hierarchical level |
When enabled, this option cuts the trace on the first cable or equipment (looking from the start object) with the selected hierarchical level. |
Prune on cable/equipment w/ hierarchical level |
When enabled, this option cuts the trace on the first cable or equipment (looking from the end object) with the selected hierarchical level. |
Stop on node w/ hierarchical level |
When enabled, this option cuts the trace on the first node (looking from the start object) with the selected hierarchical level. |
Prune on node w/ hierarchical level |
When enabled, this option cuts the trace on the first node (looking from the end object) with the selected hierarchical level. |
Show connection/chain/service/customer |
The group of columns for connection/chain/service/customer is included in its entirety. |
Align end points to the sides |
Adjust to the side so that all the endpoints end up in the same columns. If there are paths with different lengths in different rows, there will be empty columns "inside" the path. |
Remove empty columns |
Removes empty columns in the report so they are not visible when it is generated. |
Remove unconnected traces |
Removes unconnected traces when the report is generated. |
Remove duplicates |
If fiber has been spliced, the report will adjust to not include double trace result for the fiber. |
The options found in the right part of the window correspond to which columns should be included and visible in the report.
Trace report - submenus
For the submenus in the table below you can follow the steps in section Create a trace report.
Submenu |
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Trace report for fiber |
Trace report for thread/carrier |
Trace report for ODF |
Trace report for active equipment (fiber side) |
Trace report for active equipment (copper side) |
Trace report for active equipment (radio side) |
Trace report for passive equipment |
Trace report for switch |
Trace report for fiber splitter |
Trace report for copper splitter |
Trace report for distribution socket |
Trace report for coax connector |
Trace report for fiber joint |
Trace report for copper joint |
Trace report for duct |
Trace report for patch fiber cable |
Trace report for copper patch wire |
For the submenus in the table below, see the Extra info column for additional information.
Submenu |
Extra info |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trace report for services |
This report assumes that the service has one or more linked connections. If there are more than one connection the report will try to present it as if the connections are parallel, for example as a fibre pair. If the connections are not parallel, the report Trace report for connections below may be a better choice. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with services below, and select Create report > Trace report for services. The Create trace report dialog opens.
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Trace report for services below |
This report assumes that there are one or more services linked as services below to the selected service. If the selected service has a connection, that service will also be presented in the trace, otherwise only the underlying children are shown. The typical use case for this report is a capacity service that stretch from one node to another via several nodes with active equipment. The report will present this as one stretch. Another use case is a FTTH oriented design where the start service represents the uplink of an access switch that has underlying services connecting the customer nodes. In that case the underlying services are presented more as parallel tracks. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with services below, and select Create report > Trace report for services below. The Create trace report dialog opens.
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Trace report for connections below |
This report assumes that connections linked to the service are physically running as a sequence rather than parallel. If the connections are parallel, the report Trace report for service may be a better choice. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with connections below, and select Create report > Trace report for connections below. The Create trace report dialog opens.
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Trace report for service hierarchy above |
This report assumes that there are services (with connections) linked as services above to the start service object. The service above may in itself have service above in several steps. Only one path through the parent hierarchy is presented and you will be presented with all available hierarchy paths. The typical use case for this report is a FTTH oriented design with uplink services linked as services above. The report is started from a service in the lower part of the hierarchy and shows all its uplink services. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with services above, and select Show/change attribute. The attribute form opens. 3.Select the Service hierarchy tab. 4.In section Services below, right-click on a service ID and select Create report > Trace report for service hierarchy above. 5.Select a service hierarchy from the drop-down menu and press OK. The Create trace report dialog opens.
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Vertical trace report See section Vertical trace report below for more information. |
The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Service in the map and select Show/change attribute. The attribute form opens. 2.Select the Related data tab. 3.In the tree, expand a Connection. 4.Right-click on a connector and select Create report > Vertical trace report. The Create trace report dialog opens. 5.Check the desired checkbox options and press OK.
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Vertical trace report for services below |
This report assumes that there are one or more services linked as services below to the selected service. If the selected service has a connection, that service will also be presented in the trace, otherwise only the underlying children are shown. The typical use case for this report is a capacity service that stretch from one node to another via several nodes with active equipment. Another use case is a FTTH oriented design where the start service represents the uplink of an access switch that has underlying services connecting the customer nodes. The report will show each linked service in a separate tab. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with services below, and select Create report > Vertical trace report for services below. The Create trace report dialog opens. 3.Check the desired checkbox options and press OK.
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Vertical trace report for service hierarchy above |
This report assumes that there are services (with connections) linked as services above to the start service object. The service above may in itself have service above in several steps. Only one path through the hierarchy is presented and you will be presented with all available hierarchy paths. The typical use case for this report is a FTTH oriented design with uplink services linked as services above. The report is started from a service in the lower part of the hierarchy and shows all its uplink services. The report will show each linked service in a separate tab. The service object for the report can be found in several ways, this is one example: 1.Right-click on a Distribution node in the map an select Show > Show customer trace data. The Show customer trace data dialog opens. 2.Right-click on a column for service ID for a service with services above, and select Show/change attribute. The attribute form opens. 3.Select the Service hierarchy tab. 4.In section Services below, right-click on a service ID and select Create report > Vertical trace report for service hierarchy above. 5.Select a service hierarchy from the drop-down menu and press OK. 6.Check the desired checkbox options and press OK.
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Trace fiber connections |
1.Right-click on an opto cable and select Show/change attribute. The attribute form opens. 2.Select the Related data tab. 3.In the tree, expand a Fiber. 4.Right-click on a fiber and select Trace fiber connections. The Fiber trace is created.
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Vertical trace report
The vertical trace report is presenting the result of a fiber level trace in a format slightly similar to the connection report. Unlike the connection report, the result in the vertical trace report is presented with “live objects”, which means all of the cells in the report are real objects in the same way as most tables in dpCom.
The input is one or more fiber level objects and if multiple objects are selected, the report assumes that the traces are in parallel, if not, the tool will complain.
For the physical level, the report is in its basic form presented in four columns representing the following levels:
•Node
•Rack
•Equipment, also presenting cables.
•Fiber, presenting fibers and contacts.
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If the option Load ducts and pipes is selected, the node level will also include multiducts and the rack level pipes/ducts/microducts. If a cable is present in more than one pipe or duct, additional lines representing the cable are added for each pipe/duct. |
If more than one object is selected, additional fiber level columns are added. If more than four objects are selected, the report will be repeated with groups of four fiber level columns each.
If connections, services and customers are present in the trace, those are presented in the following columns:
•Node - Customer information
•Rack - Services
•Equipment - Fiber chains
•Fiber - Connections
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With the options Length and dB, additional columns are inserted after column 3, representing the length and the calculated dB values for 1310 and 1550. |
As there is no fully deterministic way of defining a start and an end for a fiber level trace (although the A and B sides of a connection can help with that) the vertical trace report has an option to flip the results so that the trace is represented in the opposite direction if the first order is not the desired one.
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Although there is no deterministic way of defining the start and end for a trace, dpCom is still using internal rules for the order which means that for the same trace the order will always be the same. |
The option Only patches creates a more compact result, basically eliminating cables and splices, just showing equipment involved in patching, the patches and the equipment at the end-points.
When muxed connections rather than connections are used, the result is by default only showing the “active” muxed channels, meaning the channels with a service. The option show Free muxed channels will list all of the muxed channels in the muxed connection.
For three or more fiber level traces (i.e. three or more fiber level columns) the option Compress report can be used. This will only show two fiber level columns, one with the lowest fiber number and one with the highest. In between them a column is showing the number of compressed columns.
A vertical trace report can be started from a service. If the service has more than one linked connection, the connections must be parallel. If they are not parallel, one of the variants Vertical trace report for services below or Vertical trace report for service hierarchy above may be a better choice.
Hierarchical level
Several object types have an attribute called Hierarchical level. This attribute helps describe the purpose of an object, such as whether it is for connecting a customer node or a primary node.
The names and levels are not predefined, they must be entered by an administrator in the Codelist manager tool.
Various tools in dpCom can use this attribute.
Trace report, can use the hierarchical level to limit the trace results. For example, the option can be set to stop at customer connection cables, omitting the last details of the network. Similarly, the report can be configured to stop at a secondary level, meaning a report starting at the customer node will not follow the network all the way up the hierarchies.