Modeling data network connections in GLPI (Cable management feature)

[C-Duv]

(Message originally posted to glpi-project/glpi#10720 -where constructive discussion was already present- but was abruptly deleted by @glpi-project without explanation nor notice)

As of today (may 2026) GLPI v11.0.7 does not support modeling the data network connections that uses network outlets (the wall RJ45 sockets/jack -"prise" in French- usually connected to another socket/jack in a patch panel in network room/closet/rack):

• A way to connect a computer to a switch:

  architecture-beta
      group office_hq[Office HQ]
      group server_room[Server Room] in office_hq
      group accounting_room[Accounting Room] in office_hq
  
      service switch_1_port_18(server)["Switch 1 (NetworkPort 18)"] in server_room
      service patchpanel_a_slot_21(server)["Patch Panel A (Socket 21)"] in server_room
      service networkoutlet_21(server)["Network outlet 21"] in accounting_room
      service computer_accounting_nic_eth0(server)["Computer accounting (NetworkPort eth0)"] in accounting_room
  
      switch_1_port_18:R -- L:patchpanel_a_slot_21
  
      patchpanel_a_slot_21:R -- L:networkoutlet_21
      networkoutlet_21:R -- L:computer_accounting_nic_eth0
  

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• A way to directly connect a camera to a NVR appliance without using a switch (which would require a VLAN for isolation):

  architecture-beta
      group office_hq[Office HQ]
      group server_room[Server Room] in office_hq
      group hallway[Hallway] in office_hq
      group security_room[Security Room] in office_hq
  
      service patchpanel_a_slot_8(server)["Patch Panel A (Socket 8)"] in server_room
      service patchpanel_a_slot_9(server)["Patch Panel A (Socket 9)"] in server_room
  
      service networkoutlet_8(server)["Network outlet 8"] in security_room
      service networkoutlet_9(server)["Network outlet 9"] in hallway
  
      service camera_3_port_LAN(server)["Camera 3 (NetworkPort LAN)"] in hallway
      service computer_nvr_nic_eth2(server)["Computer NVR (NetworkPort eth2)"] in security_room
  
      patchpanel_a_slot_8:B -- T:patchpanel_a_slot_9
  
      patchpanel_a_slot_8:R -- L:networkoutlet_8
      patchpanel_a_slot_9:R -- L:networkoutlet_9
  
      networkoutlet_8:R -- L:computer_nvr_nic_eth2
      networkoutlet_9:R -- L:camera_3_port_LAN
  

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• A way to directly connect 2 switchs located in difference server rooms without using a patch panel in each one:

  architecture-beta
      group office_hq[Office HQ]
      group server_room2[Server Room 2] in office_hq
      group server_room1[Server Room 1] in office_hq
  
      service switch_1_port_48(server)["Switch 1 (NetworkPort 48)"] in server_room1
      service switch_9_port_47(server)["Switch 9 (NetworkPort 47)"] in server_room2
  
      service networkoutlet_r1r2(server)["Network outlet Room1⟷Room2"] in server_room1
      service networkoutlet_r2r1(server)["Network outlet Room2⟷Room1"] in server_room2
  
      switch_1_port_48:R -- L:networkoutlet_r1r2
      switch_9_port_47:R -- L:networkoutlet_r2r1
  
      networkoutlet_r1r2:R -- R:networkoutlet_r2r1
  

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(Non-exhaustive list)

Where:

• Switch, Camera and Computer can be replaced by any GLPI Asset having the "Network port" capacity (such as Computer, Monitor, Networks device, Peripheral, Printer, Phone, Enclosure or PDU)

It can do:

• NetworkEquipement (firewall, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (router, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Computer
• NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Phone (located in "Accounting room")
  ↕
  Computer (located in "Accounting room")

(Network ports omitted here for clarity)

But that's without the information about which network outlet are being crossed, loosing the following information:

• Their friendly name
• Their location
• Their type
• Their comments (about whether they are in the floor, wall, ceiling or hidden behind a dropped ceiling ^^)
• Their ITIL tickets

Which would be:

• NetworkEquipement (firewall, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (router, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Socket "A12" (type "optical", belonging to patch panel "A" at position "12" located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Socket "A12" (type optical, located in "Accounting room", on the wall)
  ↕
  Computer (network port "fc1")
• NetworkEquipement (switch, located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Socket "B34" (type "RJ45", belonging to patch panel "B" at position "34" located in "Server room")
  ↕
  Socket "B34" (type RJ45, located in "Accounting room", on the wall)
  ↕
  Phone (located in "Accounting room")
  ↕
  Computer (located in "Accounting room")

I'm pretty sure those a desired feature and I could not find Issue/Discussion/Epic/Forum thread following the progress on this.

[C-Duv]

About Cable and Socket features:

I know it supports generic "Socket" that allows USB, HDMI/DisplayPort/VGA, RS-232, etc. and it's great, but the Cables assets (/front/cable.form.php) and their associated socket not supporting Network ports is an issue.

Here my "computer1" has a Network port:

But I can't select it as and endpoint of a cable:

But, even if I could, would I really want to manually create a cable asset for each connection between a wall network outlet/patch panel's jack and a computer/phone/switch/etc.?

---

About "Network socket" in the "Network port" capability:

There is a "Network socket" in the computer's Network port details: maybe I can use it to store the network outlet each asset is plugged to?

Here I'm selecting "29" to model the fact this network interface's physical socket is plugged to network outlet "29":

This will make the Socket appear in "Sockets" tab of the computer:

But I also do need to know what's connected to the other end(point) of the network outlet, so I guess I can also set it on switch's Network port side:

This will make the Socket appear in "Sockets" tab of the switch, but it also removes it from computer's.