NetStork 13, even bigger freedom of work with your telecommunications network

Users of the 13th release of the NetStork telecommunications network inventory system can take advantage of several improvements streamlining their work. The option for connecting multiple databases to NetStork and creating sub-schematics for couplers are just some of the enhancements. Take a minute to find out more about the biggest changes to NetStork.

1. Cooperation with multiple databases and a simplified configuration

You can now connect multiple databases to the program. You can select a database at the application startup or through the following path: File -> Connect to Database. You can easily configure databases in the login window and no longer need to make any changes to the configuration file.

Choosing a database at the application startup

One row of the table represents the configuration of a single database. In addition, you can change the order of the databases in the drop-down list using the toolbar arrows. The default database is always the one in the first row of the table.

2. Preview of the current printout area

In NetStork it is now possible to preview the area of the map that is to be printed. The rectangle representing the page can be moved freely on the map using drag&drop, which allows you to precisely adjust the part of the map that you want to print out.

You can customize the style of the way the page is highlight using style configuration.

3. Editor configuration and data model configuration, grouping attributes into drop-down sections

In the latest release of NetStork, we have added an editor configuration window. As a result, you can now customize object editors without having to modify the configuration files.

In the editor configuration window, we can:

• Change the list of visible fields for individual objects
• Change the order of fields and group them into drop-down lists (new feature in version 13!)
• Configure table parameters such as availability on a data report or in the quick search
• Configure parameters of individual fields such as: required or not required field, editability, auto-numbering, visibility on the report, visibility in search, visibility in the web application, and label position and width

Drop-down lists allow you to group fields and collapse and expand them. This way you can focus on the fields that are the most relevant at the moment.

4. Easier selection of objects for group editing

For greater convenience and speed of work in NetStork, the functionality of group editing of data, available from the Objects panel, has been improved with new capabilities for adding objects to the work set.

The first improvement allows you to quickly select a range of objects. This complements the already familiar function of selecting objects through contouring. In the range selection mode, the objects are also automatically selected in the Objects tab. So, you can immediately perform any group operation on them.

Editing a set of objects

The second extension is for adding objects directly from schematics (e.g., from optical schemas). A new option is used for this purpose: Add selected objects from a schematic

With it, you can add all the selected objects in the diagram to the Objects tab.

5. New objects selecting mode on the optical schematic diagram

For greater convenience of work, we have expanded the possibilities related to making selections in the schematics.

Range selection (selection of multiple elements at the same time) on optical schematics is now possible in two modes:

6. Creating optical sub-schemas

It can be cumbersome to work with large and complex optical schematics, modeling connections in exchanges and major fiber switches. Such diagrams contain cables and ODFs, often with hundreds of fibers and ports. Due to the large area of the diagram, its view had to be zoomed in and out repeatedly or partially hidden in order to see a particular detail.

To remedy this problem, we introduced the possibility of creating optical sub-schemas. Thus, it is now possible to divide a large schematic into several smaller sub-schemas containing a subset of elements and connections.

The sub-schema can be created visually in two ways:

• By creating a new empty sub-schema, to which the required elements are added
• By copying the current schematic and removing unnecessary elements

When adding or removing elements, the connections between them are also added or removed automatically.

You can switch between schemas using the drop-down list available in the toolbar. In the list, in addition to the sub-schemas, the main schematic containing all elements is always available.

Optical sub-schemas

7. Visualizing connections when objects are collapsed

In version 13 of NetStork, we have changed the way fiber connections are presented in optical diagrams, so that even when the objects are “collapsed” – the connections are still visualized. Now, when one side is collapsed – the connections converge in one point. On the other hand, when two sides are collapsed and not all fibers are connected – then the connection is shown as a dashed line.

The dashed line in the optical diagram means that not all fibers are connected

8. New way of displaying texts on the map

Changing the position of the text on the map is now even more convenient. Now, in edit mode, a preview of the text is drawn (in gray) – it shows where exactly the inscription will be placed. The preview is also visible when moving the anchor point using drag&drop:

9. Layers in the NetStork WEB application

We have extended the NetStork WEB application with the function of enabling and disabling map layers, just as in the Desktop application. Layers can be shared with the Desktop application or configured individually for the WEB application.

Layers in NetStork WEB

10. Other improvements to NetStork 13

Would you like to learn more about the NetStork inventory system? Contact us! 

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