Fiber Cable Types¶

A FiberCableType is the blueprint that defines a cable product's physical construction, fiber specification, and internal component layout. It is the "type" side of the Type/Instance pattern -- you define a FiberCableType once for each distinct cable product, then create any number of FiberCable instances from it.

Fields Reference¶

Creating a Fiber Cable Type¶

Follow these steps to define a new cable type through the NetBox UI.

1. Navigate to the form. Open FMS > Fiber Cable Types in the navigation menu, then click Add.

2. Select a manufacturer. Choose the cable manufacturer from the dropdown. If the manufacturer does not exist yet, create it first under Devices > Manufacturers in core NetBox.

3. Enter the model name. Type the manufacturer's model or product designation. The combination of manufacturer and model must be unique.

4. Choose the construction type. Select the construction that matches the cable's physical design:

5. Loose Tube -- tubes containing individual loose fibers.
6. Tight Buffer -- fibers individually coated, no tubes.
7. Ribbon -- central-core ribbon with no tube structure.
8. Ribbon-in-Tube -- ribbons housed inside buffer tubes.
9. Micro Cable -- small-diameter designs for microduct.
10. Blown Fiber -- fiber units designed for air-blown installation.

For a detailed explanation of how each construction case affects component instantiation, see Four Construction Cases.

1. Set fiber type and strand count. Select the fiber specification (e.g., SMF OS2 for standard single-mode outdoor plant) and enter the total number of fiber strands in the cable.

2. Fill in optional fields. Set sheath material, jacket color, armor, deployment type, and fire rating as needed for your cable product.

3. Save. Click Create to save the FiberCableType. You can now add component templates to define the cable's internal structure.

Adding Buffer Tube Templates¶

Buffer tube templates define the tubes inside a loose-tube or ribbon-in-tube cable. Each template specifies one tube; create as many as the cable contains.

To add a buffer tube template, open a FiberCableType's detail page and use the Buffer Tube Templates panel.

A tube template cannot have both a fiber_count and child ribbon templates. Choose one or the other depending on the construction style.

Adding Ribbon Templates¶

Ribbon templates define fiber ribbons. A ribbon template can be attached in two ways, corresponding to the two ribbon construction cases:

• Ribbon-in-Tube: Attach the ribbon template to a BufferTubeTemplate. The tube's fiber_count must be blank. Each ribbon defines a group of fibers housed inside that tube.

• Central-Core Ribbon: Attach the ribbon template directly to the FiberCableType (leave the buffer tube template field blank). This models cables where ribbons are stacked in the cable core with no tube structure.

Adding Cable Element Templates¶

Cable element templates define non-fiber components inside the cable. These are informational -- they do not affect fiber strand instantiation but help document the complete cable construction.

Bulk Import¶

Fiber cable types can be imported in bulk via CSV from the list view. Navigate to FMS > Fiber Cable Types, then click the Import button in the toolbar. The CSV must include all required fields (manufacturer, model, construction, fiber_type, strand_count) and may include any optional fields.

Component templates (buffer tubes, ribbons, cable elements) must be added after the cable type records are imported, either through the UI or via the REST API.

Related Topics¶

• Core Concepts -- Type/Instance pattern and the four construction cases explained in detail.
• Choices Reference -- Complete list of all valid values for construction, fiber type, sheath material, armor type, deployment, and fire rating fields.
• Fiber Cables -- Creating cable instances from a FiberCableType.