Allow pluggables (SFP, QSFP, ...) in front- and rear- ports

[netixx]

I opened issue #9400 but I am not sure I understand the answer.

Our teams needs to be able to use the front/rear-port logic (i.e. the binding between the two that allow end-to-end visibility on a path) but at the same time, we need to specify the interface type (so that we know what type of connectivity is provided (100G, 400G...).

Why would this be a bad idea ?

Code wise, it would only require to add a few lines in this class:

netbox/netbox/dcim/choices.py

Line 1010 in 1729232

class PortTypeChoices(ChoiceSet):

[Kludge-As-A-Service]

Not responding directly to your feature request, but if your need is end-to-end circuit visibility when passing through 2 interfaces on a device, wouldn't a bridge do the trick?

Multiple interfaces can be bridged to a single virtual interface to effect a bridge group. Alternatively, two physical interfaces can be bridged to one another, to effect an internal cross-connect.

https://docs.netbox.dev/en/stable/release-notes/version-3.1/#interface-bridging-6346

[netixx]

Bridge could solve the issue for one-to-one binding (even if it doesn't necessarily model what is going on).

In my case however, we need one-to-many associations, i.e. bind 4 "client" interfaces to 1 "network" interface in a unidirectional manner (the 4 client interfaces cannot see each other). This is the same as DWDM optical multiplexing (which is usually done through passive filters, which present LC front-ports and a LC rear-port), but in this case, we have active modules doing TDM (that could be modeled using QSFP front-ports and QSFP rear-port).

[DanSheps]

You need to wait until 3.3 which updates the cable module a bit to allow for duplex (and other types) of connections.

[netixx]

Looking forward to this!
At the moment, we planned to use map the client ports as front-ports and bind them to the same rear port using an id (multiplex 4 front-ports to one rear-ports). This is actually a pretty good model of what is happening (except we cannot put the correct types for the interfaces).

[matejv]

If you click on a front or rear port there is an option to "Add inventory item" (see here for example). Inventory items in netbox are meant to hold information about SFP pluggables and other filed replaceable modules. See documentation on inventory items for more info.

[netixx]

I wasn't super familiar with binding inventory items to interfaces/front-ports/rear-ports. I guess this could circumvent the issue of storing the information about which pluggable is installed.

However, I would still get a wrong port type displayed in this view: https://demo.netbox.dev/dcim/devices/88/front-ports/ (and I would have to dig into the front-port detailed view to get the information I need).

In my opinion, having QSFP port type would be the better option (and we would use inventory items to store details about the pluggable, eg. serial numbers or part numbers).

[AiYoriAoshi]

I second @netixx opinion here.

As I am totally new to netbox maybe I am modelling it wrong but this DWDM Box has 1 LC Port as Line which I modeled as Rear Port and 12 QSFP28 Slots which I modeled as Front Ports since I want to be able to trace the connection through the device, as it's not an end device.

I couldn't find any way to link an Interface to a rear port because that's not what an Interface is supposed to be. Interface is a termination port for a link. Sure, the data will take another interface continue but that's not netbox's business.

But for DWD that slot is not a termination, so it cannot be an Interface. That leaves only the Front Port - Rear Port way and therefore we need to be able to set to a slot type.