Creating Network Flow Diagram using QGIS

Question

I have a Telecom cable network in Geopackage format.

How do I create a Network flow diagram from which to represent the relationship between Fiber distribution hub to Network access point?

Answer 1

Basically what you are after is a Network Schematic diagram tool.

Unfortunately I don't think this is available inside of QGIS, i did find this link, which looks like someone built something themselves.

Is there a QGIS alternative for ArcGIS Schematics?

Unfortunately, it looks like your answer may lie in using alternative software, you could maybe try the Software Recommendations stackexchange forum?

You could try and do this yourself in QGIS. Depends how game you are! You would need:

1. A new coordinate system to represent a flat non-geographic world.
2. New geometries on each record that can dynamically exist in this world.
3. Maintain the network connectivity relationships on those records in the database.

A way to do item number 3 could be to store the relationships in your database as simple table relations (ie: non-geometric relationships). Then, when you have your new geometry fields and the populated relationships, you would have to write some automated drawing tool, based on a positional hierarchy and then use those relationships. Tough going!

Personally in my opinion, not worth the effort for a small network which you could just manually draw - And for a larger network you would be better off using a commercial network communications asset management software solution.

Answer 2

In my opinion, you should start with the telecom project you are working on. Next, for sure you will find the layers you need to include in your network flow schematic. You can follow the steps:

1. Merge layers with the same geometry - assuming that you need cables (lines) and the infrastructure (point layers), but everything appears separately. It can be merged in QGIS by Vector - Data Management Tool - Merge layers
2. Style your layers - add proper shapes, coloration, and obviously the labeling
3. Use the Vector -> Geometry tools -> Simplify when your linear layer is not straight enough
4. Edit your layer by using the Snipping toolbar -> Topology editing - in the case when you want to tweak your fibre schematic more
5. Export it as PDF (optionally).

Admittedly I would advise you to fetch the essential layers from the project you are working on and transfer them to the other project in order to make your QGIS run quicker.

The analog steps were presented i.e. here

https://qgis.org/en/site/about/case_studies/poland_ffth.html

and described step by step here:

https://www.mkrgeo-blog.com/making-fibre-fttx-schematics-in-qgis/

but if i could place some disclaimer here; this is just an example of how you can manage with creating the fibre schematics by using QGIS.

Answer 3

Sketching out a possible solution:

Geopackage is a data format (essentially a compressed archive) that contains amongst other things a SQLite database. Your company probably has a specialist software product available to create the network diagram. You could then try to extract the output you need from the SQLite-DB of the geopackage in a format that the network diagram drawing software can read as input. Exactly how you do that is dependent on the network diagram software.