Overview
gaiia supports port configuration for inventory items such as network equipment. You can define which device models have ports, configure how many ports each model has, view and manage the individual ports on any piece of inventory, and record exactly which port a device is connected to when linking upstream or downstream neighbors.
This feature gives operators a structured, consistent way to capture port-level detail across their network.
Key Concepts
| Network Equipment Model | A device model (e.g. Cisco ASR 1001-X) that has been designated as network equipment with ports. Configured in Network > Settings. |
|---|---|
| Port Settings | The template that defines how many ports a model has. Set once per model and inherited by every inventory item of that model. |
| Port | An individual port on a specific inventory item. Each port has a name, a status, and can optionally be linked to another device or a port of another device. |
| Upstream / Downstream Link | A connection between two inventory items. You can now specify which port on each device the connection uses. |
Configuring Port Settings
Port settings are configured at the model level in Settings. Any administrator can do this — you only need to set it up once per model, and it will apply to all existing and future inventory items of that model.
Navigate to Network → Settings in the left-hand sidebar. Inside the Network settings page, select the Port Settings tab.
Network → Setting → Ports
This tab lists all device models, and users can search/filter for the models that do actually have networking ports, and can apply port layouts to them, individually or in bulk. Only models with port layouts applied to them will display port details and diagrams when viewing assigned devices.
- Search for and select the device model(s) you want to configure as having ports — for example, a switch or router model.
- You can also select multiple models at once that share the same port layout and apply layouts in bulk
- Select “Edit port layout” for any selected models, or click the menu next to an individual model to edit
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Specify the number of ports the model has, and (optionally) the number of rows (optional) and Ports per row
- Confirm. The configuration is now applied to that model across all inventory.
Port count is set at the model level. Every inventory item of that model will have the same number and layout of ports. If different units of the same model genuinely have different port counts, treat them as separate models.
Viewing and Managing Ports on Inventory Items
Once a model has been configured in Port Settings, every inventory item of that model will have a Ports tab. This is where you can see and manage the individual ports on a specific device.
Accessing the Ports tab
- Open any object which has an assigned inventory item whose model has been configured with ports.
- e.g. open an Account, which has a port-configured router assigned to it. Or, e.g. a network site with a port-configured switch assigned to it
- Select the Ports tab. You will see a table listing each port on that device.
What you can see in the ports table
Each row in the ports table represents one physical port on the device and shows:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name / Description | A human-readable label for the port (e.g. "Port 1", "GE0/0/1"). |
| Status | The current status of the port (e.g. Active, Inactive, Unknown). |
| Linked Device | If a device has been connected to this port, it appears here as a link to that inventory item. |
Ports are created automatically based on the port count set in Network Settings → Ports. If a model is configured with 24 ports, every inventory item of that model will have 24 port rows ready to use.
Editing a port
Click on any port row to edit its name or status. You can update these at any time — for example, to label a port with its physical location or to mark it as inactive when it is out of service.
Linking a device to a port
To connect another inventory item to a specific port, see below. The Linked Device field in the ports table is populated automatically when a port-aware link is created.
Linking Devices via Specific Ports
When recording upstream or downstream connections between inventory items, you can optionally specify which port on each device the connection uses. This gives you a more complete picture of how devices are physically connected.
How port-aware linking works
When you add or edit an upstream or downstream connection on an inventory item, you will now see optional port fields alongside the device selector:
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Device relationship - This field determines the relationship the currently-viewed device has to the device being linked to it.
- For example, “Upstream” means that the current device is upstream from the Item specified in the “item identifier” for the linked device.
- Source port — the port on the current device that the cable plugs into.
- Target port — the port on the connected device that the cable plugs into.
Both fields are optional. If neither device has been configured with ports, the fields are simply not shown. You can always add port detail later by editing the connection.
Port selection is only available when the relevant device model has been configured in Port Settings. If you do not see the port field, check that the model has been added to the Port Settings tab in Network Equipment Settings.
- Open any object which has an assigned inventory item whose model has been configured with ports.
- e.g. open an Account, which has a port-configured router assigned to it. Or, e.g. a network site with a port-configured switch assigned to it
You can specify a link from either end of the connection. If you configure the upstream device, or the downstream device, both ends of the connection will be configured.
- Navigate to the Linked Devices sub-tab of the Equipment and select Link Devices, or select Link Devices from the equipment’s context menu
- Select the target device.
- If the source or target model has ports configured, a port selector will appear. Choose the appropriate port from the dropdown.
- Confirm. The connection is recorded, and the Ports tab on both devices will reflect the linked device on the relevant port row.
Viewing connections with port details
Once a port-aware connection has been saved, you can see it in two places:
- On the Equipment's Linked Devices section — the specific port is shown alongside the connected device name.
- On the Equipment's Ports tab — the Linked Device column shows which device is connected to each port.
Future Ports Improvements
The following capabilities are planned but not yet available in this release:
- Custom fields on ports — the ability to define additional data fields (beyond the default ID, Name, Status, and Linked Device) that appear on every port for a given model.
- Network Ports NMS Integrations — for 3rd-party port data source-of-truth.
- A "Has Ports" toggle during model or category creation — a shortcut to flag new models as port-enabled without needing to visit Port Settings afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to do anything to existing inventory after configuring Port Settings?
No. Once you add a model to the Port Settings tab, all existing inventory items of that model will automatically have their Ports tab populated. No manual migration is required.
Can I configure port settings at the category level instead of per model?
Category-level port configuration is planned but not yet available. Currently, you need to add each model individually to the Port Settings tab.
What are the default fields on each port?
Every port includes an ID, a Name/Description, a Status, and a Linked Device field. Custom fields (for model-specific attributes) are coming in a future release.
Can a port be connected to more than one device?
No. A port can only be linked to a single device at a time, reflecting the physical state that a port (generally) has one connection. If a port is connected to a splitter, for example, the intent is for that splitter to be represented as an inventory item (or ignored for topology-mapping purposes).
We understand that splitters or other non-managed devices in physical infrastructure topology may not be ideal to include in virtual infrastructure, and we intend to add improvements to enable distinguishing between virtual and physical topology layers to improve the clarity of this distinction.
Is the port information included in inventory exports?
Port data is available via the gaiia API. Export support for ports in standard CSV inventory exports is on the roadmap — check with your account team for the latest status.
What if I reduce the port count on a model?
Reducing the port count in Port Settings will remove the highest-numbered ports from inventory items of that model. If those ports have linked devices or stored data, that information will be lost. We recommend caution when reducing port counts on live models.
If you have feedback on this feature or want to request prioritization of upcoming improvements, please reach out to your gaiia account team or visit support.gaiia.com.