Device
Switch, router, workstation, server, patch panel, wall jack, or punch down block. Tracks name, type, power, location, and available interfaces.
System design
Simulation model
Everything should read from the same state: cable visuals, LEDs, CLI output, ping behavior, and lesson completion.
Core objects
Endpoint
A port, interface, jack, or punch point. Tracks label, enabled state, link state, VLAN, speed, cable connection, and fault flags.
Connection
A cable or logical link between two endpoints. This is the object that should drive physical cable visibility and link status.
Scenario
A lesson definition with starting states, student objective, hints, and success conditions.
State examples
- Power off means no link lights, no CLI access, and failed connectivity checks.
- A disconnected cable changes the port image, target endpoint, LED, and
show interfaceoutput. - A wrong VLAN can keep link lights green while ping still fails, creating a more advanced troubleshooting lesson.
- A disabled interface can look physically connected but report administratively down in the CLI.
Design rule
Program connections and state transitions first. Let switches, routers, workstations, LEDs, cable art, and CLI commands read that model.