Links¶
A link connects two nodes and visualizes the traffic between them. Each link has two sides — A and Z — so it can show bidirectional flow (A → Z outbound, Z → A inbound).
Open Panel options → Links, select a link from the dropdown, or click Add Link.
A / Z sides and endpoints¶
- A Side / Z Side — the two nodes the link connects.
- Each side has its own query, bandwidth, anchor, and labels, so inbound and outbound can be independent.
Anchor Point controls where the link attaches to a node (Center, Top, Bottom, Left, Right) — useful for routing links cleanly around a busy map.
Queries and bandwidth¶
For each side:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Side Query | The series whose value drives this side's color/label (e.g. bits sent). |
| Bandwidth # | A fixed capacity (e.g. 20000000000 for 20 Gbps) so utilization can show as a percentage. |
| Bandwidth Query | Use a series for capacity instead of a fixed number (e.g. interface speed). |
With bandwidth set, the tooltip and coloring can express throughput % (current ÷ bandwidth), which is how the color scale bands are matched by default.
Units and decimals¶
- Link Units — a per-link unit formatter (bps, Bps, packets/s, …). Falls back to the panel's Default Link Units.
- Link Value Decimal Places (panel option) — fixes the number of decimals on all link labels; leave blank for automatic precision.
Labels and label offset¶
- Label Offset — slide the value text along the link (0–100%). Handy when two labels overlap.
- Port Label — a per-side interface name (e.g.
ge-0/0/1) rendered next to the link at 25% from each endpoint, rotated to follow the line.
Direction labels (inbound / outbound)¶
By default the tooltip labels values as generic Inbound / Outbound. Set an explicit Direction Label per side (e.g. TX-UPLINK, RX-DOWNLINK, To WAN) and the tooltip uses your wording instead — removing the implicit A/Z ambiguity. Because each value is labeled by its own side, the naming stays correct no matter which side you hover.
Leave the fields blank to keep the classic Inbound/Outbound behavior.
Arrow meeting point¶
The two directional arrows meet at the midpoint of a link by default. Use the Arrow Meeting Point (%) slider (Link Options) to shift where they meet — lower values move the junction toward the A side, higher toward Z. Great for asymmetric links and for maps that use VIAs.
Parallel links (link offset)¶
To draw multiple links between the same two nodes without overlap, set a different Link Offset (parallel links) on each. The offset shifts the line perpendicular to its A→Z direction; arrows, labels, and coloring all follow the offset line. Zero (default) keeps the straight line.
Link status (up / down)¶
Give a link a Status Query so it can render as down:
- When the status value is
0or absent, the link uses a configurable down color and a dashed stroke. - Optional blink animation draws attention to down links.
- While down, status rendering overrides gradient/flow-animation.
Tooltip extra metrics¶
Add extra rows to the link's hover tooltip (errors, discards, drops, latency, …). In the link's Tooltip Extra Metrics section, Add Metric with a Label, an optional Inbound Query and Outbound Query, and a Units formatter. These rows use your direction labels when set.
Stroke and arrows¶
Under Stroke and Arrow:
- Link Stroke Width — line thickness.
- Arrow Width / Height / Offset — arrow geometry.
- (Panel-level) Dynamic Stroke can scale stroke width with utilization, and Flow Animation can animate dashes in the direction of flow.
VIAs (waypoints)¶
A VIA is an intermediate bend point on a link — useful to route a link around obstacles or to represent a multi-hop path. VIAs use lightweight connection nodes under the hood.
Edit a VIA directly on the canvas (edit mode):
- Add — double-click a link. A VIA is inserted at the link midpoint (the link splits into A→C and C→Z, preserving each side's query data).
- Move — drag the VIA like any node.
- Delete — right-click the VIA; the two segments merge back into one link.
See Interactions & Editing for the full gesture reference.