Network Connections

A network is a collection of interconnected objects. In Rubicon applications, the network usually represents a water distribution system.

In Rubicon networks, you add the following types of objects to your network using the Network Editor:

• Objects that distribute water such as outlets, regulators and reaches. The connections between these objects control how water can flow through the network.
• Other related objects such as properties, areas and authorisations.

Links and Nodes

In network terminology, the network consists of nodes that represent single points in the network, and links that represent the stretches between two nodes. Objects in your network are therefore classified as node objects or link objects in the host database:

• Node objects contain a single network node. Node objects include outlets which represent end points in the water distribution network.
• Link objects contain two (or more) network nodes. Link objects include regulators and reaches.

Other related objects are also classified as node objects or link objects in the host database depending on how many network nodes they can be associated with. For example, areas and groups are "link objects" because they are collections of many network nodes. Authorisations are "node objects", because they are associated with a single outlet.

Abutments

When you connect two or more network nodes, you create an abutment between the nodes. You can use the Show Abutments tool to confirm that network objects are connected correctly. See Show Abutments Tool for more details.