Interface & Port Naming

Standardize how you reference interfaces across documentation.

Every network vendor names interfaces differently: Cisco IOS uses G1/0/1, Juniper Junos uses et-0/0/0, and NX-OS and AOS-CX use Eth1/1. When you document a network spanning multiple vendors, record the vendor-native identifier and add a human-readable description for what the interface connects to.

The conventions below standardize both the identifiers and the description format, so a documentation entry like "Uplink to core-01" is always understood the same way.

ExamplePatternNotes
G1/0/1<type><slot>/<port>Cisco IOS-style shorthand
et-0/0/0<media>-<fpc>/<pic>/<port>Juniper Junos convention
Eth1/1Ethernet<slot>/<port>NX-OS / AOS-CX style
Uplink to core-01<direction> to <peer>Human-readable description format

More Reference

Explore the other reference in the toolkit.

RFC 1918 Private IP Ranges
RFC 1918 defines the private IPv4 ranges 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. See each range, host count, and common use.
Common TCP & UDP Ports
Reference list of common TCP and UDP ports: SSH, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, NTP, DHCP, SNMP, RDP, and more, with protocols and descriptions.
Fiber Connector Types
Reference guide to fiber optic connector types: LC, SC, ST, FC, MPO/MTP, and E2000 with polish, return loss, and typical use.
Ethernet Standards (IEEE 802.3)
Reference table of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standards: 1000BASE-T, 10GBASE-T, 10GBASE-SR/LR, 25G, 40G, 100G, and 400G with media and distances.
RFC References for Network Engineers
Quick reference list of the essential networking RFCs every infrastructure engineer should know, from RFC 1918 to BGP, DHCP, DNS, and NTP.
Reserved & Special-Use IP Addresses
Reference table of special-use IPv4 ranges: loopback, link-local (APIPA), CGNAT, TEST-NET documentation ranges, multicast, and broadcast.
Cable Color Codes (TIA-606)
TIA-606 cable color codes for structured cabling: blue for horizontal cabling, orange for demarcation, purple for common equipment, and more.
Transceiver Form Factors
Reference table of optical transceiver form factors: SFP, SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, QSFP28, QSFP-DD, CFP2, XFP, and CXP with speeds and distances.
WiFi Standards (IEEE 802.11)
Reference table of WiFi standards: 802.11b through 802.11be (Wi-Fi 1 to Wi-Fi 7) with maximum speeds, frequencies, and release years.
Power Connectors & Receptacles
Reference table of data center power connectors: NEMA 5-15P, L6-30P, IEC C13/C14, C19/C20, IEC 60309, Schuko, and BS 1363 with amp and voltage ratings.
Device Naming Conventions
Standard network device naming convention: use a <site>-<role>-<number> pattern. See examples for switches, firewalls, servers, and stack members.
VLAN & Subnet Naming
Best practices for VLAN naming: descriptive names like SRV-PROD and GUEST-WIFI paired with documented VLAN IDs and subnets.