Domain networks are the first architectural piece used to organize the utility network. They allow you to model large, logically separate sections of your system.
When you create a traditional domain network, you define two properties: tier definition and subnetwork controller type. These properties allow you to control the organization of tiers and tier groups and influence how resources flow for that portion of your network.
Learn more about the feature classes and schema associated with a traditional domain network
Tier definition
A tier definition controls the organization of tiers relative to the rest of the tiers in a traditional domain network (either a collection of partitioned, successive tiers or a hierarchy of nested tiers). A tier definition also controls whether you can model tier groups. To learn more, see Tiers.
Systems with a hierarchical, nested topology—such as pressure networks (gas, water, and sewage)—are recommended to be built using one domain network to model all assets inside the system, aside from structures. In a traditional domain network, tier groups and tiers are used to organize the domain network based on properties such as pressure, geography, and ownership.
Partitioned systems connected in series—for example, electric networks—are recommended to be modeled using one domain network per sector, such as one for transmission and one for distribution.
Subnetwork controller type
Traditional domain networks make use of subnetworks and the subnetwork controller type. The subnetwork controller type determines whether the default flow direction of a tier is source or sink based. That is, whether resources flow away from a source, or toward a sink when not tracing using digitized direction. Subnetworks in the tiers of a traditional domain network are all either source or sink based, never a combination. This type of model could be used for utilities that own both gravity (sink) and pressure (source) systems. To learn more, see Subnetworks.