[ANCP] ANCP Accounting

["OOGHE Sven" <Sven.Ooghe at alcatel-lucent.be>]

Hi,

Based on the discussion on the list, I have prepared the following text
proposal concerning multicast accounting. If nobody objects, I will use
the text below to update the text in section 3.4.3 in the ANCP
Framework. I will also add the corresponding requirements in section 4.2
(ANCP), 4.7.6 (Access Node) and 4.8.6 (NAS).

Regards,
Sven

---

<< Section 3.4.3 >>

3.4.3.  Multicast Accounting

   It may be desirable to perform time and/or volume based accounting
   for certain multicast flows sent on particular Access Ports.  In case
   the AN is performing the traffic replication process, it knows when
   replication of a multicast flow to a particular Access Port or user
   start and stops.  Multicast accounting can be addressed in two ways:

   o  The AN keeps track of when replication for a given multicast flow
      starts or ends on a specified Access Port, and generates time
      and/or volume based accounting information per Access Port and per
      multicast flow, before sending it to a central accounting system
      for logging.  Given that the AN communicates with the accounting
      system directly, the approach doesn't require the use of ANCP.  It
      is therefore beyond the scope of this document;

   o  The AN keeps track of when replication for a given multicast flow
      starts or ends on a specified Access Port, and reports this
      information to the NAS for further processing.  In this case, ANCP
      can be used to send the information from the AN to the NAS.  This
      will be discussed in the remainder of this document.

   The Access Node can send multicast accounting information to the NAS
   using the Information Report message.  A distinction can be made
   between two cases:

   o  Basic accounting: the Access Node informs the NAS whenever
      replication starts or ends for a given multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port;

   o  Detailed accounting: the Access Node not only informs the NAS when
      replication starts or ends, but also informs the NAS about the
      multicast traffic volume replicated on the Access Port for that
      multicast flow.  This is done by adding a byte count in the
      Information Report message which is sent to the NAS when
      replication ends.

   Upon receiving the Information Report messages, the NAS generates the
   appropriate time and/or volume accounting information per Access Loop
   and per multicast flow, to be sent to the accounting system.

   The NAS should inform the Access Node about the type of accounting is
   needed for a given multicast flow on a particular Access Port:

   o  No reporting messages need to be sent to the NAS

   o  Basic accounting is required

   o  Detailed accounting is required

   The actual type of accounting should be negotiated between the Access
   Node and the NAS during the establishment of the Adjacency.

   In case of very fast channel changes, the amount of Information
   Report messages to be sent to the NAS could become high.  In order to
   reduce the number of messages, the AN can consolidate multiple sets
   of accounting information inside a single Information Report message.

   The ANCP requirements to support this use case are specified below in
   this document.

<< Section 4.2 >>

   o  The ANCP MUST allow the AN to send an Information Report message
      to the NAS whenever replication of a multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port start or ends.

   o  The ANCP MUST allow the AN to send an Information Report message
      to the NAS indicating the multicast traffic volume that has been
      replicated on that port.

   o  The ANCP MUST allow the AN and the NAS to agree on the type of
      multicast accounting that can be used (time and/or volume based);
      this is part of the Capability Negotiation procedure.

   o  The ANCP MUST allow the NAS to indicate to the AN whether or not
      multicast accounting is needed for a multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port.

   o  In case multicast accounting is needed for a multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port, the ANCP MUST allow the NAS to indicate to
      the AN whether or not additional volume accounting information is
      required.

   o  The ANCP MUST support indicating the type of accounting in the
      Control Request message for entries in the White list, and in the
      Admission Response message for entries in the Grey list.

<< Section 4.7.6 >>

   o  The AN must support using ANCP to send an Information Report
      message to the NAS whenever replication starts or ends.

   o  The AN should support using ANCP to send an Information Report
      message to the NAS indicating the multicast traffic volume that
      has been replicated on that port.

<< Section 4.8.6 >>

   o  The NAS must support using ANCP to indicate to the AN whether or
      not multicast accounting is needed for a multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port.

   o  In case multicast accounting is needed for a multicast flow on a
      particular Access Port, the NAS should support using ANCP to
      indicate to the AN whether or not additional volume accounting
      information is required.


---

Sven Ooghe
Alcatel-Lucent
CTO Office, Access Division
Copernicuslaan 50, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
tel.: +32 3 240 42 26
fax: +32 3 240 40 73

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