Internet Accounting 2 BOF (ACCT2)

Reported by J. Nevil Brownlee/University of Auckland and Cyndi Mills/BBN


Presentations

Cyndi Mills presented background on the generalized accounting model and
architecture as developed by the old Internet Accounting Working Group
(ACCT).

Nevil Brownlee reported on the current status of the Accounting MIB and
user experiences with the implementation of the MIB on various platforms
(e.g., DOS, SunOS, etc.).  The MIB has been in use since October 1993.

Mike Kogut and Shoshana Loeb presented the accounting data collection
and management systems for telco data with attention to the parallels
between it and the working group's accounting model.  They discussed how
Internet accounting data could be integrated into the AMA system for
usage reporting and billing.


Charter for the Accounting 2 Working Group

The meeting included discussion of the goals for the new working group.
The first of these is to complete the old working group's (ACCT) goals,
i.e., publish the Accounting Architecture and Meter Services MIB
documents as RFCs as soon as possible.  New work should include:


   o Extending the internet accounting model to handle application and
     session information, Quality of Service parameters, multicast
     traffic, etc.

   o Integration with access control and authorization, e.g., for
     network access servers.  This will require passing subscriber IDs
     and usage information between accounting domains.

   o File format for accounting data storage.  This would facilitate
     data exchange between accounting and billing systems, e.g., telco
     systems.  An alternative approach would be to produce a
     requirements document for further use of accounting data.


Clarification Requests

The Remote LAN Monitoring Working Group (RMONMIB) is interested in
monitoring traffic flows between pairs of hosts, an activity which is
already covered by the Meter Services MIB. The relationship between RMON
and ACCT2 will need to be discussed.

ACCT2 should not be defining an API for billing applications.  Producing
an accounting file format or a requirements document are better
alternatives.


Conclusions

Thirty-seven people attended the BOF. Discussion was lively and
demonstrated clear support for an Internet Accounting 2 Working Group to
complete the old Internet Accounting Working Group's goals, extend the
Internet accounting model and consider other aspects of accounting and
accountability.

The group will continue to use the ACCT mailing list,
accounting-wg@wugate.wustl.edu.  The group's charter will be developed
on the mailing list and is expected to be complete by 1 June 1994.


Attendees

Mark Allyn               allyn@netcom.com
Kevin Altis              altis@ibeam.intel.com
Cliff Bamford            bamford@netcom.com
Jim Barnes               barnes@xylogics.com
Michael Bringmann        michael@rd.qms.com
Lloyd Brodsky            lbrodsky@rocksolid.com
J. Nevil Brownlee        nevil@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz
Carter Bullard           wcb@cert.org
John Burruss             jburruss@wellfleet.com
David Carrel             carrel@cisco.com
Michael Carroll          br.mjc@rlg.stanford.edu
David Chen               dchen@vnet.ibm.com
Chris Chiotasso          chris@lightstream.com
Paul Ciarfella           ciarfella@took.lkg.dec.com
David Clark              ddc@lcs.mit.edu
Russell Dietz            Russell_Dietz@mcimail.com
Chris Gorsuch            chrisg@lobby.ti.com
John Houlker             j.houlker@waikato.ac.nz
Robin Iddon              robini@cix.compulink.co.uk
Michael Kogut            kogut@cc.bellcore.com
Shoshana Loeb            shoshi@thumper.bellcore.com
J. Scott Marcus          smarcus@bbn.com
Daniel McRobb            dwm@noc.ans.net
Cynthia Mills            cmills@bbn.com
Kim Morla                kmorla@pucp.edu.pe
Robert Natale            natale@acec.com
John Penners             jpenners@advtech.uswest.com
Greg Ruth                gruth@gte.com
Henry Sinnreich          hsinnreich@mcimail.com
Karen Sollins            sollins@lcs.mit.edu
Tim Streater             t.c.streater@dante.org.uk
John Tavs                tavs@vnet.ibm.com
John Vollbrecht          jrv@merit.edu
Dick Wallace             dick@concord.com
Chris Wellens            chrisw@netcom.com
Dan Zerkle               zerkle@cs.ucdavis.edu
Lixia Zhang              lixia@parc.xerox.com