Design considerations for usage accounting and feedback in internetworks

Abstract

This paper investigates the design of resource usage feedback mechanisms for packet switched internetworks. After a discussion of the motivations for feedback mechanisms, feedback channels and policies are described. We then outline issues raised by the design of mechanisms to realize these policies, including: network service disciplines, accounting granularity, metrics, authentication, and coordination among transit carriers.Usage-based charging is only one means of feedback. Our purpose is to begin a systematic discussion of the technical issues associated with a range of usage feedback alternatives. Therefore the paper should not be read as a policy statement promoting usage sensitive charging in internets. In fact, one of the goals of the feedback mechanisms explored in this paper is to allow network service providers and users to avoid the introduction of usage sensitive charges if they so wish; while still realizing the benefits of statistical resource sharing offered by packet switching and the benefits of efficient resource utilization offered by usage feedback.