Lightweight policing and charging for packet networks

The paper suggests that a multi-service packet network might be achieved by adding classification and scheduling to routers, but not policing. Instead, a lightweight, packet-granularity charging system is presented that emulates a highly open policing function and is completely separated from the data path. A high proportion of charging operations runs on customer systems to achieve this, the proportion being configurable per-customer. Functions dispersible to customers include not only metering, accounting and billing but also per-packet or per-flow policing and admission control. Lower cost is achieved through simplicity without sacrificing commercial flexibility or security, Inter-provider charging, multicast charging and open bundling of network charges with those for higher class services are all catered for within the same simple design. The paper is primarily architectural, referring to supporting papers for reports of early implementation experience in an Internet context