Techniques for accounting for multiple transactions in a transport control protocol (TCP) payload

• US 20070011329A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Albert, Mark, Batz, Robert, Gray, Richard, Tsang, Tzu-Ming, Menditto, Louis, Sutton, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1425 involving dedicated fields in the data packet for billing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Techniques for separately accounting for multiple transactions in the same data packets communicated over a network using Transport Control Protocol (TCP) include receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that includes Transport Control Protocol (TCP) payload data. The TCP payload is parsed to determine boundary data that indicates a byte location on a boundary between a first transaction and a second transaction. A byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP payload associated with the first transaction is determined based on the boundary data. Accounting data for the first transaction is determined based at least in part on the byte count. These techniques allow a service gateway to bill separately for different requests and responses carried in TCP data packets, such as those for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).

Claims

1. A method for separately accounting for multiple transactions in the same data packets communicated over a network using a Transport Control Protocol (TCP), comprising the steps of:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that includes Transport Control Protocol (TCP) payload data,

parsing the TCP payload to determine boundary data that indicates a byte location on a boundary between a first transaction and a second transaction;

determining a first byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP payload associated with the first transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining first accounting data for the first transaction based at least in part on the first byte count.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the IP data packet includes a TCP header that includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the first byte count associated with the first transaction further comprises associating the first transaction with a first sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a second byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP header associated with the second transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining second accounting data for the second transaction based at least in part on the second byte count.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

the IP data packet includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the IP data packet includes size data that indicates a size of the TCP payload; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the size data.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the IP data packet includes header data, different from the payload data, which header data indicates an IP header and a TCP header; and

said step of determining first accounting data further comprises the step of determining the first accounting data based in part on a number of bytes in the header data.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of forming a data structure with two sets of entries for the first transaction, a first direction entry for a first direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP source of the data packet to the IP destination of the data packet and a second direction entry for a second direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP destination of the data packet to the IP source of the data packet.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein each entry of the two sets of entries includes a start field for holding data that indicates a start of a sequence range and an end field for holding data that indicates an end of the sequence range.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of determining the first accounting data further comprising.

determining a first per-byte charge associated with the first transaction;

and

determining the first accounting data based on multiplying the first byte count by the first per-byte charge.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a billing record based on the first accounting data; and

sending the billing record to a process that causes at least one of a party that requested the first transaction and a party that responded to the first transaction to be assessed a charge for the first transaction.

11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for separately accounting for multiple transactions in the same data packets communicated over a network using Transport Control Protocol (TCP), wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that includes Transport Control Protocol (TCP) payload data,

parsing the TCP payload to determine boundary data that indicates a byte location on a boundary between a first transaction and a second transaction payload;

determining a first byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP payload associated with the first transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining first accounting data for the first transaction based at least in part on the first byte count.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the IP data packet includes a TCP header that includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the first byte count associated with the first transaction further comprises associating the first transaction with a first sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions further causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

determining a second byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP header associated with the second transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining second accounting data for the second transaction based at least in part on the second byte count.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein:

the IP data packet includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26, wherein:

the IP data packet includes size data that indicates a size of the TCP payload; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the size data.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein:

the IP data packet includes header data, different from the payload data, which header data indicates an IP header and a TCP header; and

said step of determining first accounting data further comprises the step of determining the first accounting data based in part on a number of bytes in the header data.

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions further causes the one or more processors to perform the step of forming a data structure with two sets of entries for the first transaction, a first direction entry for a first direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP source of the data packet to the IP destination of the data packet and a second direction entry for a second direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP destination of the data packet to the IP source of the data packet.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 29, wherein each entry of the two sets of entries includes a start field for holding data that indicates a start of a sequence range and an end field for holding data that indicates an end of the sequence range.

31. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, said step of determining the first accounting data further comprising.

determining a first per-byte charge associated with the first transaction;

and

determining the first accounting data based on multiplying the first byte count by the first per-byte charge.

32. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions further causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

forming a billing record based on the first accounting data; and

sending the billing record to a process that causes at least one of a party that requested the first transaction and a party that responded to the first transaction to be assessed a charge for the first transaction.

12. An apparatus for separately accounting for multiple transactions in the same data packets communicated over a network using Transport Control Protocol (TCP), comprising:

means for receiving an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that includes Transport Control Protocol (TCP) payload data,

means for parsing the TCP payload to determine boundary data that indicates a byte location on a boundary between a first transaction and a second transaction;

means for determining a first byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP payload associated with the first transaction based on the boundary data; and

means for determining first accounting data for the first transaction based at least in part on the first byte count.

13. An apparatus for separately accounting for multiple transactions in the same data packets communicated over a network using Transport Control Protocol (TCP), comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a packet-switched network for communicating therewith a data packet;

one or more processors;

a computer-readable medium; and

one or more sequences of instructions stored in the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of;

receiving on the interface an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that includes Transport Control Protocol (TCP) payload data,

parsing the TCP payload to determine boundary data that indicates a byte location on a boundary between a first transaction and a second transaction;

determining a first byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP payload associated with the first transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining first accounting data for the first transaction based at least in part on the first byte count.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the IP data packet includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the first byte count associated with the first transaction further comprises associating the first transaction with a first sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors further causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

determining a second byte count that indicates a number of bytes in the TCP header associated with the second transaction based on the boundary data; and

determining second accounting data for the second transaction based at least in part on the second byte count.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the IP data packet includes sequence data that indicates a sequence number for a first byte in the TCP payload among all bytes transported in one or more TCP payloads from an IP source of the data packet to an IP destination of the data packet during one TCP session; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the sequence data and the boundary data.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein:

the IP data packet includes size data that indicates a size of the TCP payload; and

said step of determining the second byte count associated with the second transaction further comprises associating the second transaction with a second sequence range based on the size data.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the IP data packet includes header data, different from the payload data, which header data indicates an IP header and a TCP header; and

said step of determining first accounting data further comprises the step of determining the first accounting data based in part on a number of bytes in the header data.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors further causes the one or more processors to perform the step of forming a data structure with two sets of entries for the first transaction, a first direction entry for a first direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP source of the data packet to the IP destination of the data packet and a second direction entry for a second direction sequence range associated with the first transaction in data packets traveling from the IP destination of the data packet to the IP source of the data packet.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein each entry of the two sets of entries includes a start field for holding data that indicates a start of a sequence range and an end field for holding data that indicates an end of the sequence range.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, said step of determining the first accounting data further comprising.

determining a first per-byte charge associated with the first transaction;

and

determining the first accounting data based on multiplying the first byte count by the first per-byte charge.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions further causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

forming a billing record based on the first accounting data; and

sending the billing record to a process that causes at least one of a party that requested the first transaction and a party that responded to the first transaction to be assessed a charge for the first transaction.

23. A computer-readable medium carrying a plurality of data structures for separately accounting for a corresponding plurality of transactions carried at least in part in the same data packets communicated over a network using Transport Control Protocol (TCP), each data structure comprising:

a client sequence range field that holds data that indicates a range of values in a sequence number field in a TCP header in a first set of one or more data packets received from a client process, which range indicates a particular transaction in a particular TCP session,

a server sequence range field that holds data that indicates a range of values in a sequence number field in a TCP header in a second set of one or more data packets received from a server process in response to the first set, which range indicates the particular transaction in the particular TCP session, and

a counter field for holding data that indicates an amount of network resources associated with the first set and the second set, which data is determined based at least in part on data held in the client sequence range field and the server sequence range field,

wherein at least one of the client range and the server range includes an end point that does not correspond to any boundary of any TCP payload.