A Price Communication Protocol for a Multi-Service Internet
Key: HDKS01-1
Author: Oliver Heckmann, Vasilios Darlagiannis, Martin Karsten, Ralf Steinmetz
Date: September 2001
Kind: In proceedings
Book title: Informatik 2001 - Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft in der Network Economy - Visionen und Wirklichkeit (GI/OCG 2001)
Abstract: In this paper we present a very flexible and efficient protocol for distributing price information inside an ISP’s management system and to its customers. It designed to work with multiple QoS architectures, for example Intserv and Diffserv. This protocol was developed as part of a multi-service Internet service provider’s architecture. It supports dynamic pricing and can be used with a number of different transport mechanisms, e.g. embedding tariff messages as policy objects in RSVP messages. As tariffs can get very complex, it is possible but not necessary to send tariffs as Java code. We also discuss the problem a provider’s charging and accounting system has with frequent tariff updates and how they can be solved. The paper also contains clear definitions of tariff and related terms.

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