(PM) Re: Caller-ID with tcp-clear sessions

Christopher Masto (chris@netmonger.net)
Tue, 23 Mar 1999 16:45:12 -0500

On Mon, Mar 22, 1999 at 08:19:23AM -0800, Thomas C Kinnen wrote:
> Christopher Masto wrote:
>
> > I think the fact that RADIUS accounting sends only three of the four
> > variables which are needed to identify a TCP connection is an oversight
> > that should be corrected by the IETF at some point.
>
> The RFC defines what must, should, may, should not and may not be sent to
> the server. This has been hashed over in the working group for some time.
> What do you feel is missing as about every base has been covered by the
> working group.

Right now, if you are the recipient of a TCP-Clear connection, you know
(because the operating system tells you):

TCP server's port and IP address
NAS's port and IP address

If the TCP server's port and IP address are always the same, and there
are many users coming from each NAS, the only variable you can use as
a key is the NAS's ephemeral port number.

RADIUS tells you:
Login-IP-Host (TCP server's IP address)
Login-TCP-Port (TCP server's port)
NAS-IP-Address

What RADIUS Accounting is missing is what might be called NAS-TCP-Port.
If I want a RADIUS server to store accounting records and allow my
TCP-Clear service to look them up when someone connects to it, it needs
this information.

RADIUS is the cleanest way to do it. It should also be in SNMP, just for
completeness' sake (of course this is already in there in the tcpConnTable,
but what is needed is a way to link a TCP connection to a livingstonSerial
entry. But I'd hate to have to walk tables to get this.. it belongs
in RADIUS Accounting too.

Another possibility is an ident service, but let's not go there. :-)

-- 
Christopher Masto        Director of Operations      NetMonger Communications
chris@netmonger.net        info@netmonger.net        http://www.netmonger.net


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