Using Cisco NetFlow for Bandwidth Utilization Billing systems
Posted in NetFlow, Network Traffic Analysis, Network Traffic Monitor, Scrutinizer, sFlow on March 17th, 2010 by Jo-GLooking for a reliable bandwidth utilization NetFlow billing system? If you are already using Cisco NetFlow technology for network monitoring and management, then it’s just one more simple step to extending that to bandwidth billing.
Using the Service Provider Module for Scrutinizer NetFlow & sFlow Analyzer and a customized Billing Module, you can monitor the bandwidth usage of your customers and also provide a data export to your current billing application.
The Service Provider Module allows you to restrict your customers to view specific devices and/or interfaces in Scrutinizer. The “Scrutinizer v7 NetFlow and sFlow Analyzer: Using the Service Provider Module” blog has more information on this module’s features.
The Billing Module is a customized solution using the enhanced features of the Service Provider Module ad importing that data into your billing application.
A custom data file (i.e. saved report filter) is created and exported every hour, giving the most granular data (1 minute intervals) available. The data file can include but is not limited to:
- Time Stamp
- Rate: bytes / second
- Peak: same as above when reporting at 1 minute intervals
- Totals: total bytes per minute

Any NetFlow or sFlow exported field can be included (bits, packets, percent, IP/MAC addresses, VLAN ID, applications, ToS, Autonomous System, etc.) if required. The billing application or script can then read in the files exported by Scrutinizer at a definable interval.
You should also know that Flexible NetFlow using a Permanent Cache can also be used for importing data into your billing application.
If your billing application is based on 95th percentile measurements, this information is also available in the Traffic Volume report displayed below.
95th percentile billing allows for the top 5% of spikes in a given period to be dropped from the utilization reported. In the example above, 95th percentile for Inbound is 99.78% and Outbound is 24.81%. This report is based on a one hour timeframe, providing both Inbound and Outbound traffic for the T1 interface.
Interested in using Scrutinizer to get the data for your bandwidth billing? Contact Plixer Sales at 207-324-8805 x3 for more information on this custom solution.
- Joanne

