Cisco Systems Inc.
Monday announced a new way for Internet service providers to track the
usage patterns of their customers.
The ISPs can then use this data to control costs, decide whether they can
cost-effectively expand their services and to create new revenue
opportunities.
The technology, known as distributed session management protocol, or DSMP,
communicates user and group
session information between distributed access control servers while using
data sampling techniques to minimize the consumption of network bandwidth.
It is available as an optional add-on module for the CiscoSecure Access
Control Server (ACS) 2.3 for UNIX.
CiscoSecure ACS 2.3 for UNIX is a full-function access control server which
offers authentication, authorization and accounting for large enterprise
networks and network service providers. It is able to support both RADIUS
and TACACS+ protocols, features additional support for external relational
database management systems and has a Web-based graphical user interface.
Using DSMP, service providers can deploy high-demand, revenue-generating
services, such as a virtual private dial network and maintain service level
for all customers. By tracking how many users are simultaneously dialing in
from various points of presence (POPs), DSMP enables service providers to
ensure they have enough infrastructure to serve their customer base.
DSMP also allows service providers to conserve costly resources, such as
modems, lines and
bandwidth. By maintaining session status across their networks, service
providers can monitor usage of services and ensure that customers have
access to only the services they have purchased, without user account
duplication.
DSMP provides such support by limiting the number of concurrent sessions
available to a specific user group and the systems administrator can
monitor and reset states.
DSMP uses a session reservation function to maintain accurate session
counts on all servers without
significant network bandwidth usage or latency. A data sampling algorithm
automatically determines the optimal access method necessary to gain the
highest DSMP performance. DSMP also uses standard database replication of
Oracle and Sybase relational database management systems, which allows
customers to maximize investments in
reliable, robust and well-documented database technologies.
“DSMP technology presents many new revenue opportunities for service
providers that take advantage of it to expand their
value-added service offerings and appeal to a wider market,” said David
Gudmundson, vice president and general manager of
Cisco’s DSL and systems software unit.
“By introducing this technology to the industry, Cisco furthers its
commitment to helping service providers build scalable and profitable
networks.”
CiscoSecure ACS 2.3 UNIX with DSM is now available from Cisco Systems, with
a list price of $25,500 per server. The DSM feature is offered as an add-on
for $23,500 per server. CiscoSecure ACS 2.3 UNIX is also available without
DSM for $3,000. Cisco plans to offer DSM capability for other access
control products in the future.
