6. DATA SOURCES › 6.6 Basic Network Accounting › 6.6.2 Identification of Sessions for Differential Billing › 6.6.2.2 NETGROUP Classification Examples

6.6.2.2 NETGROUP Classification Examples

Establishing network groups results from the decision to
differentially charge for network resources based on expected
service or configuration parameters.  You may find the
examples below useful in your decision-making process.


CLASSIFICATION BY CONFIGURATION
-------------------------------

Some network users require specialized facilities to ensure
high speed transmission, extended availability through
redundant hardware, extremely low error rates, or quick
response time.  Installing high speed links and transmission
groups, assigning high transmission priority to specific
classes of work (higher priority for interactive rather than
batch transmissions), or providing for redundant
communication lines are examples of ways in which high
priority users may be provided with better service on a
network.  As a direct result of the additional cost of these
facilities or in recognition of the improved service they
afford, the enterprise may wish to charge a premium for this
type of service.

The CA MICS Network Analyzer provides data which can be used
to distinguish configuration and service differences, such as
link name (SLULINK), controller name (SLUPU), virtual route
number (e.g., NSCVRRTE), transmission priority (e.g.,
NSCTRPTY), or explicit route (e.g., NSCEXRTE).

CLASSIFICATION BY LOCATION
--------------------------

An enterprise may wish to break the assignment of NETGROUP
numbers into blocks, assigning a block of numbers to specific
networks.  The CA MICS Network Analyzer supports the data
element NETWRKID, a user-defined data element you can use to
identify individual networks.


CLASSIFICATION BY PERFORMANCE CLASS
-----------------------------------

CA MICS Network Analyzer supports the NetView concept of
performance class as the data element PERFCLSS in the NVSRTE,
NVSRTM, NVSNSA, NVSNSC files.  The CA NetMaster RTM class is
equivalent to the NetView performance class.  In this guide,
RTM class is referred to as performance class.

Performance classes are defined by each site when NetView or
CA NetMaster is installed. PERFCLSS is generally used for
classifying or grouping users for reporting response time so
that response objectives and distribution thresholds are the
same for users who perform similar functions and the response
times recorded by the Response Time Monitor may be easily
evaluated for each group of users defined to be within the
same PERFCLSS.

PERFCLSS may be adapted for use in differential billing so
that the charges for one group of users are adjusted to 75
percent of the standard charge assessed for data traffic and
connect time to all other users.  In this case, a service
factor of .75 would be associated with the particular
PERFCLSS.