Keeping Track of Data Usage in GB Per Port

Wed Oct 15 20:18:35 UTC 2014

On Wed, Oct 15, 2014 at 12:38 PM, Colton Conor <colton.conor at gmail.com> wrote:
> So based on the response I have received so far it seems cable was a
> complicated example with service flows involved. What if we are talking
> about something simpler like keeping track of how much data flows in and
> out of a port on a switch in a given month? I know you can use SNMP, but I
> believe that polls in intervals and takes samples which isn't really
> accurate right?

It depends on what you're talking about.

Network devices implementing the SNMP IF-MIB have counters for each
interface that when polled, show the number of bytes being transmitted
and received.
Conventionally, network operators poll these counter values, compute
the difference from the last time it was polled, and extrapolate a
rate (bit volume over a time unit) from that. Often, this is done over
a 5 minute interval.
This introduces some averaging error.

However, if an operator is just computing cumulative transfer, it's pretty easy.
Just continue to sum up the counter value deltas from poll to poll.
It could be easy to mess this up if the counter size is too small, or
rolls more than once in-between polls.

If a large telecom can't get billing correct, they shouldn't be
allowed to do business.
Easier solution: stop metering customers, and sink more money into
expanded infrastructure.