Urgent Help Need on capturing actual Call Usage Deatils from GK

[shailendra.gupta]

Dear Friends

I am facing one odd issue with Accounting on GK(using AAA), we observ that call accounting gets started at Call Ringing Stage at destination end even before Conversation starts(it looks it starts accounting after issuing the ACF to originating GW) so we do not get the actual call time which needs t be billied. Please help for this issue and also kindly confirm:

1. Whether GW CDRs(Originating or Terminating ) can only provide actual call usage time or GK can also provide the same, if GK can provide, please suggest how.

2. Can a external Server, using GKTMP API, may assist in getting actual call information like Actual Call Usage Time from GK with AAA enabled on the same.

Would appreciate your kind and quick advise on the above queries.

Shailendra

[ciscomoderator]

Since there has been no response to your post, it appears to be either too complex or too rare an issue for other forum members to assist you. If you don't get a suitable response to your post, you may wish to review our resources at the online Technical Assistance Center (http://www.cisco.com/tac) or speak with a TAC engineer. You can open a TAC case online at http://www.cisco.com/tac/caseopen

If anyone else in the forum has some advice, please reply to this thread.

Thank you for posting.

[eyabane]

Answer to your question:

1. the cisco GK is stateless, and as such it doesn't keep trak or the actual duration of the real call. Accounting on a GK, therefore, can only send Start/Stop signal to the Radius/Tacacs server, upon receiving the ARQ/DRQ from the GW. The only way i know of getting the actual call duration (from Connect to ReleasComplete) is to callect the accounting info on the GW itself. Not to sell my company's product here, but we do have a solution to this problem. We manufacture a statefull Gatekeeper that can handle all of these functions including resolving interoperability issues between cisco equipment and other voip vendors, billing, and a better security and interworking function with the SIP standards... all in one simple-to-manage box. if interested, you can check out our website (www.nextone.com), or email me at epatasse@nextone.com and i will get you some more info

2. I am not quite familiar with GKTMP, so i won't even dare an answer to that question.

[pwalenta]

This link may be of some assistance:

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/788/voip/cdr_logging.html

It offers an alternate means of generating and recording call accounting information.