The school is a higher vocational technical college with 8,000 students and over 3,000 users.
II. Product selection:
In order to address the fact that Yunnan Tyucing Energy Vocational School, a specialized higher vocational technical school with students on the Internet, operates in parallel with two networks: campus network and self-operation. Before operating itself, the Internet is mainly done through a web of schools, which is slow, there are problems such as student opinion, and at night peaks, it is largely impossible to use the network properly. To address this situation, the school decided to operate its own network, using the mode of cooperation with telecommunications in China, providing Internet bandwidth by Chinese telecommunications and a model for charging fees for the operation of schools.
In selecting products, Yunnan Tyucing Energy Vocational School compared and tested several companies ' products according to their own circumstances. The NATSHEL_AUTTH_BILLING platform was eventually selected on the basis of the following considerations:
1. Gateway supports NAT functions
Since more than 3,000 users are online, the introduction of other household products requires that firewall equipment be used for NAT transmission, which significantly increases construction and operation costs, while NATSHEL_BRAND gateway devices, which can support 2,000 PPPOE users in NAT status and post them online without any delay, saves the investment cost of equipment.
2. A flexible and diverse costing strategy.
To meet the diverse management needs of students' Internet access charges on campus, NATSHEL_BRAND provides a wealth of project- and user-based control strategies and target address-based traffic control strategies. This provides a freely chosen way to charge different users. For example, a full-time, year-on-year, day-out, hour-on-the-clock, flow-by-flow package with one M, two M, four M or more separate packages for choice of users has greatly attracted a wide range of student users. In particular, the online billing function allows for customer input, the generation of cards and their sale to users, who start time-counting on first-time visits, which greatly facilitates the Internet needs of students as a special group.
3. There are multiple ways of authentication, and it is very expansive.
NATSHEL_BRAND is billed using authentication techniques such as WEB, PPOE, 802.1x, which not only satisfy the current customer's PPPOPE dial-up certification request but also develop, as needed, client groups such as Wireless WEB and 802.1X certification, reducing the cost of late and continuous investment.
4. Radius High Performance Certification Service.
Hundreds of authentication requests are processed at the same time every second using NatShell high performance RADIUS servers and can be compatible with other models of access devices.
5. Distributed cluster networks, sustainable development.
The system is smoothed up and maximized by distributed access, centralized management.
6. Supports the notification function and facilitates the publication of information and advertising
The netshell_brand gateway device not only provides immediate notification to users, but also supports the extension notice due and forward to a specified address. On this basis, it also allows custom background pictures that greatly facilitate the process of fee collection.
7. Restricted access to the Internet by routers and controlled sharing of the Internet with students
NATSHEL_BRAND gateway equipment, built-in network cutting-edge capabilities that effectively detect the use of routers by network users to share access, more than 99 per cent recognition of the use of broadband routers for sharing access, effective prevention of student users, an account number, multi-person sharing, which ensures bandwidth and raises operating income.
After a comprehensive comparison, Yunnan Trinity Energy Vocational School eventually chose to use NATSHEL_BRAND NS-G50 Authentication & Billing and BRAS-500-20 gateway products for broadband operation and billing management.
III. Network architecture
· The outer network uses telecommunications fibre-optic lines to access the central office.
· Extranet fibre-optic access NatShell BRAS-500-20 gateway equipment
· Giga Management Centre under gateway equipment Switches, common movies, games, downloads and other servers are connected to the central switch
· Central switchboards are divided into VLAN sub-houses and port isolation on the condolence switch
· Second-level switch access to student dormitories via the network, and all user management is remotely managed through office computers
The toptops are as follows:
· Prepare the hub for Giga Management Switches, common movies, games, downloads and other servers are connected to the central switch
· Central switchboards are divided into VLAN sub-houses and port isolation on the condolence switch
· Second-level switch access to student dormitories via the network, and all user management is remotely managed through office computers
The toptops are as follows:
IV. Programme implementation and operations
The hardware equipment implemented under the program is short and smooth, as it is well prepared.
The following results have been achieved as a result of the implementation of the project:
1 The conversion of BRAS equipment to NAT has significantly reduced the cost of equipment acquisition.
2 VLAN, whether it is a BRAS gateway or a user dial-up, has been divided into VLANs, which divides an urban area network into smaller broadcasting areas, thus preventing large amounts of radio packages from affecting users ' access to the Internet.
3 The increase in the number of users will require simply adding a BRAS gateway device, allowing the system to be less expensive and more accessible, truly on demand and avoiding waste.
4 The account number concept was established, with each individual among the users of the entire network as an independent individual, and all billing and management were based on accounts.
5 The account number can be tied to the user computer MAC and effectively prevent its misappropriation.
6 The use of routers for sharing Internet access is limited, resulting in savings in bandwidth and higher rates of fees.
7 The same account number allows only one user to log in at the same time, ensuring that the user uses it exclusively.
8 Support for the PPPOE and PPTTP-based user login models not only supports traditional PPPOE authentication but also allows, in exceptional circumstances, users to assign a PPTP-based user account to share the same system, which enhances the flexibility of the system.
9 Different fee packages, such as 1M year, 2M for six months, free property accounts, test accounts etc., have been developed to accommodate the needs of different users and can be easily converted between different packages, depending on user needs and publicity.
10 The function of alerting and the advance notification of users when due is supported to enable users to know their forthcoming fees in advance, effectively avoid the distress caused by the downtime of users, increase the rate of renewal and improve user satisfaction.
11 For special users, the time-counting function is supported after opening an account and starts when you get online for the first time.
12 The addition of film and game servers, as well as the separate bandwidth for movie servers, is distinguished from the outer-net bandwidth, which allows two speed limits to be set for each account number, such as 2M for 2M users and 10M for intranet bandwidth, which not only saves out-of-grid bandwidth but also increases user satisfaction.
13 The establishment of user alerts to support online search fees on multiple terms and conditions would force online users offline, preventing possible arrears.
14 Support for bulk opening and sales allows students to move without affecting the network operations and reducing the workload of the network centres.
15 The open nature of the agreements is good and supports PPOPE, RADUIS.
16 Linear transmissions, which allow for unimpeded network transmission, address the technical difficulties of a billing system that can easily create network bottlenecks.
17 The generation of different reports on demand not only generates text but also graphics, which provide a strong basis for management to easily analyse opening accounts and use them.
V. Operations summary
After the new equipment is put into operation, a good reputation is quickly formed by flexible and manageable billing. Management has not only managed users but also charged fees, administrator authority management, opening accounts, filings, etc. have been integrated into the system, resulting in real systematic and process-based management through the introduction of specialized NATSHEL_BRAND NATSHEL_AUTH_BILLING equipment.
This NATSHEL_BRAND NATSHEL_BILLING solution for Yunnan CYEL is well-looking and expanded, laying the foundation for future operation of Yunan CYEL. The broadband billing provided by NatShell, together with access controllers equipment supported by OMS, can support the expansion of future operations while meeting current operations, and can upgrade existing networks as necessary.