A public WiFi site that has been operating for two or three years, often accumulated in accounts databases."Zombie account number."Some of them have long left the shop, others have graduated, or they have been registered many years ago and never come. These accounts not only occupy database space, but may also pose security risks because account information is leaked or used by others.
The root cause of this problem is often the lack of careful consideration of life-cycle management of user data at the outset of system design.Network billing systemNot just the system."How to create an account", and more to consider the full life cycle of accounts from creation, activation, use, hibernation, and eventual write-off.
The source of the account number is usually as follows: user self-service registration (scanning, mobile phone number validation), administrative batch creation (suitable to enterprise staff or students), third-party automatic synchronization (e.g. PMS entry log triggering creation, HR system employee synchronization). Accounts from different sources differ in nature in their management logic. Self-help registered accounts have relatively low credibility and require stricter physical authentication; and third-party systems synchronized with accounts that are secure for data sources but need to address problems of simultaneous delay and conflict resolution.
The active status of the account is a core field in life-cycle management.To be activated(Account created but not certified),Normally available(Accounts are valid for normal authentication of access to the Internet),Pause(Temporarily disabled due to arrears, irregularities or administrator operations)Expiration(Puts expire and require a renewal to continue),Write-offs(Accounts are permanently disabled, data are kept but not accessible. The system needs to provide clear flow rules and corresponding automatic trigger conditions between these states.
The HF operating scene is the life-cycle management. How many days should the system send reminders when the package expires? A message, a micro-letter public call, or a window cue to the Portal page when the WiFi is connected next time?
Device bindingA number of devices can be tied up. Do the maximum numbers vary from one set to another? When users exceed the number of sets, they ban access to new equipment or automatically kick out the oldest old equipment? The logic of the device's binding affects both accuracy in billing and user convenience. In a household broadband setting, a number of 5-10 items are common demand; in hotel room settings, each account number usually limits two to three devices; and in public visitor scenes, the equipment is often not tied, controlled with validity periods and traffic quotas.
The processing of inactive accounts is a neglected point in many systems. If an account has not been recorded for more than 90 days, should it be automatically dormant or sent? If it is not active for over 180 days, should it be written off automatically? Such automatic clean-up mechanisms not only help with database maintenance but also involve compliance requirements in some industries——The retention of user data for too long may be legally problematic.Network billing systemConfigureable should be provided"Automated life cycle policy for accounts", leave the operator to set rules based on his business scenario rather than hard-coding a fixed logic.
In terms of storage and security of user data, a distinction needs to be made between what is the data belonging to"Operational requirements to be maintained", and which are"It can be cleaned up regularly.". The operational data (e.g., consumption records, bills) need to be kept for a longer period; the user behaviour log (e.g., time on each Internet access, traffic) should be cleaned up after compliance saves have been met; and the user ' s personal information (e.g. cell phone number, real name authentication information) needs to be processed in accordance with data protection requirements of the relevant legislation and cannot be retained or distributed at will.
There is also a confusing concept in the account system:Difference between account numbers and participant addresses. The account is a user identification, representing the person ' s eligibility to use the network; the session is an online log of the current user connection and represents whether the person is using it or not. A single account can have multiple simultaneous sessions at the same time (if the package allows for more equipment), or there may be no meetings (accounts valid but not online). Many systems combine account status with conversation status, which makes the account number effective but cannot access the Internet because the logic of the session management has been wrong, or the account number has expired, but history sessions are not forcibly cleared and users can continue online. Clear separation of the logic of management in the account and session layers is key to robust system.
The share authorization for accounts is also required at the system level in multi-equipment households or business settings."Account Agent"or"Resource Sharing"Mechanisms, which are well developed in household broadband products and not widely used in public WiFi billing scenarios, will be of increasing concern as product competition increases.
The quality of the system is not clear when it's just online, but the longer it runs, the more the difference. A system that takes account of complete life-cycle management into consideration is clear and manageable after three years; one that only considers"How to Create and Activate"The system of accounts will often become a headache in two years."Historical legacy". The time taken to clear the account number system during the project design phase is a high value input.