Accounting Start Queries getting lost

[Johan Meiring]

Henk Kleynhans wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> We are having an issue where, in some sessions, an Authentication 
> Request is sent successfully (and inserted into RADPOSTAUTH table), but 
> the Accounting Start Query is never run/received.
> 
> Subsequently, Accounting Update Queries come through, but fail due to 
> the fact that a relevant RADACCT session has not been inserted to begin 
> with.
> 
> It only happens in a small amount of cases, < 1% of sessions, but 
> nonetheless opens us to loss of data that is not being billed for properly.
> 
> Is this a known issue? Is there a workaround? We're looking at changing 
> the Acct Update Query to insert a new session if it cannot find an 
> existing one.
> 
> Any help will be appreciated.
> 


You should never rely on receiving accounting queries.
They are UDP and easily go missing.
You could even receive duplicates (e.g. two start packets).

What I have done (pseudo code):

if (Start)
{
   Try to insert Session
   If already exists, update
}
elseif (Interim)
{
   Try to update Session
   If not exist, insert
}
elsif (Stop)
{
   Try to update Session
   If not exist, insert
}







-- 


Johan Meiring
Cape PC Services CC
Tel: (021) 883-8271
Fax: (021) 886-7782