Multiple accounting records

[Alan DeKok]

Chillifire wrote:
> However, I thought this through and when I make the following assumptions:
> 
> - Freeradius has different SQL statements stored in its configuration
> for radacct update and insert;
> 
> - It is Freeradius ' responsibility to decide whether to peform an
> insert or update; and

  Not really.  An "Acct-Status-Type = start" nearly always means insert.
 An "Acct-Status-Type = Interim-Update" nearly always means update.

> - AcctSessionId and AcctUniqueId are unique identifiers for one session;
> there should be only exactly one record for each AcctSessionId and
> AcctUniqueId;

  That last assumption is *often* true, but is not *always* true.  The
Acct-Session-Id field is sent by the NAS.  It may be the same for many
user sessions.  It may be different across different packets for the
"same" user session.

> Then there is still something amiss with the Freeradius updates of
> radacct. Even if erroneously session updates are sent in duplicate or
> with same or differing information, Freeradius should not insert a new
> record for an existing AcctSessionId and AcctUniqueId. Based on the
> above assumptions double entries for AcctSessionId and AcctUniqueId
> should never occur in radacct. Freeradius' insert/update logic should
> prevent that. However, multiple entries (anything between 2 and 17 in
> about 1% of all cases) is what we see in my extracts.

  You can think abstractly about what *should* happen, or you can find
out what *is* happening.  The server has a debug mode for a reason.  You
should use it.

  The SQL queries are editable for a reason.  You can configure them to
do only inserts, only updates, or whatever you want.

  Alan DeKok.