Acct-Authentic in Accounting-On and Accounting-Off forms of Accounting-Request. Valid?

[Alan DeKok]

On May 21, 2015, at 12:39 PM, Nick Lowe <nick.lowe at gmail.com> wrote:
>>  Then when the AP reboots, it sends an Accounting-On message.  If a radio box reboots... RADIUS is silent on what happens.
> 
> The RADIUS spec doesn't seem to require that a reboot has happened, or
> is about to happen?

 The specs talk about a RADIUS client.  They make NO mention of "radio" versus "wlan controller".

>>  If the AP controls 5 radios, and one radio reboots, there is *no* standard RADIUS way of dealing with that.  If the AP sends an Accounting-On packet, it's arguably wrong.  Because the AP hasn't rebooted.
> 
> Same point as above.

  I think you're not understanding what I'm saying.

  Has the system sending Access-Request packets rebooted?

a) no - then it MUST NOT send Accounting-On

b) yes - then it SHOULD send Accounting-On


> I guess you're right, it has traditionally been tied to a reboot of
> the NAS even if not explicitly stated

  It has EXPLICITLY stated in the specs:

      It MAY be used by the client to mark the start of accounting (for
      example, upon booting) by specifying Accounting-On and to mark the
      end of accounting (for example, just before a scheduled reboot) by
      specifying Accounting-Off.


  The RADIUS CLIENT is rebooting.  Not a sub-system.  Not a card.  Not a process re-starting.  The RADIUS CLIENT.

> I only meant that this does already happen for -most- wireless NAS
> vendors in the way that they use-and-include the Called-Station-Id in
> Access-Request packets and Start, Interim-Update and Stop forms of
> Accounting-Request packet.

  It may be common practice, but without a new spec, it's not a standard part of RADIUS.

  Alan DeKok.