2012-3Q (v002): Billing / Network: Auto Traffic Shaping Buckets (from Subscription Products)

This new feature allows operators to set up a fully automated Traffic Shaping buckets assignment based on the products a customer is subscribed to. Using this feature, operators can make sure that a customer, based on his current subscriptions will be put to an appropriate traffic shaping bucket (and equally to this bucket's corresponding RADIUS group - if using RADIUS services). Using this feature, operators can create packages, where a customer gets a "promotional" subscription for the first couple of months that will automatically change to a different subscription/speed.

It is important to note that by default this feature is turned off - leaving operators to assign the traffic shaping buckets manually. To enable this feature please follow the following steps:

Step One: Go to Modify WISP on your instance in SIMPLer. (See fig. 1-1)

Fig. 1-1 Modify WISP

Step Two: Scroll down to the 'Auto update Traffic Shaping Buckets / RADIUS Groups' section and the following settings related to Auto Traffic Shaping Buckets setup can be found: (also See Fig. 2-1)

    1. Assign Buckets from Subscription Products - turns the feature on/off

    2. Automated Daily Check - when set to 'on' system will execute the 'Auto Traffic Shaping Buckets' routine in the daily database maintenance run. It is highly recommended to enable this option when using Auto Traffic Shaping Buckets

    3. Automated Daily Check - update WIB files - This option enables/disables updating running WIB configuration during the daily check. By default it should be enabled - though some operators may prefer to update WIB files manuall only in predefined maintenance windows and for such this option should remain disabled.

Fig. 2-1 Auto update Traffic Shaping Buckets' section in operator settings

Step Three: Once you have chosen what you need from each of these options click Update WISP at the top or bottom of this page. (See Fig. 3-1)

Fig. 3-1 Update WISP

Step Four: Once the feature is enabled, there will be a new "B" option available on the "Products" page. (See Fig. 4-1)

Fig. 4-1 Products - Buckets

Step Five: By clicking on this link (See Fig. 5-1), operators can access the page where buckets can be assigned to a product. The SIMPLer system then, based on the buckets that have been assigned to products, will automatically assign a customer to the appropriate bucket based on his current subscriptions and the gateway the customer is associated with. (Note: A bucket from each gateway must be added to each product for this to work.)

Fig. 5-1 "B" Page

Step Six: As per fig. 6-1- operators can assign buckets from each network gateway defined in the system. The system will assign the customers to appropriate buckets based on these details.

Note: SIMPLer system will only update customer buckets if there is an active subscription defined under his account with a product that has a bucket defined for the gateway customer account is set with. If a customer does not have a current, active subscription for which buckets are defined - his account will remain status quo.

Note: Customer can be assigned only to one bucket at time. If there are multiple active subscriptions under customer account for whom there will be different buckets defined under respective products, the 'sort order' subscription field will be used to determine the order. For subscriptions with same sort priority - subscription name will be used to determine the order. The first subscription with bucket defined under it's respective product will be used to calculate the bucket a customer account is assigned to.

Fig. 6-1: Assigning buckets

The buckets are recalculated on the following occasions:

    1. When an operator manually makes a change to a customers subscription in their subscription details. (See Fig. 8-1) - note that this will recalculate single customer account only

    2. During daily subscription recalucation - if this option is enabled (recommended) under "Modify WISP" page. (See step Two - part 2).

    3. By a manual execution of the updateBucketsFromSubscription function via the API.

  1. By a manual execution of the 'Update Customer buckets from Subscription' from tools in SIMPLer

Fig. 7-1: Tools: 'Update Customer buckets from Subscription' option

Conclusion: When the feature is enabled - your customer's current subscriptions will be driving the customer's bucket assignment. When adding a customer you will need to assign them to a gateway, then proceed to add their subscriptions which will automatically assign their Traffic Shaping Bucket.

Fig. 8-1: Subscriptions