The goal of CAShMAN is to study, develop, implement, verify and compare charging and accounting schemes for ATM networks. This will be achieved by the development of appropriate pricing models, their efficient implementation in hardware and software, and the extensive use of National Host facilities for validation and for acquiring important user feedback.
Implementation of sound charging and accounting models.
Implementation of hardware monitoring equipment that aims at the collection of the accounting parameters from the ATM network.

Charging ATM traffic with different tariff parameters.

Implementation of a Telecommunications Network Management System performing the calculations necessary to support the accounting operations.
Expected Impact
Recommendations for the structure of accounting models which satisfy both user and network operator requirements.
Requirements on the processing and monitoring capabilities of the network and user equipment for supporting the above mechanisms.
Requirements on the architecture of the traffic shaping and policing equipment.
Recommendations on the TMN architecture related to accounting management.

Main contributions to the programme objectives:
Main deliverables
Charging and accounting models for fair charging and economic usage of ATM network resources. Guidelines on the TMN architecture related to accounting management.
Contribution to the programme
Provides recommendations for the structure of pricing models which satisfy both user and network operator requirements.
Technical Approach
Charging schemes have been developed for guaranteed quality services as well as for ABR services which reflect network usage accurately and maximise the benefit of both the user and the network operator. A unifying framework is sought which encompasses these schemes and allows insightful calculation rather than ad hoc selection of the associated traffic parameters.
These models are implemented cost-effectively by taking advantage of existing traffic shaping and monitoring technologies. The features provided by existing technologies for policing and shaping network traffic have been enriched in order to support the new sophisticated pricing mechanisms and analyse the requirements of such mechanisms on the network management architecture. This architecture will focus on service management layer functionality and will stress issues of transparency and distribution in both the network and user domains. Field trials are performed in three National Host facilities for the validation of the models and for obtaining vital user response.
Summary of Trial
In the CAShMAN project an initial set of trials has taken place which validated with real traffic the various pricing schemes developed so far, while also proving the reliability of the CAShMAN HW/SW implementation platform and its suitability for extensive investigation of network operator and user issues. The trials have involved ATM knowledgeable users so far, and will involve a wider spectrum of users in the future.
More specifically the objectives of these trials are:
to show the technical feasibility of advanced charging schemes, involving extensive monitoring of the user connections and processing of management functions.
to demonstrate the combined operation of traffic control, performance monitoring and charging.
to assess and demonstrate the relation between pricing models and use of network resources.
to observe user behaviour as response to different charging schemes for different services.
There are three experimental facilities where the trials are taking place: in the Netherlands, in Switzerland and in Norway.
Key Issues
Development of adequate pricing models to be used for the experiments.
Implementation of pricing structures in hardware and software.
Integration of experimental platforms at the National Host facilities.
Provision of access to real users, and experimentation with real user traffic.
Evaluation of user response to pricing mechanisms.