User's Guide

Charging Data Export

The following sections describe how to export charging data:

• About charging data export
• Exporting charging data (manually)
• Exporting charging data (script)

 

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About charging data export

Charging data can be manually exported from the database to a file, or export can be handled automatically through running a scheduled script, or through different levels of integration with billing systems. For more information about billing system integration, see Product Description - BEA WebLogic Network Gatekeeper.

The following instructions describe how export charging data manually or by using a script.

 

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Exporting charging data (manually)

Follow the instruction below to export charging data to a file. When exporting the data from the database, you will also remove the data from the database. The task also includes checking the available disk space. A charging data table with 1.000.000 rows needs approximately 120 MB of free disk space.

Check number of database rows

On one of the computers where the database executes, open a command window and go to the /usr/local/mysql/bin directory.
Start MySQL command mode. Enter command:

mysql

This changes the prompt to mysql> and makes it possible to send SQL queries to the database.

Enter the following query:

select count(*) from ic_slee_charging;

The number of rows is displayed.

Exit MySQL command mode. Enter command:

exit

Verify disk space

Verify disk space. Enter command:

df -k

The available disk space (in kB) is displayed.

Note: You have to verify that there is enough disk space available on the server before exporting the charging data. A charging data table with 1.000.000 rows needs approximately 120 MB of free disk space.

Export charging data

Start an Network Gatekeeper Management Tool and log in.
Select any SLEE in the SLEEs pane.
Double-click the SLEE_charging service in the Services pane.
Double-click the dumpChargingData method.
Enter parameter data in the Invoke Method window according to the table below:

Parameter	Description
dumpfileName	The file name and path of the file that the charging data will be exported to. The file is automatically created but the directory must exist. The file is saved on a disk connected to the host where the SLEE is running. If a relative path is used, it is relative to the bin directory.

Click Invoke.

The charging data is now exported to the specified file.

 

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Exporting charging data (script)

When using the script, automatic exports of charging data can be triggered through a standard system tool such as cron.

Note: The script must not execute simultaneously on two servers. If executed simultaneously, charging data may be lost.

If the size of the charging data file is very large, a CORBA time-out error may occur in the script. The charging data will be exported to file even if this error occurs.

Before scheduling the script, it must be verified that there will be enough disk space available on the server. A charging data table with 1.000.000 rows needs approximately 120 MB of free disk space.

The script is named db_exportCharging.sh and located in /usr/local/slee/bin/.

The script takes the following arguments:

Argument	Description
<OAM user>	The administrator's OAM user name
<OAM password>	The corresponding password
<dump file name>	Name and location of the file to dump the charging data to.

If there already is a file with the given name, the script will terminate without exporting the charging data.

Example:

db_exportCharging.sh myUsername myPassword /tmp/chargingdata.txt

db_exportCharging.bat myUsername myPassword c:\tmp\
chargingdata.txt