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= Diameter Base Accounting application: app_acct.fdx =

This {{{app_acct.fdx}}} extension provides a very simple and configurable implementation of the Diameter Base Accounting application defined in RFC3588.

It must be seen as an ''intermediate'' component: the Diameter messages are parsed, and the accounting records are stored in a database, but no further treatment is performed. The intent is that an independent application (with no knowledge of the Diameter protocol required) will then process these records, reconstruct the session information, and store it in a format suitable for a billing application for example. See the [source:freeDiameter/contrib/app_acct_tools/ contrib/app_acct_tools/] folder for an example of such application.

The extension stores the information in a PostgreSQL database, where the third-party application can retrieve it:
{{{
#!graphviz
digraph G { 
    graph [bgcolor="#E8E8E8C8"]
    diam [ 
         shape=egg
         label="Diameter Accounting"
    ]
    db [
         shape=box3d
         label="PostgreSQL intermediary database"
    ]
    appl [
         shape=note
         label="Application"
         color=grey
    ]
    diam -> db [
         label="app_acct.fdx"
         color=blue
    ] 
    db -> appl [
         label="(outside)"
         color=grey
    ]
}
}}}

{{{app_acct.fdx}}} allows easy configuration of what information is stored in the database. See the section bellow for detail.

== Configuration ==

{{{app_acct.fdx}}} configuration file is mandatory. The complete configuration documentation can be found in the source package: [source:freeDiameter/doc/app_acct.conf.sample app_acct.conf.sample].

The configuration is split in two parts. The first part is dedicated to mapping the information from Diameter AVP into database fields. The second part contains the access information to the database, and a few global options for the extension.

== Usage ==

Since the application is not resistant to database access problems, it is highly recommended (although not mandatory) that the database is located on the same host as the {{{app_acct.fdx}}} application. 

== Output ==

This application does not produce any particular output, except for entries in the database.

== Troubleshooting ==

If the freeDiameter framework refuses to start when it loads this extension, please check that the configuration of the extension matches the structure of the table in the database you have configured. You can get more information by incrementing the debug level (see main [wiki:Troubleshooting] page for information).

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