Table of Contents
PaperCut NG Internet Control module works by integrating with an existing Internet proxy server to monitor Internet access and restrict access to users that have exceeded their Internet quota. This chapter describes how PaperCut NG Internet Control integrates Internet proxy servers to implement Internet Control. The chapter also describes how to ensure that the proxy is configured correctly and how to configure PaperCut NG to read the proxy's log files.
PaperCut NG Internet Control provides two models for charging that allows the administrator to charge users based on both data and time used.
Time based - charges users based on the length of time using the Internet. This is useful in organizations where computing resources are scarce or you want to discourage extended internet usage. For more information see the section called “Time-based control”.
Data based - charges based on the amount of data the user has downloaded or uploaded. This is useful in organizations where bandwidth is expensive, or you are charged by the megabyte by your service provider.
PaperCut NG supports a hybrid cost model that allows charging for both data and time simultaneously.
PaperCut NG Internet Control works by reading the proxy log files and counting a user's Internet data and time usage. The cost of this usage is calculated and debited from the user's credit. If the user no longer has credit available they are denied Internet access. The technique used to deny Internet access is dependent on the proxy server and platform. Configuration of proxy servers is described later in the chapter.
There are a number of options that define how data-based usage costs are calculated:
Cost per Megabyte - The cost per megabyte.
Charge for sent data (upstream data) - Enable this option to charge for outbound data that users send while browsing the Internet (if supported by the proxy server).
Charge for cached data - Enable this option to charge users for cached content. By turning this option off, users will not be charged for data read from your proxy server's cache.
There are two options that define how time-based usage is calculated:
Cost per interval - Defines the cost for each time period used.
Time period duration - Defines the unit of time that users are charged for.
Users are charged based on blocks of time used. Users are always charged for using a full time period whenever they use the Internet within that period.
The diagram below represents the Internet usage of a single user. The black boxes show 5 minute time periods, and the red dotted lines represents each time that the user views a web page, or downloads a file.
In this example the user will be charged for 4 full time periods, and will be debited 4 multiplied by the cost per time period. The user is charged for the full time period even if they only hit one web page during the period (as is shown above between 3:45pm and 3:50pm).