The Steel-Belted RADIUS Service Provider Edition 3.0 from Funk Software enables ISPs to track users, helps solve billing headaches, and anticipates the next step in the ongoing wireless Internet revolution.

ISP-Planet Staff [October 29, 2001]

Funk Software's Steel-Belted RADIUS Service Provider Edition 3.0 (SPE 3.0) is Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting software designed for service providers offering value-added services.

RADIUS servers are a basic tool of the ISP trade (see network diagram below) that enable ISPs to allow their subscribers access to the Internet while preventing trespass.

The upgrade adds 3G wireless network compatibility, enhanced integration with billing systems, and other features.

Joe Ryan, Vice President of Funk Software, says that the software upgrade focuses on accounting. "When we were founded, it was more about logging in—Authentication and Authorization—and now it's about services, so we're adding Accounting features." For example, he says that the new software (combined with infrastructure upgrades) allows carriers to send usage data to ISPs in real time, whereas in the past, carriers would hold the data and send it in blocks, once every twelve hours.

He adds that ISPs will particularly like the integration of AAA services with the billing database. He feels ISPs will enjoy the ability to redirect users whose payments are delinquent to a "please pay your bill" Web page, keeping them off the network as long as they refuse to pay.

Ryan says that ISPs will also like features that are still in the SPE and were included in previous versions of the software. The software is upgradeable and robust, and can be used by large network operators who resell modem ports to ensure that traffic destined for a variety of networks ends up in the right place. He says, "if I'm renting a modem bank to several ISPs, the software will use the realm name (the part of the e-mail address after the @ mark) to determine where the traffic should go." It's simple, but effective.

Since its inception, Funk software has worked on providing robust, upgradeable RADIUS software. Ryan notes, "A baseline configuration, say, for three local POPs, would require two RADUIS servers for authentication for the POPs (one of these would be backup)."

"A service provider with 30,000 users will see about one authentication every ten seconds," Ryan adds. "But if that provider grows to 500,000 or a million users, you'll see hundreds of authentications per second, and that's when your RADIUS solution is put to the test. Old deployments used open source solutions put together by people who may no longer be with the company—and today, people who could write a AAA solution have better things to do with their time than to recreate a product that can be purchased off-the-shelf."

Looking to the future, Ryan is excited about wireless LANs. "RADIUS generates security keys for wireless LAN access," he says, "and as the use of wireless LANs becomes more prevalent, we believe that 802.11 networks will be extended to hotels, airports—and even coffee shops. It would be great if the industry build the network to facilitate access so you could get to your ISP from any airport or hotel or coffee shop the way that banks have worked together on ATMs. The local carrier would get a fee, but the subscriber would only need a contract with one ISP for national wireless access."

"We don't deal with 802.11a or b," says Ryan, "for us, it's the security protocol, 802.1x, that's important. 802.1x compatibility will also be a part of the new Funk Software release."

Pricing and availability
Steel-Belted RADIUS/SPE Version 3.0 is being beta tested and will be available directly from Funk Software in November of 2001.

The base package will cost $20,000, and the 3G compatibility will be extra. Upgrades will be free to current maintenance and support subscribers, and owners without subscriptions will be able to purchase an upgrade for $5,500.

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