Abstract: A network usage data recording system and method employing distributed data processing and data storage is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a network usage recording system having a multiple level distributed data storage system. The system includes a first network data collector including a first data storage system. A second network data collector is provided including a second data storage system. A data correlator collector is provided including a correlated data storage system. The data correlator collector is in communication with the first data storage system and the second data storage system.

Abstract: A network usage data recording system and method employing an aggregation rule scheme for processing and correlation of network data is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for recording network usage. The method includes the step of defining a network data collector including an encapsulator, an aggregator and a data storage system. A set of network accounting data is received via the encapsulator. The network accounting data set is converted to a standard data format. The network accounting data set is processed via the aggregator, including the steps of defining a rule chain and applying the rule chain to the network accounting data set to construct an aggregation tree including creating an aggregated network accounting data set. The aggregated network accounting data set is stored in the data storage system.

Abstract: An internet usage data recording system and method is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a network usage recording system. The network usage recording system includes a configurable collector. The collector includes an encapsulator for reading a plurality of network data records from a network data source and converting the network data records to a plurality of normalized metered events. An aggregator is provided for processing the normalized metered events to create aggregated normalized metered events. A data storage system is provided, wherein the aggregator periodically stores the aggregated normalized metered events in the data storage system.