Setting Up VM:Webgateway Accounting

VM:Webgateway accounting collects data about the files VM:Webgateway serves and sends the data in punch files to an accounting package.

You can configure when VM:Webgateway punches accounting files to the accounting package based on:

• Number of URLs VM:Webgateway serves
• Interval of time
• Specified time or list of times

Initialize and configure VM:Webgateway accounting either from a web browser or from a VM userid with SYSADMIN authorization:

Web browser

Use the Set VM Options configuration form.

VM

Enter the CONFIG ACCOUNT command.

Modifying Accounting Records

VM:Webgateway collects data about each file it serves and records the accounting data in 80-character accounting records. VM:Webgateway then adds an accounting record to the accounting punch file for each file it serves. Depending on the accounting package you are using, you might want to modify the data in the accounting records. For example, you might want to:

• Reduce the number of accounting records your accounting package reads by compressing the records in the accounting punch file.

  VM:Webgateway adds an accounting record to the accounting punch file for each URL it serves. A single HTML file can contain references to many additional URLs that VM:Webgateway serves to display the web page. As a result, the number of accounting records sent to the accounting package can be very large, with many of the accounting records containing similar or identical data. By combining records in the punch file that contain similar information, you can greatly reduce the number of accounting records your accounting package reads.

  For example, VM:Webgateway serves an HTML file that contains references to eight GIF files, one VID file and one AU file. VM:Webgateway adds an accounting record to the accounting punch file for each file it serves. In this example, VM:Webgateway adds eleven accounting records to the accounting punch file, with many of the fields in the accounting records containing similar or identical data. To reduce the number of records your accounting package reads, combine the eleven records into a single record that summarizes the data from all eleven records.

• Modify data in individual accounting record fields so that your accounting package can use the data.

  If your accounting package requires data in a format other than that used in the accounting record (for example, it requires time data in a format other than that used in the TOD field in the record), you must modify the data in the accounting records so your accounting package can use it.

You can modify the data in the accounting records when your accounting package reads the records, or you can use an accounting post-processor to modify the data. An accounting post-processor is a separate VM userid that runs a program that modifies accounting records. You must set up the accounting post-processor before you can use it.