Patent ID: 7293083
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network usage system having a multiple level distributed data storage system, the system comprising: a set of first level network data collectors, wherein each first level network data collector receives network accounting data from a network data source, processes and stores the network accounting data at the first level network data collector; and a second level network data collector, wherein the second level network data collector receives processed network accounting data from one or more first level network data collectors, processes and stores the network accounting data at the second level network data collector; and wherein each first level network data collector includes a first level data storage system and the second level network data collector includes a second level data storage system, for storing processed network accounting data, wherein the first level data storage system and the second level data storage system each include a processed data storage location, a metadata storage location and an error recovery information storage location, wherein the processed network accounting data is stored at the processed data storage location.