1. Who should pay for RAS?
Currently the cost to provide RAS service and maintain the equipment is absorbed by the entire organization. RAS users are not individually charged for using the RAS unless calling in over the 800 number, in which case the call is charged back to the division /program.
NCAR leaves subsidizing of broadband services up to each department/section. Most departments do NOT subsidize employee broadband connections. Should RAS be any different?
Options:
Keep things the same. If we were to go with a 3rd party RAS providers we would still be authenticating with an NCAR Radius server so existing billing could remain the same – (though we currently use TACACS+ to track user logins and for 800 number charge backs).
Move cost to the individual departments/sections. Cost would most likely be billed based on userid. Some of the 3rd party vendors offer different billing methods such as charging based on time, ports, or userids. Accounting data could be pulled from the Radius/TACACS+ records.