PCMD conversion function

Save PCMD records in CSV files to easily process PCMD data with analytics tools or use it for operational support functions.

The PCMD conversion function (PCMD-VM) is an add-on service in the MAG-c application that is designed for converting PCMD session records to other data formats. The PCMD-VM receives PCMD streams from session-processing functions of the MAG-c and converts them into a data format suitable for analytics tools or operational support functions in the network. The PCMD-VM can be installed alongside other MAG-c VMs.

Key functionalities of the PCMD conversion function:
  • PCMD session record management – receives and processes PCMD session records, converting them into CSV format
  • automated file lifecycle management – manages creation and deletion of CSV files based on defined intervals and retention policies
  • CSV file compression – supports saving converted CSV files in compressed file format
  • disk space management – supports automated cleanup action to maintain storage space for new records
  • secure file transfer – facilitates SFTP transfers of generated CSV files to external systems

PCMD conversion configuration parameters

The following configuration parameters can be set on the PCMD-VM:
  • interval – defines the period for receiving PCMD session records for a new file to be generated
  • retention period – defines how long generated files should be kept before being automatically deleted
  • file-compression – defines the algorithm used to compress CSV files, for example, GZIP and ZSTD

Files collection and naming

Analytics systems can retrieve generated CSV files periodically from the PCMD-VM via SFTP.

The following file naming conventions apply:
pcmd-<csv-version>-<record-type>-<mag-c-nodeIP>-<start-time>-<end-time>-<uniqueId>.csv.gz
  • pcmd – prefix indicating PCMD data
  • csv-version – set to 1 for this release
  • record-type – set to session for this release
  • mag-c-nodeIP – IP address of the source MAG-c node
  • start-time– ISO8601 UTC timestamps for the data period start
  • end-time – ISO8601 UTC timestamps for the data period end
  • uniqueId – unique identifier to support parallel file writing
  • .csv.gz, .csv.zst – file extension indicating the compression format

Generated CSV filename

pcmd-1-session-100.9.9.9-20260304T083032.947363973Z-20260304T083102.947363973Z-0.csv.gz

To improve writing speed, the PCMD-VM supports writing parallel files with a unique ID embedded in the filename.

File management policy

The PCMD-VM implements a file management policy to handle large, converted CSV files and ensure continuous operation.

  • retention period

    This is a configurable option for setting longer retention periods, depending on the available storage.

  • disk space management

    When storage capacity reaches the predefined limits, the PCMD-VM initiates a cleanup action automatically to ensure that older files are removed to free up space.