Usage Tracking

VARICON uses a post-processing, report-driven usage model.

Unlike traditional observability tools, it does not track raw traffic or logs.

Core Principle

Usage is derived from processed anomalies, not raw data.

Where Usage Happens

Usage is measured at a single point:

AFTER enrichment
BEFORE projection

Pipeline Context

Capture → Transport → Extraction → Normalization → Fingerprinting
→ Enrichment → [USAGE COUNTED HERE] → Projection → Output

Why This Position

This ensures: • only valuable work is billed • no cost for detection or transport • no dependence on raw API traffic

Unit of Measurement

1 enriched anomaly = 1 unit

Data Flow

Step-by-step

1. Newman produces report
2. Extraction engine parses anomalies
3. Canonical anomalies created
4. Enrichment applied
5. Usage counter increments
6. Projection filters output
7. Artifacts generated

Usage Record Model

{
  "project_id": "proj_abc123",
  "run_id": "run_xyz789",
  "timestamp": 1773956107,
  "anomaly_count": 1200,
  "enriched": true
}

Aggregation

Usage is aggregated: • per CI run • per project • per billing window

Determinism

Usage tracking must be: • deterministic • reproducible • idempotent

Example

Same input → same anomaly count → same billing

Idempotency Strategy

To prevent double counting: • each run has a unique run_id • repeated processing of same report does not increase usage

Offline Mode

If VARICON runs without enrichment: • anomalies are still processed • reports are generated • usage = 0

Fail-Open Behavior

If enrichment fails: • anomalies are returned • usage is not incremented • pipeline continues

Security Boundary

Usage tracking operates only on: • counts • metadata

It never processes: • raw request bodies • raw response bodies • sensitive payloads

Comparison to Traditional Systems

Architectural Advantage

VARICON avoids: • log ingestion pipelines • streaming infrastructure • high storage costs

Summary

VARICON measures value, not volume.

Usage grows with: • system complexity • test coverage • anomaly density

Key Insight

The more your system drifts from expected behavior, the more valuable VARICON becomes.