Re: [PATCH 1/2] UUID: set multicast bit in pseudo-random MAC address

[Theodore Tso <tytso@mit.edu>]

On Sat, Oct 20, 2007 at 09:58:40PM +0200, Helge Deller wrote:
> Fix a bug in the current random UUID generator:
> 
> Section 4.1.6 of RFC 4122 states regarding the "NodeID" of a UUID:
> :  For systems with no IEEE address, a randomly or pseudo-randomly
> :  generated value may be used; see Section 4.5.  The multicast bit must
> :  be set in such addresses, in order that they will never conflict with
> :  addresses obtained from network cards. 
> 
> So up to now it was just pure ("random") luck if this bit was set or not.
> This tiny patch sets the bit explicitely.

NACK.  Your patch degrades the random UUID by a bit, for no good reason.

The part of Section 4.1.6 which you quoted only applies to version 1
UUID's --- i.e., MAC and time based UUID's.  Random uuids are version
4 UUID's, and are already distinguished from version 1 UUID's by the
high 4 bits of the time_hi_and_version field, in octets 6-7 of the
URL.  Hence, there is no danger of conflict.  If you had looked 3
paragraphs later section 4.1.6:

   For UUID version 4, the node field is a randomly or pseudo-randomly
   generated 48-bit value as described in Section 4.4.

And the summary can be found in Section 4.4 of RFRC 4122:

4.4.  Algorithms for Creating a UUID from Truly Random or
      Pseudo-Random Numbers

   The version 4 UUID is meant for generating UUIDs from truly-random or
   pseudo-random numbers.

   The algorithm is as follows:

   o  Set the two most significant bits (bits 6 and 7) of the
      clock_seq_hi_and_reserved to zero and one, respectively.

   o  Set the four most significant bits (bits 12 through 15) of the
      time_hi_and_version field to the 4-bit version number from
      Section 4.1.3.

   o  Set all the other bits to randomly (or pseudo-randomly) chosen
      values.

   See Section 4.5 for a discussion on random numbers.

   	     	    	     	       	  	  - Ted