Definition of the UUID-Based DHCPv6 Unique Identifier (DUID-UUID)
RFC 6355
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) T. Narten
Request for Comments: 6355 J. Johnson
Category: Standards Track IBM
ISSN: 2070-1721 August 2011
Definition of the UUID-Based DHCPv6 Unique Identifier (DUID-UUID)
Abstract
This document defines a new DHCPv6 Unique Identifier (DUID) type
called DUID-UUID. DUID-UUIDs are derived from the already-
standardized Universally Unique IDentifier (UUID) format. DUID-UUID
makes it possible for devices to use UUIDs to identify themselves to
DHC servers and vice versa. UUIDs are globally unique and readily
available on many systems, making them convenient identifiers to
leverage within DHCP.
Status of This Memo
This is an Internet Standards Track document.
This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has
received public review and has been approved for publication by the
Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Further information on
Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 5741.
Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6355.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2011 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
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the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
described in the Simplified BSD License.
Narten & Johnson Standards Track [Page 1]
RFC 6355 DUID-UUID August 2011
Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. UUID Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. DUID-UUID Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
7. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
8. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
8.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
8.2. Informative Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1. Introduction
DHCP Unique Identifiers (DUIDs) are used in DHCPv6 to identify
clients and servers. This document defines a new DHCP Unique
Identifier (DUID) type that embeds a Universally Unique IDentifier
(UUID) [RFC4122]. UUIDs are already in widespread use and serve as
an existing identifier that could be leveraged by DHCPv6. For
example, x86-based systems ship with an embedded UUID in firmware
that is readily available to the software running on the device.
Although DUIDs are new to DHCPv6, identifying clients in DHCP via a
UUID is not. DHCPv4 [RFC2132] defines a Client Machine Identifier
Option (option 97) that embeds a UUID (aka a Globally Unique
Identifier (GUID)) [RFC4578]. This document extends that capability
to DHCPv6.
Terminology specific to IPv6 and DHCPv6 is used as defined in the
"Terminology" sections of [RFC3315].
2. Background
In DHCPv6, clients identify themselves to servers via DHCP Unique
Identifiers (DUIDs) [RFC3315]. DUIDs are identifiers that DHCP
servers treat as opaque objects with no internal structure. DUIDs
are intended to be globally unique, with no two devices using the
same DUID. Three DUIDs types have been defined previously:
DUID-LLT - the Link-Layer address of one of the device's network
interfaces, concatenated with a timestamp
DUID-EN - an Enterprise Number plus additional information specific
to the enterprise
DUID-LL - the Link-Layer address of one of the device's network
interfaces
Narten & Johnson Standards Track [Page 2]
RFC 6355 DUID-UUID August 2011
DUIDs are intended to remain constant over time, so that they can be
used as permanent identifiers for a device. In the case of DUID-
LLTs, they are intended to be generated once, stored in stable
storage, and reused from that point forward.
One issue that has arisen concerns devices that employ multi-step
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