Definition of the UUID-Based DHCPv6 Unique Identifier (DUID-UUID)
RFC 6355

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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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   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
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   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

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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

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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