Re: Unique handle generation

[George Belotsky <george@register.com>]

I am puzzled why some people find this algorithm complicated.
Is running a registry for handles really a simpler solution
than a UUID?

George.


On Wed, Mar 14, 2001 at 07:30:34AM +0100, Patrik Fältström wrote:
> At 21.14 -0500 01-03-13, George Belotsky wrote:
> >Scott:
> >
> >Here is an overview of the algorithm I had in mind, so that
> >it is easier to understand the changes that I am suggesting.
> >
> >
> >    (1) A human-readable object handle is created.  This
> >        is done UUID-style, by concatenating several
> >        atomic units.  The creating repository may be
> >        one of these, but it does not have to be.
> >        The end result is something like this.
> >
> >        Scott+Hollenbeck+verisign.com+scottshomepage.com+Mar.13.2001
> >
> >   
> >    (2) A digest function is applied to the human-readable handle.
> >        The system stores the resulting  digest, and not the readable
> >        form itself.
> >
> >    (3) The readable form is returned to the user.  Now, there are
> >        two equivalent representations: the digest (which is used
> >        by default), and the readable form (which can be used
> >        by the 'owner', or anyone else that the 'owner' gives it to).
> >        This is the essence of [5] and [6] as I suggested; not
> >        contradictory, but complimentary.
> 
> I think you make life much too complicated.
> 
> It is much easier if you use an algorithm which
> 
> (a) Divides the world in a number of registries. One can be a RIR, 
> another a TLD.
> (b) All registries get a unique identifier, and that is registered somewhere.
> (c) Each registry is responsible for assigning a unique local 
> identifier for each object.
> (d) The globally unique identifier is a concatenation of the two.
> (e) One might be able to create a URN scheme for this space of identifiers
> 
> This is what happens today (part from at VGRS and ARIN), and it 
> works. You don't have to come up with some rules for how a registry 
> works, and creates the identifier. That is up to them.
> 
> A registry might go away, but if that happens, I claim that all 
> records are moved together to a different organization, but the 
> registry stay atomic.
> 
> A registry might be split (something which will happen soon I think) 
> and this is the tricky part. One record might stay, and another might 
> be moved. This can be achieved by deleting records which are moved, 
> and creation of new ones in the new registry.
> 
> Note that splitting a registry is a very rare operation, and I am 
> prepared getting some trouble when that one-time-operation happens.
> 
>      paf
> 

-- 
-----------------------------
George Belotsky
Senior Software Architect
Register.com, inc.
george@register.com
212-798-9127 (phone)
212-798-9876 (fax)