RE: Unique handle generation

["Hollenbeck, Scott" <shollenbeck@verisign.com>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: George Belotsky [mailto:george@register.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 1:27 PM
>To: Hollenbeck, Scott
>Cc: 'Patrik Fältström'; ietf-provreg@cafax.se
>Subject: Re: Unique handle generation
>
>
>An opaque identifier has plenty of uses (and provides some security,
>too).
>
>A vehicle license plate, for example, provides identification even if
>you know nothing about its format.  With sufficient authorization, you
>can get answers to queries such as 'who does this vehicle belong to',
>etc.
>
>Opaque identifiers have many uses, and are in fact frequently used.
>We just have to determine if such identifiers meet our requirements.
>If they do, then there are great advantages in using them -- most
>prominently the elimination of the need to maintain a registry of
>handles (or parts thereof).
>
>George.

OK, so what can you tell me about the object referred to by this sample UUID
created using the uuidgen utility (23c67e00-71b6-11c9-9dfc-08002b0ecef1) vs.
this identifier suggested by Patrik (RIPE-PAF2001)?  In the absence of
context the UUID tells me _nothing_, including who to ask for more info.
With Patrik's format I at least know who to ask for more info.

Considering your license plate example, in the US a vehicle license plate
includes not only an opaque identifier, but the name of the state,
territory, or other issuing entity that identifies the administrator of a
license plate repository.  This administrator is the one that 1) assigned an
identifier that's unique within the repository, and 2) holds the keys to
obtaining additional information.  Strangely enough, this example appears to
mirror Patrik's suggested format...

<Scott/>