Uuidtools across processes

Rails
1

Hello,

It seems that there is a small probability of collisions among uuid’s
produced by uuidtools’ UUID.random_create() running in concurrent user
processes on a host (fcgi)? The ~2 bytes extracted from the randomized
clock_sequence make a collision unlikely.

http://rubyforge.org/frs/download.php/8572/uuidtools-1.0.0.zip

Do I miss something?

DD

2

On Apr 3, 2006, at 10:40 PM, Doug D. wrote:

It seems that there is a small probability of collisions among uuid’s
produced by uuidtools’ UUID.random_create() running in concurrent user
processes on a host (fcgi)? The ~2 bytes extracted from the randomized
clock_sequence make a collision unlikely.

It also relies on true_random, which it claims is a very good random
number generator “much, much better than the built-in pseudorandom
number
generators”.

Since it doesn’t appear to use PIDs after a cursory glance, I’d say
you’re correct.

Particularly so if it’s running on multiple hosts, because that routine
doesn’t appear to reference MAC address, making collisions that much
more
likely, if ever so rare.

–
– Tom M.

3

This is a good catch. Someone (possibly me) will need to delve into the
code and see if it can be patched to reference the MAC address
appropriately.

4

Tom M. wrote:

On Apr 3, 2006, at 10:40 PM, Doug D. wrote:

It seems that there is a small probability of collisions among uuid’s
produced by uuidtools’ UUID.random_create() running in concurrent user
processes on a host (fcgi)? The ~2 bytes extracted from the randomized
clock_sequence make a collision unlikely.

It also relies on true_random, which it claims is a very good random
number generator “much, much better than the built-in pseudorandom
number generators”.

The concern is that “only” 14 bits of this true_random (assigned to
clock_sequence) is used. The probability of collisions in a fcgi
configuration is a little too likely. Plus the potential MAC issue, an
exception code better be in place to re-generate uuid’s.

It would be better if uuidtools’ code were run in the kernel space,
rather than the user. Or, it embeds a PID in uuid’s.

Another approach is to get uuid’s from a database, i.e. MySQL’s UUID(),
as long as one DB server runs on a host, effectively making the DB
server the kernel for all its client processes. However, if MySQL forks
a user process for each client, not create a pthread, we’re back to
square one. Is this the case? Any other downsides?

DD