Re: Using a MAC address as the Alias
Pete,
one of the uses of a MAC address could be a "standardised" way to identify a piece of equipment in a simple way. Obviously there is a vendorIdentifier element for this purpose, but its contents are rather "non-standard" (OCTET STRING), which makes it a bit harder to determine the piece of equipment. Furthermore, I would expect the vendorIdentifier field to be identical for every product of the same type, so the only thing a could infer from this element is the type of the product and not the specific piece of equipment.
Why would I want to know the MAC address? Since the MAC address is tightly coupled to a piece of equipment, I could use this information to do something equipment specific. This can also be achieved through the vendorIdentifier element, but this would mean that any piece of equipment of this type would qualify and not a specific piece of equipment.
If I want to do something based on the physical location of the equipment, then the vendorIdentifier is no great help. If I keep some administration about the location of equipment and their MAC addresses,then I could e.g. pinpoint the location from which a call was placed.
Since Aliases usually represent users, they are rather loosely coopled to a specific piece of equipment.
Frank
pete@tech-know-ware.com on 07-06-2001 15:09:23 To: ITU-SG16@mailbag.cps.INTEL.COM@SMTP Frank Derks/HVS/BE/PHILIPS@EMEA2 cc: Subject: Re: Using a MAC address as the Alias Classification:
I think the main reason is simply that no one has so far made a case for them!
(I can't see the value myself, but then no one has explained it to me! I'm prepared to be enlightened.)
What I would say is that, if you do want to add it as a new alias type, then I would suggest that it be added as a URL. Something like:
.mac:blah-blah-blah
(where l=0 and h=5 !!!)
I've preceded it with a dot to indicate that it is a 323 defined URL and so avoid any conflicts with officially defined URLs.
Any new aliases should probably also include what steps should be taken to enable backwards compatible operation with entities that do not understand the alias.
Pete.
============================================= Pete Cordell Tech-Know-Ware pete@tech-know-ware.com +44 1473 635863 =============================================
----- Original Message ----- From: Frank Derks frank.derks@PHILIPS.COM To: ITU-SG16@mailbag.cps.INTEL.COM Sent: 07 June 2001 08:00 Subject: Re: Using a MAC address as the Alias
Paul,
it's good to know that I am not the only person that considers the use of
a
MAC address as an "alias" as being useful. It therefore strikes me as
being
somewhat odd that this is not included in the massive amount of options
that
H.323 already has. Any ideas why this was never included?
Frank
paulej@PACKETIZER.COM@SMTP@MAILBAG.INTEL.COM on 07-06-2001 05:45:35 Please respond to paulej@PACKETIZER.COM@SMTP Sent by: ITU-SG16@MAILBAG.INTEL.COM To: ITU-SG16@MAILBAG.INTEL.COM@SMTP cc: Subject: Re: Using a MAC address as the Alias Classification:
Frank,
Yes, I have, and there are very valid cases for doing this.
Paul
----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Derks" frank.derks@PHILIPS.COM To: ITU-SG16@mailbag.cps.INTEL.COM Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 10:05 AM Subject: Using a MAC address as the Alias
Today, there are many possibilities for a H.323 User/Terminal to
register
with a GK. Many of these
Aliases are an alias for the user. When the MobileUIM structure is used,
it is also possible to specify
an equipment identifier. Has anybody ever given any thought to the
possibility of specifying the MAC
address of Terminal as an Alias?
Regards,
Frank
For help on this mail list, send "HELP ITU-SG16" in a message to listserv@mailbag.intel.comFor help on this mail list, send "HELP ITU-SG16" in a message to listserv@mailbag.intel.comFor help on this mail list, send "HELP ITU-SG16" in a message to listserv@mailbag.intel.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For help on this mail list, send "HELP ITU-SG16" in a message to listserv@mailbag.intel.com
Frank,
Are you talking about the MAC address of the entity's NIC or one generated for the entity itself?
Paul Long ipDialog, Inc.
-----Original Message----- From: Mailing list for parties associated with ITU-T Study Group 16 [mailto:ITU-SG16@mailbag.cps.INTEL.COM]On Behalf Of Frank Derks Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2001 8:29 AM To: ITU-SG16@mailbag.cps.INTEL.COM Subject: Re: Using a MAC address as the Alias
Pete,
one of the uses of a MAC address could be a "standardised" way to identify a piece of equipment in a simple way. Obviously there is a vendorIdentifier element for this purpose, but its contents are rather "non-standard" (OCTET STRING), which makes it a bit harder to determine the piece of equipment. Furthermore, I would expect the vendorIdentifier field to be identical for every product of the same type, so the only thing a could infer from this element is the type of the product and not the specific piece of equipment.
Why would I want to know the MAC address? Since the MAC address is tightly coupled to a piece of equipment, I could use this information to do something equipment specific. This can also be achieved through the vendorIdentifier element, but this would mean that any piece of equipment of this type would qualify and not a specific piece of equipment.
If I want to do something based on the physical location of the equipment, then the vendorIdentifier is no great help. If I keep some administration about the location of equipment and their MAC addresses,then I could e.g. pinpoint the location from which a call was placed.
Since Aliases usually represent users, they are rather loosely coopled to a specific piece of equipment.
Frank
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For help on this mail list, send "HELP ITU-SG16" in a message to listserv@mailbag.intel.com
participants (2)
-
Frank Derks -
Paul Long