HI Michel,

Your scenario perfectly fits in with my summary.
The proposal is that each server is accompanied by a file that mentions the names that are rehashed for a given device.

Of course, you can generate unique hash values for a whole installation for which you need an installation repository, but as pointed out by Andy, new servers with new modules are added and new modules are added to existing servers, which invalidates the installation repository.

Assuming that "small" clients do not dynamically discover servers, and that the code (or access tables) are generated offline and down-loaded into the clients, you do not need an installation repository but can handle the table generation for a client with only the clash information of the involved servers.

The disadvantage is that you need a table in the client that gives the hash value as function of the server identity. That table does not need to be large, given the very low clash probability (and may be non-existent for most clients).

However, when clients try to build these tables dynamically, and the clients do not have space to store all accessible names, and they dynamically discover the servers, then you need the module identifiers, which need a centrally managed repository.

I thought that for 6tisch all servers were kind of fixed with no changes to the module contents; and clients were small accessing a non changing set of servers. In that case I would suggest to handle table generation off-line. In the clients the hash values can be the same for all servers, with 0-3 exceptions where a given server uses a different hash.

For the dynamic case, with small clients that cannot store the names, I am afraid that using module identifiers is a better solution. However, we can make the module identifier optional, and specify it in a query parameter.
That avoids transporting the module identifier when it is not needed.

Peter


Michel Veillette schreef op 2015-04-14 18:59:
Hi Peter

I’m not sure if your summary capture the impossibility to avoid
multiple set of YANG hashes for a same module during a deployment

unless a central repository of hashes is established from the start
for all standard and manufacture modules.

For example

 · Let assume the following distribution of YANG hashes

 · Let also assume that modules have no hash clashes or data node
identifier re-assignment have been done offline.

 · Let assume that device x implements module C

 · Then, device y implements module B and module C, hash clashes A/C
need to be resolved to create Module C’

 · Finally, device z is introduced with support of modules A, B and
C, both hash clashes A/C and B/C need to be resolved to create Module
C’’

At the end of this sequence, we have three devices (x, y, and z) which
all implement module C with three different version of YANG hashes. To
make this work, the proposed rehash mechanism is needed and each node
need to dynamically discover rehash table from each peer and need tens
of kB of URI strings for the lockup in these rehash tables.

Unless we want to put in place this central repository of YANG hashes,
scoping the uniqueness of data node identifiers by module seem to be
the only solution.

Michel Veillette

System Architecture Director

Trilliant Inc.

Tel: 450-375-0556 ext. 237

[email protected]

www.trilliantinc.com

-----Original Message-----
 From: peter van der Stok [mailto:[email protected]]
 Sent: 14 avril 2015 05:06
 To: Andy Bierman
 Cc: [email protected]; Michel Veillette; Pascal Thubert
(pthubert); Carsten Bormann; [email protected]; Core
 Subject: Re: [6tisch] [core] COMI hash values globally unique vs.
unique within a module

Hi Andy,

From Michel and you I understand that the problems with rehashing come


from:

- Different manufacturers may provide servers with the same module
set, but may have chosen different names to rehash in case of clash.

- Servers may be upgraded with modules, and may need rehashing.

Not choosing module identifiers in the name hash, has as consequence
that in case of clash in a server, the server needs to announce the
name that is rehashed.

This announcement can be done in a standardized format and pre-loaded
servers with clashes MUST be accompanied by such a file.

Given that small clients need to be prepared when servers are added or
modules are added to existing servers, Appropriate code can be loaded
in these clients when needed.

The existence of rehashes does not unnecessarily complicate this work.


The choice is then between:

- no module IDs: rehashes need to be administrated and taken into
account when servers are added or functionality is added.

- module ID: Registry needs to be defined, maintained, and the module
ID must be transported in every exchange.

The module ID is compulsory when the client does an automatic
discovery of servers and needs to use the same hash values independent
of the arrival of new servers or the extension of servers.

Is this a correct summary of the arguments involved?

Peter

Andy Bierman schreef op 2015-04-13 18:14:

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 1:34 AM, peter van der Stok

<[email protected]> wrote:

Dear all,



Trying to work out all your recommendations, I fail to understand
the

need for the solution.



Large clients and small servers is not tru any more.

The assumption is that clients and servers are small, they are not

dynamically augmented with new modules. They only know about hash

values and have no knowledge what so ever of the corresponding
names.





The term "dynamically loaded" is misleading, because a new revision
of

the device, or a device that supports firmware upgrade, can have new


YANG modules added.





Let's concentrate on the one module clash first.

Apparently, it is envisaged to load modules that already contain
hash

clashes inside.

For me that is an unsolvable problem: There is one hash value that

points to different names (memory stores) in the server.

Servers only know about hash values, they have no name tables.

Suppose one of the names has been rehashed (where? certainly not

within the server).

We might add a statement in the server that the old hash value goes


to the new rehashed value.

It is not clear to me how the server can decide which memory
location

goes with the old hash value and which with the new value.





If a value gets rehashed, it is because there is a collision.

I am not sure if module numbers can be added to YANG, but it should
be

possible to either avoid 1-module collisions or add a YANG extension


to the module to resolve the collision so that every implementation

uses the same rehash (known in advance).





Apparently, something needs to be done before the module is loaded

into the server. For me that means that only modules can be loaded

without hash clashes.





For modules intended for CoMI, we can certainly make sure no names

used in the module produce any collisions.





Suppose in a given server two names from two modules clash. The

solution is then that the module ID distinguishes between the two

clashing values.

It is then proposed that module names are hashed. That solution is

the same as saying that you need more than 32 bits for a hash value


to reduce clash probability.



The only valid remaining approach is a registry that maps module
name

to a

32 bit? ID. Transporting the module ID means additional transport

costs.





It should be possible to come up with a short module-id format, and

only use the long form (full module name) if no short-form exists.



I can imagine though that in a given installation the servers and

their module combinations are known.

Any clashes can be solved before load time. The appropriate code
can

be loaded in the small clients and servers.





This does not allow for the old client/new server scenario to keep

working, if the new server adds a module with a hash collision.



The problem arrives when a new server with a set of modules

(including a new

module) finds a clash.

This clash does not affect the old clients and servers (they are
not

aware of the new module)



But what if the module they know about is the one that gets
rehashed?

There is no saved or canonical order for processing YANG modules.



Consequently, the clash can be solved by renaming the clashing name


in the newly added module.





Only if the collision is detected and corrected before

the new module is published.





All clients, and servers which have to use the clashing name of the


new

module will use the hash value of the renamed name, and do not need
to

be

aware of the rehashing.



At the operational level, there are only unique hashes within an

installation.

At the organization level, the rehash value of the new module needs
to

be

registered and used when code for new clients or servers are

generated.



Consequently, I do not see a need for module IDs.





YANG is modular, and different naming authorities (SDOs and vendors)


work at different speeds and publish independently of each other.

Applications can use different modules on the same server without

impacting each other. Vendors can add their own modules before

or after standard modules are written and added.



If module A and module B both have objects that hash to the same
value

then they cannot be used together without re-hashing 1 of the
objects.





Any mistakes in the above?



I think the combinations of modules that will be available

on a given implementation cannot be controlled in advance.

We cannot assume all client devices and server devices can

be upgraded together (flag day upgrade).







Peter







Andy



Michel Veillette schreef op 2015-04-02 20:37:



If I summarize:



Reducing the scope of uniqueness of YAND hash values to each
module

allows detection of hash collision(s) at design time instead of at


run

time.



To reduce this scope, we need to:

- Create a unique module identifier (e.g. 20 bits organization ID

registered at IANA, 10 bits module ID)

- Add this module identifier to the URI (e.g. one to five base64

characters)

- Add a map at the root of the CBOR objects carry within the CoAP

payload to associate module IDs with modules data nodes (e.g. one
to

five byes per module)



The problem that still need to be resolved is how we document data


nodes rehash offline.

- One option is to use the description statement of the YANG
module

or

a new YANG statement specifically added for this purpose.

- Another option is create a IANA registry for these rehash
values.



Hash collisions within YANG modules are very unlikely to happen
and

the solution don't need to be highly scalable. In that respect,
using

a IANA registry might be a good solution since it can be used for

already published yang modules and can be use after the fact with
any

future YANG modules.



Michel Veillette

System Architecture Director

Trilliant Inc.

Tel: 450-375-0556 ext. 237

[email protected]

www.trilliantinc.com [1]





-----Original Message-----

From: Pascal Thubert (pthubert) [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: 2 avril 2015 13:09

To: Carsten Bormann; Andy Bierman

Cc: Michel Veillette; [email protected]; [email protected];


[email protected]

Subject: RE: [6tisch] [core] COMI hash values globally unique vs.

unique within a module



Yes, we asked about that as well.



It help to have a registry that guarantees the uniqueness of the

first

element in the path, so as to make it easier to check for
collision

within one path only.



Cheers,



Pascal





-----Original Message-----

From: 6tisch [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
Carsten

Bormann

Sent: jeudi 2 avril 2015 18:41

To: Andy Bierman

Cc: Michel Veillette; [email protected];
[email protected];

[email protected]

Subject: Re: [6tisch] [core] COMI hash values globally unique vs.


unique within a module



I think I'm losing track of what "this" is.

Assigning numbers when doing a (version of a) module should be

doable,

even if it requires some additional tooling.

Assigning numbers to modules would require a registry.

No rehashing (or hashing at all) required.

(Now, that registry could be filled using a hash...)



BTW, I'm not sure that the "rehashing" in the current spec is the


easiest way to handle collisions -- I also don't understand how

multiple paths that arrive at the same hash value are handled.



Grüße, Carsten



Andy Bierman wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 2, 2015 at 8:25 AM, Andy Bierman
<[email protected]>

wrote:

>> Hi,

>>

>> I should make it clear that I was trying to use a module-id so
the

>> objects in the module could be given a simple integer OID.

>> The goal was to support identifiers that could fit in 1 or 2
bytes.

>> But this was dropped when we changed to using hashes.

>>

>> It might be a huge effort to create and use numeric module
IDs, but

>> YANG module names tend to be long strings. It might be worth
it, if

>> a per-module hash is used.

>>

>> If the collisions were coupled to specific modules, then they
might

>> be avoided before publication or the client can be hard-wired
to

>> use the rehashed values from the start.

>>

>> A client would not need to know the XPath strings for any
objects.

>> It could be hard-coded to work with module X, Y, Z, and it
would

>> always work, no matter what additional modules were added to
the

>> server.

>> This does seem very useful for constrained clients.

>>

>

> A standard, deterministic renaming algorithm would be needed to
make

> this viable. If each server is free to choose its own rehash,
then

> the client still needs to store all the strings, and resolve
the

> collisions at run-time instead of compile-time.

> (So therefore a module-name or module-id would not solve
anything).

>

>> Andy

>

> Andy

>

>>

>> On Thu, Apr 2, 2015 at 5:55 AM, Carsten Bormann <[email protected]>
wrote:

>>> Michel Veillette wrote:

>>>> strings represents */5323 bytes/*

>>> If we want to free the implementations completely of having
to use

>>> these strings, we'll need to assign numbers. This can be done
at

>>> the module level, either manually or algorithmically. Using a


>>> per-module hash to do this is suboptimal; it is much better
to

>>> fill a small

linear space.

>>>

>>> We then need a way to compose these numbers with numbers
assigned

>>> to module IDs. SMIv2 had this way to name modules and their

>>> components...

>>>

>>> Grüße, Carsten

>

> _______________________________________________

> 6tisch mailing list

> [email protected]

> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/6tisch [2]

>

>



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