Internet-Draft | YANG Schema Item iDentifier (YANG SID) | August 2023 |
Veillette, et al. | Expires 1 March 2024 | [Page] |
YANG Schema Item iDentifiers (YANG SID) are globally unique 63-bit unsigned integers used to identify YANG items, as a more compact method to identify YANG items that can be used for efficiency and in constrained environments (RFC 7228). This document defines the semantics, the registration, and assignment processes of YANG SIDs for IETF managed YANG modules. To enable the implementation of these processes, this document also defines a file format used to persist and publish assigned YANG SIDs.¶
The present version (–21) updates the ietf-system.sid
example to
correctly provide SIDs for the RPCs in ietf-system.yang
.¶
This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.¶
Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet-Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.¶
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This Internet-Draft will expire on 1 March 2024.¶
Copyright (c) 2023 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the document authors. All rights reserved.¶
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document. Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.¶
Some of the items defined in YANG [RFC7950] require the use of a unique identifier. In both Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) [RFC6241] and RESTCONF [RFC8040], these identifiers are implemented using names. To allow the implementation of data models defined in YANG in constrained devices [RFC7228] and constrained networks, a more compact method to identify YANG items is required. This compact identifier, called YANG Schema Item iDentifier or YANG SID (or simply SID in this document and when the context is clear), is encoded using a 63-bit unsigned integer. The limitation to 63-bit unsigned integers allows SIDs to be manipulated more easily on platforms that might otherwise lack 64-bit unsigned arithmetic. The loss of a single bit of range is not significant given the size of the remaining space.¶
The following items are identified using SIDs:¶
It is possible that some protocols use only a subset of the assigned SIDs, for example, for protocols equivalent to NETCONF [RFC6241] like [I-D.ietf-core-comi] the transportation of YANG module SIDs might be unnecessary. Other protocols might need to be able to transport this information, for example protocols related to discovery such as Constrained YANG Module Library [I-D.ietf-core-yang-library].¶
SIDs are globally unique integers. A registration system is used in order to guarantee their uniqueness. SIDs are registered in blocks called "SID ranges". SIDs are assigned permanently. Items introduced by a new revision of a YANG module are added to the list of SIDs already assigned. This is discussed in more detail in Section 2.¶
Assignment of SIDs to YANG items is usually automated as discussed in Appendix B, which also discusses some cases where manual interventions may be appropriate.¶
Section 3 provides more details about the registration process of YANG modules and associated SIDs. To enable the implementation of this registry, Section 4 defines a standard file format used to store and publish SIDs.¶
IETF managed YANG modules that need to allocate SIDs use the IANA mechanism specified in this document. YANG modules created by other parties allocate SID ranges using the IANA allocation mechanisms via Mega-Ranges (see Section 6.3); within the Mega-Range allocation, those other parties are free to make up their own mechanism.¶
Among other uses, YANG SIDs are particularly useful to obtain a compact encoding for YANG-CBOR [RFC9254]. At the time of writing, a tool for automated ".sid" file generation is available as part of the open-source project PYANG [PYANG].¶
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.¶
The following terms are defined in [RFC7950]:¶
This specification also makes use of the following terminology:¶
The overriding objective of the SID assignment and registration system is to ensure global interoperability of protocols that employ SIDs in order to communicate about data modeled in YANG. This objective poses certain requirements on the stability of SIDs while at the same time not hindering active evolution of the YANG modules the SIDs are intended to support.¶
Additional objectives include:¶
While IANA ultimately maintains the registries that govern SIDs for IETF-defined modules, various support tools such as yangcatalog.org need to provide the support to enable SID assignment and use for modules still in IETF development. Developers of open-source or proprietary YANG modules also need to be able to serve as such entities autonomously, possibly forming alliances independent of the IETF, while still fitting in the overall SID number space managed by IANA. Obviously, this process has a number of parallels to the management of IP addresses, but also is very different.¶
As discussed in the introduction, SIDs are intended as globally unique (unsigned) integers.¶
Specifically, this means that:¶
any 63-bit unsigned integer is either unassigned as a SID or immutably maps to EXACTLY one YANG name. Only the transition from unassigned to that immutable mapping is defined.¶
This enables a recipient of a data structure employing SIDs to translate them into the globally meaningful YANG names that the existing encodings of YANG data such as YANG-XML [RFC7950] and YANG-JSON [RFC7951] employ today.¶
The term YANG name is not defined outside this document, and YANG has a complex system of names and entities that can have those names. Instead of defining the term technically, this set of objectives uses it in such a way that the overall objectives of YANG-SID can be achieved.¶
A desirable objective is that:¶
any YANG name in active use has one SID assigned.¶
This means that:¶
These objectives are unattainable in full, because YANG names are not necessarily born with a SID assignment, and because entirely autonomous entities might decide to assign SIDs for the same YANG name like ships in the night. Note that as long as this autonomy is maintained, any single observer will have the impression that Objective 2 is attained. Only when entities that have acted autonomously start communicating, a deviation is observed.¶
YANG modules evolve. The technical objectives listed above are states in terms that are independent of this evolution.¶
However, some modules are still in a very fluid state, and the assignment of permanent SIDs to the YANG names created in them is less desirable. This is not only true for new modules, but also for emerging new revisions of existing stable modules.¶
the SID management system is independent from any module versioning.¶
A registration system is used in order to guarantee the uniqueness of SIDs. To be able to provide some autonomy in allocation (and avoid information disclosure where it is not desirable), SIDs are registered in blocks called "SID ranges".¶
SIDs are assigned permanently.¶
Items introduced by a new revision of a YANG module are added to the list of SIDs already assigned.¶
In the YANG development process, we can discern a number of parties that are concerned with a YANG module:¶
The owner of the YANG module, i.e., the controller about its evolution.¶
The controller of the module namespace, specifically also of the prefixes that are in common use. (This is not a required party.)¶
An entity that supplies modules to module users. This can be "official" (e.g., IANA for IETF modules) or unofficial (e.g., yangcatalog.org). Not all repositories are in a position to act as a registry, i.e., as a permanent record for the information they supply; these repositories need to recur to module owners as a stable source.¶
An entity that uses a module, after obtaining it from the module controller or a module repository.¶
This set of parties needs to evolve to take on the additional roles that the SID assignment process requires:¶
An entity that assigns SIDs for a module. Objective 2 requires that there is only one SID assigner for each module. SID assigners preferably stay the same over a module development process; however this specification provides SID files to ensure an organized handover.¶
The entities that supply a SID assigner with SID ranges that they can use in assigning SIDs for a module. (In this specification, there is a structure with mega-ranges and individual SID ranges; this is not relevant here.)¶
An entity that supplies SID assignments to SID users, usually in the form of a SID file.¶
The module user that uses the SIDs provided by a SID assigner for a YANG module. SID users need to find SID assigners (or at least their SID assignments).¶
During the introduction of SIDs, the distribution of the SID roles to the existing parties for a YANG module will evolve.¶
The desirable end state of this evolution is:¶
Role | Party |
---|---|
SID assigner | module developer |
SID range registry | (as discussed in this specification) |
SID repository | module repository |
SID user | module user (naturally) |
This grouping of roles and parties puts the module developer into a position where it can achieve the objectives laid out in this section (a "type-1", "SID-guiding" module controller). (While a third party might theoretically assign additional SIDs and conflict with objective 2, there is very little reason to do so if SID files are always provided by the module developer with the module.)¶
The rest of this section is concerned with the transition to this end state.¶
For existing modules, there is no SID file. The entity that stands in as the SID assigner is not specified. This situation has the highest potential of a conflict with objective 2.¶
Similarly, for new module development, the module owner may not have heard about SIDs or not be interested in assigning them (e.g., because of lack of software or procedures within their organization).¶
For these two cases (which we will call type-3, "SID-oblivious" module controller), module repositories can act as a mediator, giving SID users access to a SID assigner that is carefully chosen to be a likely choice by other module repositories as well, maximizing the likelihood of achieving objective 2.¶
If the module controller has heard about SIDs, but is not assigning them yet, it can designate a SID assigner instead. This can lead to a stable, unique set of SID assignments being provided indirectly by a (type-2, "SID-aware") module developer. Entities offering designated SID assigner services could make these available in an easy-to-use way, e.g., via a Web interface.¶
The entity acting as a SID assigner minimally needs to record the SID range it uses for the SID assignment. If the SID range registry can record the module name and revision, and the assignment processes (including the software used) are stable, the SID assigner can theoretically reconstruct its assignments, but this is an invitation for implementation bugs.¶
SID assigners attending to a module in development (not yet stable) need to decide whether SIDs for a new revision are re-assigned from scratch ("clean-slate") or use existing assignments from a previous revision as a base, only assigning new SIDs for new names. Once a module is declared stable, its SID assignments SHOULD be declared stable as well (the exception being that, for existing YANG modules, some review may be needed before this is done).¶
This specification does not further discuss how mediating entities such as designated SID assigners or SID repositories could operate; instead, it supplies objectives for their operation.¶
YANG is a language designed to model data accessed using one of the compatible protocols (e.g. NETCONF [RFC6241], RESTCONF [RFC8040] and CORECONF [I-D.ietf-core-comi]). A YANG module defines hierarchies of data, including configuration, state data, RPCs, actions and notifications.¶
Many YANG modules are not created in the context of constrained applications. YANG modules can be implemented using NETCONF [RFC6241] or RESTCONF [RFC8040] without the need to assign SIDs.¶
As needed, authors of YANG modules can assign SIDs to their YANG modules. In order to do that, they should first obtain a SID range from a registry and use that range to assign or generate SIDs to items of their YANG module. The assignments can then be stored in a ".sid" file. For example on how this could be achieved, please refer to Appendix C.¶
Items introduced by a new revision of a YANG module are added to the list of SIDs already assigned. When this is done during development of a new protocol document, it may be necessary to make provisional assignments. They may get changed, revised or withdrawn during the development of a new standard. These provisional assignments are marked with a status of "unstable", so that they can be removed and the SID number possibly be reassigned for a different YANG schema name/path later during development. When the specification is advanced to a final document, then the assignment is marked with a status of "stable". During a period of development starting from a published specification, two variants of the SID file should be made available by the tooling involved in that development: (1) a "published" SID file with the existing stable SID assignments only (which the development effort should keep stable), as well as (2) an "unpublished" SID file that also contains the unstable SID assignments.¶
Registration of the ".sid" file associated to a YANG module is optional but recommended to promote interoperability between devices and to avoid duplicate allocation of SIDs to a single YANG module. Different registries might have different requirements for the registration and publication of the ".sid" files. For a diagram of one of the possibilities, please refer to the activity diagram on Figure 4 in Appendix C.¶
Each time a YANG module or one of its imported module(s) or included sub-module(s) is updated, a new ".sid" file MAY be created if the new or updated items will need SIDs. All the SIDs present in the previous version of the ".sid" file MUST be present in the new version as well. The creation of this new version of the ".sid" file SHOULD be performed using an automated tool.¶
If a new revision requires more SIDs than initially allocated, a new SID range MUST be added to the 'assignment-range' as defined in Section 4. These extra SIDs are used for subsequent assignments.¶
For an example of this update process, see activity diagram Figure 5 in Appendix C.¶
".sid" files are used to persist and publish SIDs assigned to the different YANG items of a specific YANG module.¶
It has the following structure:¶
The following YANG module defines the structure of this file, encoding is performed in JSON [RFC8259] using the rules defined in [RFC7951]. It references ietf-yang-types defined in [RFC6991] and ietf-yang-structure-ext defined in [RFC8791].¶
RFC Ed.: please update the date of the module and Copyright if needed and remove this note.¶
This document defines a new type of identifier used to encode data that are modeled in YANG [RFC7950]. This new identifier maps semantic concepts to integers, and if the source of this mapping is not trusted, then new security risks might occur if an attacker can control the mapping.¶
At the time of writing, it is expected that the SID files will be processed by a software developer, within a software development environment. Developers are advised to only import SID files from authoritative sources. IANA is the authoritative source for IETF managed YANG modules.¶
Conceptually, SID files could be processed by less-constrained target systems such as network management systems. Such systems need to take extra care to make sure that they are only processing SID files from authoritative sources, as authoritative as the YANG modules that they are using.¶
This document registers the following XML namespace URN in the "IETF XML Registry", following the format defined in [RFC3688]:¶
URI: please assign urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:yang:ietf-sid-file¶
Registrant Contact: The IESG.¶
XML: N/A, the requested URI is an XML namespace.¶
Reference: RFC XXXX¶
// RFC Ed.: please replace XXXX with RFC number and remove this note¶
This document registers one YANG module in the "YANG Module Names" registry [RFC6020]:¶
// RFC Ed.: please replace XXXX with RFC number and remove this note¶
The name of this registry is "YANG SID Mega-Range". This registry is used to record the delegation of the management of a block of SIDs to third parties (such as SDOs or registrars).¶
Each entry in this registry must include:¶
The IANA policy for future additions to this registry is "Expert Review" [RFC8126].¶
An organization requesting to manage a YANG SID Range (and thus have an entry in the YANG SID Mega-Range Registry), must ensure the following capacities:¶
The capacity to manage and operate a YANG SID Range Registry. A YANG SID Range Registry MUST provide the following information for all YANG SID Ranges allocated by the Registry:¶
Type: Public or Private¶
If a size of the allocation beyond 1 000 000 is desired, the organization must demonstrate the sustainability of the technical approach for utilizing this size of allocation and how it does not negatively impact the overall usability of the SID allocation mechanisms; such allocations are preferably placed in the space above 4 295 000 000 (64-bit space).¶
For a first allocation to be provided, the requesting organization must demonstrate a functional registry infrastructure.¶
On subsequent allocation request(s), the organization must demonstrate the exhaustion of the prior range. These conditions need to be asserted by the assigned expert(s).¶
If that extra-allocation is done within 3 years from the last allocation, the experts need to discuss this request on the CORE working group mailing list and consensus needs to be obtained before allocating a new Mega-Range.¶
The initial entry in this registry is allocated to IANA:¶
Entry Point | Size | Allocation | Organization name | URL |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 1000000 | Public | IANA | iana.org |
The first million SIDs assigned to IANA is sub-divided as follows:¶
The range of 1000 to 59,999 (size 59,000) is designated for YANG modules defined in RFCs.¶
Entry Point | Size | IANA policy |
---|---|---|
0 | 1,000 | IESG Approval |
1,000 | 59,000 | RFC Required |
60,000 | 40,000 | Experimental/Private use |
100,000 | 900,000 | Reserved |
The size of the SID range allocated for a YANG module is recommended to be a multiple of 50 and to be at least 33% above the current number of YANG items. This headroom allows assignment within the same range of new YANG items introduced by subsequent revisions. The SID range size SHOULD NOT exceed 1000; a larger size may be requested by the authors if this recommendation is considered insufficient. It is important to note that an additional SID range can be allocated to an existing YANG module if the initial range is exhausted; this then just leads to slightly less efficient representation.¶
In case a SID range is allocated for an existing RFC through the "Expert Review" policy, the Document reference field for the given allocation should point to the RFC that the YANG module is defined in.¶
In case a SID range is required before publishing the RFC due to implementations needing stable SID values, early allocation as defined in [BCP100] can be employed for the "RFC Required" range (Section 2 of [BCP100]).¶
For a YANG module approved for publication as an RFC, a ".sid" file SHOULD be included in the Internet-Draft as a source code block.¶
This ".sid" file is to be extracted by IANA/the expert reviewer and put into the YANG SID Registry (Section 6.5) along with the YANG module.¶
The ".sid" file MUST NOT be published as part of the RFC: the IANA Registry is authoritative and a link is to be inserted in the RFC.¶
A published ".sid" file MUST NOT contain schema-node allocations with an unstable status.¶
Initial entries in this registry are as follows:¶
Entry Point | Size | Module name | Document reference |
---|---|---|---|
0 | 1 | (Reserved: not a valid SID) | RFCXXXX |
1000 | 100 | ietf-coreconf | [I-D.ietf-core-comi] |
1100 | 50 | ietf-yang-types | [RFC6991] |
1150 | 50 | ietf-inet-types | [RFC6991] |
1200 | 50 | iana-crypt-hash | [RFC7317] |
1250 | 50 | ietf-netconf-acm | [RFC8341] |
1300 | 50 | ietf-sid-file | RFCXXXX |
1500 | 100 | ietf-interfaces | [RFC8343] |
1600 | 100 | ietf-ip | [RFC8344] |
1700 | 100 | ietf-system | [RFC7317] |
1800 | 400 | iana-if-type | [RFC7224] |
2400 | 50 | ietf-voucher | [RFC8366] |
2450 | 50 | ietf-constrained-voucher | [I-D.ietf-anima-constrained-voucher] |
2500 | 50 | ietf-constrained-voucher-request | [I-D.ietf-anima-constrained-voucher] |
// RFC Ed.: replace XXXX with RFC number assigned to this draft.¶
For allocation, RFC publication of the YANG module is required as per [RFC8126]. The YANG module must be registered in the "YANG module Name" registry according to the rules specified in Section 14 of [RFC6020].¶
The name of this registry is "IETF YANG SID Registry". This registry is used to record the allocation of SIDs for individual YANG module items.¶
Each entry in this registry must include:¶
The allocation policy is Expert review. The Expert MUST ensure that the following conditions are met:¶
The ".sid" file has a valid structure:¶
The ".sid" file allocates individual SIDs ONLY in the YANG SID Ranges for this YANG module (as allocated in the IETF YANG SID Range Registry):¶
Due to the difficulty in changing SID values during IETF document processing, it is expected that most documents will ask for SID allocations using Early Allocations [BCP100]. The details of the Early Allocation should be included in any Working Group Adoption call. Prior to Working Group Adoption, an internet draft author can use the experimental SID range (as per Section 6.4.2) for their SIDs allocations or other values that do not create ambiguity with other SID uses (for example they can use a range that comes from a non-IANA managed "YANG SID Mega-Range" registry).¶
After Working Group Adoption, any modification of a ".sid" file is expected to be discussed on the mailing list of the appropriate Working Groups. Specific attention should be paid to implementers' opinion after Working Group Last Call if a SID value is to change its meaning. In all cases, a ".sid" file and the SIDs associated with it are subject to change before the publication of an internet draft as an RFC.¶
During the early use of SIDs, many existing, previously published YANG modules will not have SID allocations. For an allocation to be useful the included YANG modules may also need to have SID allocations made.¶
The Expert Reviewer who performs the (Early) Allocation analysis will need to go through the list of included YANG modules and perform SID allocations for those modules as well.¶
At the end of the IETF process all the dependencies of a given module for which SIDs are assigned, should also have SIDs assigned. Those dependencies' assignments should be permanent (not Early Allocation).¶
A previously SID-allocated YANG module which changes its references to include a YANG module for which there is no SID allocation needs to repeat the Early Allocation process.¶
Early Allocations are made with a one-year period, after which they need to be renewed or will expire.¶
Note that if a document is submitted for review to the IESG and at the time of submission some early allocations are valid (not expired), these allocations should not be expired while the document is under IESG consideration or waiting in the RFC Editor's queue after approval by the IESG.¶
The following ".sid" file (ietf-system@2014-08-06.sid) has been generated using the following yang modules:¶
For purposes of exposition, line breaks have been introduced below in some JSON strings that represent overly long identifiers.¶
Assignment of SIDs to YANG items SHOULD be automated. The recommended process to assign SIDs is as follows:¶
When updating a YANG module that is in active use, the existing SID assignments are maintained. (In contrast, when evolving an early draft that has not yet been adopted by a community of developers, SID assignments are often better done from scratch after a revision.) If the name of a schema node changes, but the data remain structurally and semantically similar to what was previously available under an old name, the SID that was used for the old name MAY continue to be used for the new name. If the meaning of an item changes, a new SID MAY be assigned to it; this is particularly useful to allow the new SID to identify the new structure or semantics of the item. If the YANG data type changes in a new revision of a published module, such that the resulting CBOR encoding is changed, then implementations will be aided significantly if a new SID is assigned. Note that these decisions are generally at the discretion of the YANG module author, who should decide if the benefits of a manual intervention are worth the deviation from automatic assignment.¶
In case of an update to an existing ".sid" file, an additional step is needed that increments the ".sid" file version number. If there was no version number in the previous version of the ".sid" file, 0 is assumed as the version number of the old version of the ".sid" file and the version number is 1 for the new ".sid" file. Apart from that, changes of ".sid" files can also be automated using the same method described above, only unassigned YÀNG items are processed at step #3. Already existing items in the ".sid" file should not be given new SIDs.¶
Note that ".sid" file versions are specific to a YANG module revision. For each new YANG module or each new revision of an existing YANG module, the version number of the initial ".sid" file should either be 0 or should not be present.¶
Note also that RPC or action "input" and "output" data nodes MUST always be assigned SID even if they don't contain data nodes. The reason for this requirement is that other modules can augment the given module and those SIDs might be necessary.¶
Before assigning SIDs to their YANG modules, YANG module authors must acquire a SID range from a "YANG SID Range Registry". If the YANG module is part of an IETF draft or RFC, the SID range need to be acquired from the "IETF YANG SID Range Registry" as defined in Section 6.4. For the other YANG modules, the authors can acquire a SID range from any "YANG SID Range Registry" of their choice.¶
Once the SID range is acquired, owners can use it to generate ".sid" file/s for their YANG module/s. It is recommended to leave some unallocated SIDs following the allocated range in each ".sid" file in order to allow better evolution of the YANG module in the future. Generation of ".sid" files should be performed using an automated tool. Note that ".sid" files can only be generated for YANG modules and not for submodules.¶
The following activity diagram summarizes the creation of a YANG module and its associated ".sid" file.¶
The following Activity diagram summarizes the update of a YANG module and its associated ".sid" file.¶
[RFC9195] defines a format for "YANG Instance Data". This essentially leads to an encapsulation of the instance data within some metadata envelope.¶
If a SID file needs to be stored in a YANG Instance Data file, this
can be achieved by embedding the value of the SID file as the value of the
content-data
member in the following template, and copying over the
second-level members as indicated with the angle brackets:¶
{ "ietf-yang-instance-data:instance-data-set": { "name": "<module-name>@<module-revision>.sid", "description": ["<description>"], "content-schema": { "module": "ietf-sid-file@2023-03-01" }, "content-data": { <replace this object> "ietf-sid-file:sid-file" : { "module-name": ... } } } }¶
RFC editor: Please replace the module date by the correct one for the ietf-sid-file module.¶
The authors would like to thank Andy Bierman, Michael Richardson, Abhinav Somaraju, Peter van der Stok, Laurent Toutain and Randy Turner for their help during the development of this document and their useful comments during the review process. Special thanks go to the IESG members who supplied very useful comments during the IESG processing phase, in particular to Benjamin Kaduk and Rob Wilton.¶