Simplifying MAC address management

Our company manufactures Ethernet devices. Are there any products that help simplify the bookkeeping necessary for Ethernet MAC address assignment?

Our company manufactures Ethernet devices. Are there any products that help simplify the bookkeeping necessary for Ethernet media access control address assignment? We purchased a block from IEEE and we’re looking for a way to keep track of which addresses have been assigned on the factory floor. We assumed this was a common issue with hardware manufacturers but cannot find anything created specifically for this job.

To make sure MAC addresses are unique, the first 24 bits of each address identify the network interface card’s (NIC) manufacturer.

The IEEE assigns manufacturers the numbers, called organizationally unique identifiers. The remaining bits of each MAC address act as a serial number, assigned to a NIC when it is made. I do not know of specific MAC address assignment management tools (can readers offer any tips?).

However, serial number assignment management is part of several manufacturing enterprise resource planning systems, so you might find a solution with these.

Although the sequential assignment of MAC addresses in real time across multiple manufacturing stations and facilities is nontrivial, the fundamental problem is to use identifiers in sequence. Review the production management system’s serial number management facilities to get started.