Boost RNG Library - Non-Deterministic Random Number Generators

# Header <boost/nondet_random.hpp>

- Synopsis
- Class `random_device`
- Performance

## Header`<boost/nondet_random.hpp>` Synopsis

    namespace boost {
      class random_device;
    } // namespace boost

## Class `random_device`

### Synopsis

    class random_device : noncopyable
    {
    public:
      typedef unsigned int result_type;
      static const bool has_fixed_range = true;
      static const result_type min_value = /* implementation defined */;
      static const result_type max_value = /* implementation defined */;
      result_type min() const;
      result_type max() const;
      explicit random_device(const std::string& token = default_token);
      ~random_device();
      double entropy() const;
      unsigned int operator()();
    };

### Description

Class `random_device` models a non-deterministic random number generator. It uses one or more implementation-defined stochastic processes to generate a sequence of uniformly distributed non-deterministic random numbers. For those environments where a non-deterministic random number generator is not available, class `random_device` must not be implemented. See

> "Randomness Recommendations for Security", D. Eastlake, S. Crocker, J. Schiller, Network Working Group, RFC 1750, December 1994

for further discussions.

Note: Some operating systems abstract the computer hardware enough to make it difficult to non-intrusively monitor stochastic processes. However, several do provide a special device for exactly this purpose. It seems to be impossible to emulate the functionality using Standard C++ only, so users should be aware that this class may not be available on all platforms.

### Members

    explicit random_device(const std::string& token = default_token)

Effects: Constructs a `random_device`, optionally using the given `token` as an access specification (for example, a URL) to some implementation-defined service for monitoring a stochastic process.

        double entropy() const

Returns: An entropy estimate for the random numbers returned by operator(), in the range `min()` to log2( `max()`+1). A deterministic random number generator (e.g. a pseudo-random number engine) has entropy 0.
Throws: Nothing.

### Implementation Note for Linux

On the Linux operating system, `token` is interpreted as a filesystem path. It is assumed that this path denotes an operating system pseudo-device which generates a stream of non-deterministic random numbers. The pseudo-device should never signal an error or end-of-file. Otherwise, `std::ios_base::failure` is thrown. By default, `random_device` uses the `/dev/urandom` pseudo-device to retrieve the random numbers. Another option would be to specify the `/dev/random` pseudo-device, which blocks on reads if the entropy pool has no more random bits available.

## Performance

The test program nondet_random_speed.cpp measures the execution times of the nondet_random.hpp implementation of the above algorithms in a tight loop. The performance has been evaluated on a Pentium Pro 200 MHz with gcc 2.95.2, Linux 2.2.13, glibc 2.1.2.

class | time per invocation [usec]
--- | ---
random_device | 92.0

The measurement error is estimated at +/- 1 usec.

Jens Maurer, 2000-06-19