The PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual - Volume 1A - SQL Language Reference by The PostgreSQL Global Development Group Paperback (6"x9"), 454 pages ISBN 9781906966041 RRP £14.95 ($19.95) Sales of this book support the PostgreSQL project! Get a printed copy>>>

PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual Volume 1A Buy the book here! >>> only $19.95

6.9.4 macaddr

The macaddr type stores MAC addresses, known for example from Ethernet card hardware addresses (although MAC addresses are used for other purposes as well). Input is accepted in the following formats:

• '08:00:2b:01:02:03'
• '08-00-2b-01-02-03'
• '08002b:010203'
• '08002b-010203'
• '0800.2b01.0203'
• '08002b010203'

These examples would all specify the same address. Upper and lower case is accepted for the digits a through f. Output is always in the first of the forms shown.

IEEE Std 802-2001 specifies the second shown form (with hyphens) as the canonical form for MAC addresses, and specifies the first form (with colons) as the bit-reversed notation, so that 08-00-2b-01-02-03 = 01:00:4D:08:04:0C. This convention is widely ignored nowadays, and it is only relevant for obsolete network protocols (such as Token Ring). PostgreSQL makes no provisions for bit reversal, and all accepted formats use the canonical LSB order.

The remaining four input formats are not part of any standard.