diff --git a/src/python/oftest/ofutils.py b/src/python/oftest/ofutils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5daba2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/python/oftest/ofutils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+
+"""
+Utilities for the OpenFlow test framework
+"""
+
+import random
+
+def gen_xid():
+    return random.randrange(1,0xffffffff)