# Object identifier > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Object_identifier > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Object_identifier.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_identifier > Source revision: 1334964179 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Globally unambiguous persistent name In [computing](/source/Computing), **object identifiers** or **OIDs** are an [identifier](/source/Identifier) mechanism standardized by the [International Telecommunication Union](/source/International_Telecommunication_Union) (ITU) and [ISO/IEC](/source/ISO) for naming any object, concept, or "thing" with a globally unambiguous persistent name.[1][2] ## Syntax and lexicon An OID corresponds to a [node](/source/Node_(graph_theory)) in the "OID tree" or hierarchy, which is formally defined using the ITU's [OID](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_procedures_and_top_arcs_of_the_international_object_identifier_tree&action=edit&redlink=1) standard, [X.660](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=X.660&action=edit&redlink=1). The root of the tree contains the following three [arcs](/source/Directed_edge): - 0: [ITU-T](/source/ITU-T) - 1: [ISO](/source/ISO) - 2: joint-iso-itu-t Each node in the tree is represented by a series of integers separated by periods, corresponding to the path from the root through the series of ancestor nodes, to the node. Thus, an OID denoting [Intel Corporation](/source/Intel_Corporation) appears as follows, - 1.3.6.1.4.1.343 and corresponds to the following path through the OID tree: - 1 ISO - 1.3 identified-organization ([ISO/IEC 6523](/source/ISO%2FIEC_6523)), - 1.3.6 [DoD](/source/DoD), - 1.3.6.1 internet, - 1.3.6.1.4 private, - 1.3.6.1.4.1 [IANA](/source/IANA) enterprise numbers, - 1.3.6.1.4.1.343 Intel Corporation A textual representation of the OID paths is also commonly seen; for example, - iso.identified-organization.dod.internet.private.enterprise.intel Each node in the tree is controlled by an assigning authority, which may define child nodes under the node and delegate assigning authority for the child nodes. Continuing with the example, the node numbers under root node "1" are assigned by ISO; the nodes under "1.3.6" are assigned by the US Department of Defense; the nodes under "1.3.6.1.4.1" are assigned by [IANA](/source/IANA); the nodes under "1.3.6.1.4.1.343" are assigned by Intel Corporation, and so forth. ## Usage - [ISO/IEC 6523](/source/ISO%2FIEC_6523) "International Code Designator" uses OIDs with the prefix "1.3". - In [computer security](/source/Computer_security), OIDs serve to name almost every object type in [X.509](/source/X.509) [certificates](/source/Public_key_certificate), such as components of [Distinguished Names](/source/Distinguished_Name), [CPSs](/source/Certification_Practice_Statement), etc. - Within [X.500](/source/X.500) and [LDAP](/source/LDAP) schemas and protocols, OIDs uniquely name each attribute type and object class, and other elements of schema. - In [Simple Network Management Protocol](/source/Simple_Network_Management_Protocol) (SNMP), each node in a [management information base](/source/Management_information_base) (MIB) is identified by an OID. - IANA assigns [Private Enterprise Numbers](/source/Private_Enterprise_Number) (PEN) to companies and other organizations under the 1.3.6.1.4.1 node. OIDs down-tree from these are among the most commonly seen; for example, within SNMP MIBs, as LDAP attributes, and as vendor suboptions in the [Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol](/source/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol) (DHCP). - In the [United States](/source/United_States), [HL7 International](/source/HL7_International), a standards-developing organization in the area of electronic health care data exchange, is the assigning authority at the 2.16.840.1.113883 (joint-iso-itu-t.country.us.organization.hl7) node. HL7 maintains its own [OID registry](http://www.hl7.org/oid/index.cfm), and as of December 1, 2020 it contained almost 20,000 nodes, most of them under the HL7 root. - [DICOM](/source/DICOM) uses OIDs. - The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](/source/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention) uses OIDs to manage the many complex values sets or "vocabularies" used in the Public Health Information Network (PHIN) Vocabulary Access and Distribution System ([VADS](https://www.cdc.gov/phin/tools/PHINvads/index.html)). - Slovakia assigns each [Identifikačné číslo organizácie](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Identifika%C4%8Dn%C3%A9_%C4%8D%C3%ADslo_organiz%C3%A1cie&action=edit&redlink=1) [[sk](https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identifika%C4%8Dn%C3%A9_%C4%8D%C3%ADslo_organiz%C3%A1cie)] (also called IČO) an OID under the 1.3.158 node. Each legal or natural person has an allocated IČO and thus an allocated OID node.[3][4] ## Acquisition There are multiple ways to acquire a OID. Both free and paid ones exist. - Free registration with [IANA] below *1.3.6.1.4.1* (ASN.1-Notation *{iso(1) identified-organization(3) dod(6) internet(1) private(4) enterprise(1)}*). - Below of *2.25* (ASN.1-Notation *{joint-iso-itu-t(2) uuid(25)}*) a self generated [UUID](/source/UUID) can be used. - At national agencies. Like e.g. for the health sector [BfArM](/source/BfArM) in [Germany](/source/Germany)[\[1\]](https://www.bfarm.de/DE/Kodiersysteme/Services/OID-Register/%20node.html), [BMSGPK](/source/Ministry_of_Social_Affairs%2C_Health%2C_Care_and_Consumer_Protection) in [Austria](/source/Austria)[\[2\]](https://www.gesundheit.gv.at/OID%20Frontend/oid-frontend/index.jsp) or [de:Refdata](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refdata) in [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland)[\[3\]](https://oid.refdata.ch/). - At any organization that already has an OID and decides to sub allocate them. ## See also - [Digital object identifier](/source/Digital_object_identifier) - [Extended Validation Certificate](/source/Extended_Validation_Certificate) - [International Geo Sample Number](/source/International_Geo_Sample_Number) - [LSID](/source/LSID) - [Persistent Object Identifier](/source/Persistent_Object_Identifier) - [Surrogate key](/source/Surrogate_key) - [Uniform Resource Name](/source/Uniform_Resource_Name) - [Universally Unique Identifier](/source/Universally_Unique_Identifier) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Object Identifier Repository"](https://oid-base.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["OID project"](https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/asn1/Pages/OID-project.aspx). *ITU*. Retrieved 2025-04-17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Pravidlá poskytovania kvalifikovaných dôveryhodných služieb uchovávania kvalifikovaných elektronických podpisov a uchovávania kvalifikovaných elektronických pečatí"](https://www.nases.gov.sk/files/public/CPS_LTA_UPVS.pdf) (PDF). p. 7. Retrieved 2025-11-11. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Štatistický úrad SR :: Register organizácií"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140227172214/http://portal.statistics.sk/showdoc.do?docid=2844). *portal.statistics.sk*. 2013-10-25. Archived from [the original](http://portal.statistics.sk/showdoc.do?docid=2844) on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2025-11-11. ## External links - [ITU-T OID project main page](https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/asn1/Pages/OID-project.aspx) - [Object Identifier Repository: Supplementary information on operation of a country Registration Authority, and on known country Registration Authorities](https://oid-base.com/) - [Global OID reference database](https://oidref.com/) - [Harald Tveit Alvestrand's Object Identifier Registry](https://www.alvestrand.no/objectid/) - [IANA Private Enterprise Numbers](https://www.iana.org/assignments/enterprise-numbers/) - [HL7 OID registry](https://www.hl7.org/oid/) - [Obtaining an Object Identifier](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms677619%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Object identifier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_identifier) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_identifier?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.