Editing Object identifier (section)

==Syntax and lexicon==
An OID corresponds to a [[node (graph theory)|node]] in the "OID tree" or hierarchy, which is formally defined using the ITU's [[General procedures and top arcs of the international object identifier tree|OID]] standard, [[X.660]]. The root of the tree contains the following three [[directed edge|arc]]s:

* 0: [[ITU-T]]
* 1: [[International Organization for Standardization|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|Intel Corporation]] appears as follows,

:<code>1.3.6.1.4.1.343</code>

and corresponds to the following path through the OID tree:
* 1 ISO
* 1.3 identified-organization ([[ISO/IEC 6523]]), 
* 1.3.6 [[United States Department of Defense|DoD]], 
* 1.3.6.1 internet, 
* 1.3.6.1.4 private,
* 1.3.6.1.4.1 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 [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority|IANA]]; the nodes under "1.3.6.1.4.1.343" are assigned by Intel Corporation, and so forth.