Editing Object identifier

{{Short description|Globally unambiguous persistent name}}
In [[computing]], '''object identifiers''' or '''OIDs''' are an [[identifier]] mechanism standardized by the [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU) and [[ISO|ISO/IEC]] for naming any object, concept, or "thing" with a globally unambiguous persistent name.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oid-base.com|title=Object Identifier Repository}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=OID project |url=https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/asn1/Pages/OID-project.aspx |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ITU |language=en-US}}</ref>

==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.

==Usage==
* [[ISO/IEC 6523]] "International Code Designator" uses OIDs with the prefix "1.3".
* In [[computer security]], OIDs serve to name almost every object type in [[X.509]] [[Public key certificate|certificates]], such as components of [[Distinguished Name]]s, [[Certification Practice Statement|CPS]]s, etc.
* Within [[X.500]] and [[LDAP]] schemas and protocols, OIDs uniquely name each attribute type and object class, and other elements of schema.
* In [[Simple Network Management Protocol]] (SNMP), each node in a [[management information base]] (MIB) is identified by an OID.
* IANA assigns [[Private Enterprise Number]]s (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]] (DHCP).
* In the [[United States]], [[Health Level Seven]] (HL7), 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 [http://www.hl7.org/oid/index.cfm OID registry], and as of December 1, 2020 it contained almost 20,000 nodes, most of them under the HL7 root.  
* [[DICOM]] uses OIDs.
* The [[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 ([https://www.cdc.gov/phin/tools/PHINvads/index.html VADS]).

== 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]] can be used.
* At national agencies. Like e.g. for the health sector [[BfArM]] in [[Germany]][https://www.bfarm.de/DE/Kodiersysteme/Services/OID-Register/%20node.html], [[Ministry_of_Social_Affairs,_Health,_Care_and_Consumer_Protection|BMSGPK]] in [[Austria]][https://www.gesundheit.gv.at/OID%20Frontend/oid-frontend/index.jsp] or [[:de:Refdata]] in [[Switzerland]][https://oid.refdata.ch/].
* At any organization that already has an OID and decides to sub allocate them.

== See also ==
* [[Digital object identifier]]
* [[Extended Validation Certificate]]
* [[International Geo Sample Number]]
* [[LSID]]
* [[Persistent Object Identifier]]
* [[Surrogate key]]
* [[Uniform Resource Name]]
* [[Universally Unique Identifier]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/asn1/Pages/OID-project.aspx ITU-T OID project main page]
* [https://oid-base.com/ Supplementary information on operation of a country Registration Authority, and on known country Registration Authorities]
* [http://www.oid-info.com/ Object Identifier Repository]
* [http://oidref.com/ Global OID reference database]
* [https://www.alvestrand.no/objectid/ Harald Tveit Alvestrand's Object Identifier Registry]
* [http://pen.iana.org/ IANA Private Enterprise Numbers]
* [https://www.hl7.org/oid/ HL7 OID registry]
* [https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms677619%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396 Obtaining an Object Identifier]

[[Category:Identifiers]]
[[Category:Network management]]
[[Category:ASN.1]]