Unique identifier

Encyclopedia

A unique identifier (UID) is an identifier that is guaranteed to be unique among all identifiers used for those objects and for a specific purpose. The concept was formalized early in the development of Computer science and Information systems. In general, it was associated with an atomic data type.

In relational databases, certain attributes of an entity that serve as unique identifiers are called primary keys.

In Mathematics, the set theory uses the concept of element indices as unique identifiers.

Classification

There are some main types of unique identifiers, each corresponding to a different generation strategy:

  1. serial numbers, assigned incrementally or sequentially, by a central authority or accepted reference.
  2. random numbers, selected from a number space much larger than the maximum (or expected) number of objects to be identified. Although not really unique, some identifiers of this type may be appropriate for identifying objects in many practical applications and are, with informal use of language, still referred to as “unique”
    1. Hash functions: based on the content of the identified object, ensuring that equivalent objects use the same UID.
    2. Random number generator: based on random process.
  3. names or codes allocated by choice which are forced to be unique by keeping a central registry such as the EPC Information Services.
  4. names or codes allocated using a regime involving multiple (concurrent) issuers of unique identifiers that are each assigned mutually exclusive partitions of a global address space such that the unique identifiers assigned by each issuer in each exclusive address space partition are guaranteed to be globally unique. Examples include (1) the media access control address MAC address uniquely assigned to each individual hardware network interface device produced by the manufacturer of the devices, (2) consumer product bar codes assigned to products using identifiers assigned by manufacturers that participate in GS1 identification standards, and (3) the unique and persistent Legal Entity Identifier assigned to a legal entity by one of the LEI registrars in the Global Legal Entity Identifier System (GLEIS) managed by the Global LEI Foundation (GLEIF).

The above methods can be combined, hierarchically or singly, to create other generation schemes which guarantee uniqueness. In many cases, a single object may have more than one unique identifier, each of which identifies it for a different purpose.

Examples

  • National identification number
  • ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID)
  • Digital object identifiers (DOI)
  • International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
  • Electronic Identifier Serial Publication (EISP)
  • Electronic Product Code (EPC)
  • International eBook Identifier Number (IEIN)
  • Stock keeping unit (SKU)
  • Part number
  • Universally unique identifier (UUID)
  • Numbering scheme
  • Track and trace
  • Payment card number
  • Object identifier (OID)
  • Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)

National identification number

Main article: National identification number

National identification number is used by the governments of many countries as a means of tracking their citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents for the purposes of work, taxation, government benefits, health care, and other governance-related functions.

Chemistry

  • IUPAC nomenclature
  • CAS registry number

Computing

  • Cryptographic hashes
  • Organizationally unique identifier (OUI)
  • Universally unique identifier (UUID) or globally unique identifier (GUID)
  • Identity correlation
  • World Wide Port Name
  • MAC address

Economics, tax and regulation

  • Harmonized System
  • Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI)
  • Universal Product Code

Internet architecture and standards

  • Request for Comments (RFC)
  • Internet Standard (STD)
  • Best Current Practice (BCP)
  • For Your Information (FYI)
  • Internet Draft (I-D)
  • Internet Experiment Note (IEN)
  • RARE Technical Reports (RTR)

Legal

  • Bates numbering
  • European Case Law Identifier (ECLI)
  • Gun serial number
  • Lex (URN)

Mathematical publications

  • Mathematical Reviews number
  • Zentralblatt MATH identifier

Science

  • Smithsonian trinomial
  • Systematic name
  • Identifiers.org

Transportation

  • International Air Transport Association airport codes
  • Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
  • IMO number to identify sea-going ships
  • IMO container codes according to ISO 6346 for shipping containers
  • UIC wagon numbers
  • American rail transportation Reporting marks
  • License plate number