Identification in Cyberspace

An Object Identifier (OID) is a way to uniquely name an object and it exists as a node in a tree structure. It provides a way of anchoring the object in cyberspace relative to other objects and allows comparison of objects at the same level in the tree structure. The OID for AllIncontext Limited is 1.2.826.0.1.4624520 with the root of 1. Each following number is the next level up from the root and represents a unique object. The tree for the AllIncontext Limited OID is:



The Eng-Ltd above is the Automatic OID for companies registered in England and Wales. Note that at each level there can be any number of brothers. The OID structure can be examined in depth at the following URI:



An OID like the one for AllIncontext above can be associated with the Certificate of Incorporation of the company by providing a link to a watermarked image of the original paper certificate which was issued by Companies House in the UK.

In other parts of the world, this type of national structure does not exist. For example, in the USA, companies have to apply for a PEN (Private Enterprise Number which is maintained by IANA [the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority]) and this is disconnected from the authority that regulates the activity of the business, unlike the UK.