org.cispec.serial-number

recommended: any physical CI with an OEM-assigned serial number

org.cispec.serial-number records the OEM-assigned serial number of a Change Item — the unique identifier the manufacturer assigns to a specific unit at production time. This is distinct from org.cispec.asset-tag, which is the inventory control number the owning organisation assigns. Both are needed and both have different consumers: asset-tag is for the organisation’s own procurement and inventory systems; serial-number is for warranty lookup, manufacturer recall notices, regulatory traceability, and repair tracking.

Applies to any physical CI with an OEM-assigned serial: servers, network equipment, vehicles, aircraft components (with FAA traceability requirements), medical devices (FDA UDI includes serial number), pharmaceutical lots (batch/lot number from the manufacturer), weapon system components (ITAR/DoD part traceability), and any other manufactured thing where the OEM needs to be able to identify a specific unit.

Value format

The serial number exactly as the manufacturer assigns it. Format is manufacturer-specific; this specification does not constrain it.

org.cispec.serial-number=C07XL2JDLCMN
org.cispec.serial-number=VMW-2026-00441-B
org.cispec.serial-number=LOT-2026-B-04421
org.cispec.serial-number=15935728001234

Conformance

org.cispec.serial-number is RECOMMENDED for any physical CI with an OEM-assigned serial number. Not REQUIRED for Declared conformance.

Attestation

serial-number is independently attestable against the manufacturer’s own records, regulatory registries (FDA UDI database, FAA aircraft registry), and physical labelling on the unit. This is one of the stronger attestation paths available for physical CIs — the manufacturer’s own production records are the ground truth.

Resolution and relation

serial-number is globally unique within a manufacturer’s production (unlike asset-tag, which is only unique within an organisation’s inventory). Paired with manufacturer it is globally unique across all manufacturers. This makes serial-number the right key for cross-organisational CI identification — two organisations tracking the same physical unit will have different asset-tag values but the same serial-number.

Document identifier

OID: 1.3.6.1.4.1.42387.2.6.2.5
GUID: a7746230-ebc5-5ddf-830d-60250cbb8799