systemid

Systemid is a generic term used to describe a unique identifier assigned to a computer system, device, installation, or software instance. It serves as a stable reference point for inventory, configuration, licensing, and management tasks, and its exact meaning varies by context and vendor.

In hardware and virtualization contexts, a system identifier uniquely identifies a physical host or a virtual machine. Common forms include a BIOS or UEFI GUID, a DMI/SMBIOS system UUID, or a machine-id such as the one stored by Linux systems (for example, /etc/machine-id). Asset management and monitoring tools rely on these values to track hardware and virtual resources across environments.

In database systems, the term often refers to the identifier of a database instance. The best-known example is Oracle's System Identifier (SID), which names a particular database instance and distinguishes it from others on the same server. Client connections and startup scripts typically reference the SID or a corresponding service name.

In licensing and deployment, a system identifier is used to bind software licenses to a specific machine or installation. The exact form—whether hardware-based, software-generated, or a combination—depends on the vendor and product, and it may be derived from hardware IDs, system UUIDs, or machine-wide identifiers.

Variants and standards: Some contexts use system-id, systemid, or system identifier interchangeably. Because there is no universal standard, users should consult the documentation for the specific platform or product to determine the precise definition, value format, and methods for retrieval or generation.