A serial number is a unique, identifying number or group of numbers and letters assigned to an individual piece of hardware or software. However, other things have serial numbers, including banknotes and other similar documents.
Serial Number Meaning
The idea behind serial numbers is to identify a specific item, much like a fingerprint identifies a specific person. Instead of a bunch of names or numbers identifying a whole line of products, a serial number is meant to uniquely identify one device at a time.
Hardware serial numbers are embedded in the device, while software or virtual serial numbers are sometimes applied to the user who will be using the software. In other words, a serial number used for software programs is tied to the purchaser, not to that specific copy of the program.
It is important to distinguish serial numbers from other identification codes or numbers. In short, serial numbers are unique.
