1. A method comprising: assigning a first unique identifier to a first universal information object management environment of a plurality of universal information object management environments; assigning a second unique identifier to a first plurality of information objects within the first information object management environment; assigning a respective locally-unique identifier to each instance of a plurality of instances of the first plurality of information objects, the plurality of instances including a first instance, wherein the first information object management environment includes the first instance; and creating a universal unique identifier for the first instance, including collecting into a single key: the first unique identifier; the second unique identifier; and the locally-unique identifier assigned to the first instance.