Ecma TC54-TG3 is chartered with the standardization of the Common Lifecycle Enumeration (CLE), an open specification designed to support the aliasing of components and communicate lifecycle events such as end-of-life (EOL), end-of-support (EOS), and changes in component provenance over time. The CLE will provide a structured and machine-readable format to communicate lifecycle events and milestones for software and hardware components. The scope of this task group will include:
- Standardise Lifecycle Event Tracking: Develop a consistent, machine-readable format for communicating lifecycle events (such as end-of-life, end-of-support, and component aliasing) that can be easily integrated into supply chain security tools and processes.
- Resolve Component Aliasing Issues: Create a framework to address the challenges of component aliasing, ensuring that software and hardware components are accurately identified across different lifecycle stages, even when names, manufacturers, or distributions change.
- Ensure Compatibility with Existing Standards: Align CLE with existing standards (e.g., PURL, VERS, CycloneDX, TEA) to ensure interoperability and widespread industry adoption of lifecycle event tracking.
- To develop a standard for the CLE specification.
- To develop a prototype framework to resolve component aliases, ensuring accurate tracking of changing identifiers and names.
- To develop and publish best practices for successful CLE adoption and integration with existing tools and standards.