SMP software

Objective

SMP releases are supported by default for a period of at least one year starting from the release date of their minor version (i.e., for release X.Y.Z the support expires after one year measured starting from the release date of version X.Y.0). SMP releases labelled as Long-Term Support Arrangement (LTS) are supported for a period of at least two years from the release date of their minor version. The exact expiration dates of the support period are indicated in the release notes and in the SMP roadmap. Releases under LTS will be clearly identified.

The support is limited to critical security patches and major bug fixes. In this context, critical security patches are defined as changes which address major security vulnerabilities within the software; major bugs are defined as bugs which block or prevent effective client transactions. Continued support for selected cross-border interoperable digital services deployed under the CEF Telecom programme, such as eDelivery, is currently ensured through the Digital Europe Work Programme.

Releases of all eDelivery sample implementations fall under the present Support Arrangement. Support for an older (LTS) version is typically limited to a grace period of six months to allow users to upgrade to the newest (LTS) version. Users that do not upgrade during this grace period will eventually be running an unsupported version.

Unless otherwise stated, backward compatibility is ensured for the core application and its default plugins. For custom plugins, backward compatibility is provided only from a plugin API perspective, not from a run-time point of view.

Modifications (e.g., of the source code) of the release package of the eDelivery sample implementation are not covered by the existing Support Arrangement.

Should a longer support period be required for a specific release of a component, users may contact the eDelivery Support Team in order to let the eDelivery Organisation Management Board discuss the feasibility of such an extension.

Should more extensive maintenance or new functionalities be required, users can request additional services from private sector providers in the market.

Long-Term Support Arrangement

As mentioned above, certain sample implementation releases may be placed under LTS. The strategic decision of which releases will benefit from LTS is entirely to eDelivery's discretion. Long-term support is understood as extended software support which focuses on stability over time of the software component, and the predictability and transparency of the release cycle.

The Long-Term Support Arrangement duration is not binding and is subject to potential constraints such as, but not limited to, the end of the Digital Europe Programme.

Contact information

eDelivery Support Team

By email: CEF-EDELIVERY-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu

Support Service: 8am to 6pm (Normal EC working Days)