Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE)

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) is an enterprise application deployment platform standard. Java EE leverages universal standard, platform and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that facilitate the writing, development, deployment, and management of multi-tier, server-centric applications. The Java EE standard is used for offloading common infrastructure tasks through its container-based infrastructure. The standard uses the object-oriented Java programming language and it extends the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE). Note: This is a standard entry, and does not itself expressly approve software. Please see the related technology entries for approved software that may be installed. Please note that this entry solely covers the Java EE standard. On September 12, 2017, the Oracle Corporation announced that it would donate Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation as a part of their open-source initiative under the project name Eclipse Enterprise for Java (EE4J). Java EE updates are now released under the surname designated by EE4J, Jakarta. According to the EE4J frequently asked questions (FAQ), Java EE 8 will continue to support Java EE 8 implementations. As such, migrating server applications away from Java EE 8 is neither necessary or recommended at this time. If Jakarta EE needs to be utilized, a request must be submitted to create a new Technical Reference Model (TRM) entry as it has unique functionality and vulnerabilities comparative to Java EE. For more information, please visit the references tab.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v24.2
Decision Date:	02/23/2024 at 14:30:53 UTC
Aliases:	Jakarta EE, Java Platform; Java Platform Enterprise Edition, Java EE 7, Java EE 8
Introduced By:	Extended Tool List (ETL)
Standards Body:	Oracle

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Industry Standard, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date
4 (aka 1.4)	02/06/2002	10/30/2008
5 (aka 1.5)	04/28/2006	10/01/2009
6 (aka 1.6)	12/10/2009
7 (aka 1.7)	05/28/2013
8 (aka 1.8)	09/15/2017

Current Decision Matrix (02/21/2024)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2023

CY2024

CY2025

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

4 (aka 1.4)

Unapproved

5 (aka 1.5)

Unapproved

6 (aka 1.6)

Divest
[13, 14, 15]

Divest
[13, 15, 16]

Divest
[13, 15, 16, 17]

7 (aka 1.7)

Divest
[13, 14, 15]

Divest
[13, 15, 16]

Divest
[13, 15, 16, 17]

8 (aka 1.8)

Approved w/Constraints
[13, 14, 15]

Approved w/Constraints
[13, 15, 16]

Approved w/Constraints
[13, 15, 16, 17]

Decision Constraints


[1]	This Industry Standard is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population.

[2]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[3]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[4]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without an Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) approval. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[5]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[6]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the VA Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) Group. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[7]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[8]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO). This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[9]	It is advised that if this product is used within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that the following constraints be applied: 1. Security of data at rest and data in transit is delegated to applications developed using this specification. 2. The Jakarta EE specification is supported by an active Eclipse Foundation working group, their mailing list must be continually monitored for guidance in applying the specification.

[10]	Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: Security of data at rest and data in transit is delegated to applications developed using this specification. The Jakarta EE specification is supported by an active Eclipse Foundation working group, their mailing list must be continually monitored for guidance in applying the specification.

[11]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[12]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[13]	This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: Oracle Java will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information. System Owners/Administrators must monitor any new or existing vulnerabilities associated with Oracle Java EE as the vendor no longer releases updates to the product. Jakarta EE offers the same functionality of Oracle Java EE and is the replacement/rename of the product. Per the vendor, Jakarta is continuously receiving updates as it is the replacement/rename of Oracle Java EE. Oracle Java received its last formal release/update September 2017, but paid support is active through 2030.

[14]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[15]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[16]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[17]	The Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification status of this technology was not able to be verified. This technology will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information, where applicable. More information regarding the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) can be found on the NIST website.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 8 is the most current version and was released 09/15/2017.

Because the newer versions of Java Development Kit (JDK) and Jave Runtime Environment (JRE) support the Java EE specifications for older versions of Java EE (e.g. JDK 8, supports Java EE 6 standards), older supported versions of Java EE SDK (Software Development Kit) remain in a divest status for use with newer TRM approved versions for Java software as needed.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Standard Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Source	Name	Description
Java Specification Requests (JSR)-250	Common Annotations for the Java Platform	This specification provides annotations for common semantic concepts in the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) and Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) platforms that apply across a variety of individual technologies.
JSR-220	Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB)	The Enterprise JavaBeans specification extends the architecture with integration with Java Message Service (JMS), improved support for entity bean persistence, a portable query language for finder methods, support for server interoperability, support for web services, extensions to message-driven beans, enhancements to Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) Query Language (QL), and a container-managed timer service.
JSR-109	Implementing Enterprise Web Services	This specification defines the programming model and runtime architecture for implementing web services in Java.
JSR-88	J2EE Application Deployment	The J2EE Application Deployment specification provides a complete description of the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) required by the J2EE platform to enable development of platform-independent deployment technologies.
JSR-112	J2EE Connector Architecture (JCA)	The J2EE Connector architecture defines a standard architecture for integrating Java applications with existing back-end enterprise Information systems.
	J2EE Management	The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition Management Specification will provide server vendors and utility vendors with a standard model for managing the J2EE Platform.
	Java API for Extensible Markup Language (XML) Parsing (JAXP)	The Java API for XML Parsing (JAXP) allows developers to easily use Extensible Markup Language (XML) Parsers in their applications via the industry standard Simple API for XML (SAX) and Document Object Model (DOM) APIs.
JSR-63	Java API for XML Processing	The Java API for XML Processing defines a set of implementation independent portable APIs supporting XML Processing.
JSR-93	Java API for XML Registries (JAXR)	JAXR provides an API for a set of distributed Registry Services that enables business-to-business integration between business enterprises, using the protocols being defined by ebXML.org, Oasis, International Standard Organization (ISO) 11179.
	Java API for XML-Based RPC (JAX-RPC)	Java API is used to support emerging industry XML based RPC standards.
JSR-224	Java API for XML-Based Web Services (JAX-WS)	Added in Java EE 5, JAX-Web Services (WS) is a fundamental technology for developing Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) based and Representational state transfer (RESTful) Java Web services. JAX-WS is designed to take the place of JAX-RPC in Web services and Web applications.
	Java Application Programming Interface (API) for XML Messaging (JAXM)	JAXM provides an API for packaging and transporting business transactions using on-the-wire protocols being defined by ebXML.org, Oasis, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
JSR-222	Java Architecture for XML Binding (JAXB)	JAXB provides a convenient way to process XML content using Java objects by binding its XML schema to Java representation.
JSR-115	Java Authorization Contract for Containers	This document defines a contract between containers and authorization service providers that will result in the implementation of providers for use by containers.
JSR-221	Java Database Connector (JDBC) API	The JDBC API is the industry standard for database-independent connectivity between the Java programming language and a wide range of databases. The JDBC API provides a call-level API for Structured Query Language (SQL)-based database access. JDBC technology allows you to use the Java programming language to exploit "Write Once, Run Anywhere" capabilities for applications that require access to enterprise data.
JSR-914	Java Message Service (JMS)	The Java Message Service (JMS) API is a messaging standard that allows application components based on the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) to create, send, receive, and read messages. It enables distributed communication that is loosely coupled, reliable, and asynchronous.
JSR-914	Java Message Service API (JMS)	The Java Message Service (JMS) API is a messaging standard that allows application components based on the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) to create, send, receive, and read messages. It enables distributed communication that is loosely coupled, reliable, and asynchronous.
JSR-151	Java Platform 2, Enterprise Edition Specification (J2EE 1.4)	This JSR is to develop J2EE 1.4, the next release of the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition.
JSR-244	Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 5 Specification (Java EE 5)	This JSR is to develop Java Enterprise Edition (EE) 5, the next release of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition, targeted to ship in the second quarter of 2006.
JSR-316	Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 6 Specification (Java EE 6)	This JSR is to develop Java EE 6, a release of the Java Platform, Enterprise Edition targeted to ship in 2008.
	Java Servlet	Java Servlet extends the capabilities of the server.
JSR-907	Java Transaction API (JTA)	Java Transaction API (JTA) specifies standard Java interfaces between a transaction manager and the parties involved in a distributed transaction system: the resource manager, the application server, and the transactional applications.
JSR-919	JavaMail	The JavaMail API provides a platform-independent and protocol-independent framework to build mail and messaging applications.
JSR-252	JavaServer Faces - Added in Java EE 5	This JSR is an update to the 1.1 version of the JavaServer Faces specification. Its scope goes beyond a Java Class Path (JCP) maintenance release, but is short of a new feature release.
	JavaServer Pages (JSP)	This is the next revision of the JavaServer Pages specification. The purpose of JSP 2.1 is to improve alignment with JavaServer Faces (JSF) and enhance ease of development.
JSR-52	JavaServer Pages Standard Tag Library (JSTL)	Added in Java EE 5, JSTL is a standard tag library for Java Server Pages (JSP).
	Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) with Attachments API for Java (SAAJ)	The SOAP with Attachments API for Java (SAAJ) provides the API for creating and sending SOAP messages by means of the javax.xml.soap package. It is used for the SOAP messaging that goes on behind the scenes in JAX-RPC and JAXR implementations.
JSR-173	Streaming API for XML (StAX) - Added in Java EE 5	The Streaming API for XML (StAX) is a Java based API for pull-parsing XML. StAX provides an alternative to SAX, DOM, TrAX, and DOM for developers looking to do high-performance stream filtering, processing, and modification, particularly with low memory and limited extensibility requirements.
JSR-181	Web Service Metadata for the Java Platform	Added in Java EE 5, Web Services Metadata defines an annotated Java format that that uses Java Language Metadata (JSR 175) to enable easy definition of Java Web Services in a J2EE container.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Application Technology Development Tools	Application Development Tools
Application Technology Development Tools	Development Frameworks

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Implemented By/Verified With:

JDK - Oracle Java Standard Edition (SE) Development Kit

Comparable Standards:

Associated Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This standard may improve productivity for specific staff whose responsibilities include developing applications.
This standard integrates with other TRM approved technologies such as Glassfish and provides enhanced functionality.
This is a well-documented standard.

Adoption Risks

The product is not Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.
The vendor no longer provides patches and/or updates for the product.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) vulnerabilities. Please see https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/search for more details.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.

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Associated Standards:

General Analysis

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