Link validity is a concept used to understand whether the relationships between artifacts, as represented by links in the CLM tools, are sound. For example, if a system requirement satisfies a stakeholder requirement, can we determine if the satisfies link is valid? This determination is, in general, something that users do, not the system. The validity has three possible states:

• Valid
• Invalid
• Suspect

By default, the system sets the link validity to “Suspect”. Users must examine the contents of the linked artifacts and determine if the link validity should be set to “Valid” or “Invalid”. If either artifact changes, the system resets the link validity to “Suspect”.

Link validity is an expansion of the concept of suspect links and is used to understand whether the relationships between artifacts, as represented by links in the CLM tools, are sound. There is a very good, detailed explanation in the Knowledge Center, which can be found here: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYMRC_6.0.1/com.ibm.jazz.vvc.doc/topics/c_node_link_validity.html?lang=en and in its child topics. A shorter overview touching on the difference between link validity and suspect links can be found on jazz.net here: https://jazz.net/blog/index.php/2015/11/12/link-validity-coming-in-clm-version-6-0-1/. For administrators, refer to the description of how to enable link validity in CLM projects here: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYMRC_6.0.1/com.ibm.jazz.vvc.doc/topics/t_linkval_enbl.html.

The default profile for link validity is given in the following table. Changing the Target affects the validity of the specified link from the Source, and changing the (Target) affects the validity of the inverse link from the (Source). For example, changing a Requirement affects the validity of a Validates link from a Test Case, and changing a Test Case affects the validity of a Validated by link from a Requirement.