Configuration Management

Software Configuration Management is a set of activities designed to control change by identifying the work products that are likely to change establishing the relationship among them, defining mechanisms for managing different versions of these work products, controlling changes imposed, and auditing and reporting on the changes made (Roger Pressman).

It consists of the following 4 activities:

1. Configuration Identification
2. Configuration Control
3. Configuration Status Accounting
4. Configuration Audits

Configuration Identification: Project teams (and also the SEPG, OT, OID, QAG teams) are required to identify the work products (in their respective teams) that need to be put under configuration control. Data required / used in a project can be placed under two categories: configurable and non-configurable items. Configurable items are those work products, which are likely to undergo changes and will have multiple versions at any given time during the project execution. Project plans, CM Plans, code, etc. are configurable items. On the contrary, data like emails, client chat scripts, audit reports, etc. do not change. They need not be version controlled. Such items are put under Data Management Plan.

Configuration Control: is the systematic evaluation, coordination, approval / disapproval and dissemination of proposed changes and implementation of all approved changes in the configuration of any item after formal establishment of its configuration baseline.

Change requests to process / products have to be routed through configuration control board (CCB) for approval before they can be used. Product change requests are analyzed for impact by the CCB. The mandated changes are implemented in the respective artifacts and then baselined. The CM issues a communication to the team on the baselined artifacts.

As the project advances, multiple versions of the baselined configurable items will exist. Configuration control is essential to keep the latest approved set (by CCB) of the work products floating. For code, it ensures that all developers work on the same baselined version.

Configuration Status Accounting: the recording and reporting of the configuration information is called configuration status accounting. This activity includes:

1. List of identified configurable items. (nos, and names)
2. Changes / Deviations / Waivers to configuration.
3. Implement status of approved changes. (configuration control status)
4. Version, baseline status

Configuration Audit: are necessary to verify that the integrity of work products is being maintained. Checks would be done on: baselining, configuration item identification, configuration control status, etc.