Configuration Management (CM)
Configuration Management is a technical model that brings together a number of technical elements in order to maintain consistency of performance, function and physical attributes of a Configuration Item (CI) in reference to its requirements, design and operational constraints throughout it component lifecycle.
Traditionally configuration management has four elements:
- Configuration identification
- Configuration change control (or change management)
- Configuration status accounting
- Configuration verification and auditing
These terms and definitions change from standard to standard, but are essentially the same.
Configuration identification is the process of identifying the attributes that define every aspect of a configuration item. A configuration item is a product (hardware and/or software) that has an end-user purpose. These attributes are recorded in configuration documentation and baselined. Baselining an attribute forces formal configuration change control processes to be effected in the event that these attributes are changed.
Configuration change control is a set of processes and approval stages required to change a configuration item's attributes and to re-baseline them.
Configuration status accounting is the ability to record and report on the configuration baselines associated with each configuration item at any moment of time.
Configuration audits are broken into functional and physical configuration audits. They occur either at delivery or at the moment of effecting the change. A functional configuration audit ensures that functional and performance attributes of a configuration item are achieved, while a physical configuration audit ensures that a configuration item is installed in accordance with the requirements of its detailed design documentation.
Configuration management is widely used by many military organizations to manage the technical aspects of any complex systems, such as weapon systems, vehicles, and information systems. The discipline combines the the capability aspects that these systems provide an organization with the issues of management of change to these systems over time.
Outside of the military, CM is equally appropriate to a wide range of fields and industry and commercial sectors.
eProgram has experience delivering quality assured CM solutions to both military and commercial organisations, and providing the software support infrastructure to accurately track CIs and their impacts. Contact us or fill in our online contact form to discuss your CM requirements.
