configuration management

Keeping Control.
Configuration management is a method for administering an evolving, and often interrelated, set of products and project documentation. The application of effective
procedures should ensure the accurate and up-to-date documentation and distribution of all relevant product components and project information. Configuration Management should be applied to projects of any significant size, and should be the day-to-day responsibility of a single individual. The configuration management plan should be produced as part of the project initiation document (PID). Where products constitute sub-assemblies of more complex products, the approach used must be able to track all such relationships, enabling the accurate analysis of all associated information. All of the products and documents that require the administrative controls of the configuration management method being used are called configuration items. Initially the overall end-product (or project deliverable) can, theoretically, be viewed as the only identifiable configuration item. However, an increasing number of configuration items will usually be identified as the end product is sub-divided into the manageable elements represented in the work breakdown structure.

A configuration item description record should be used to record the information needed to identify and track each configuration item through its development life cycle. Configuration control is concerned with the procedures for the issue and submission of configuration items. These procedures should address both physical and electronically stored configuration items. Configuration audits consist of cross checking the configuration item description records with the current version of the configuration item as held in its development folder. In the first instance, a configuration item should be created and documented as the first version. The configuration item may then undergo a number of modifications as it is tested and errors corrected, or as changes are requested and these subsequent submissions should be reflected by an increasing version number. The first baseline for a configuration item will be established when the specification of the item has been prepared, reviewed and agreed.

Subsequent baselines will normally be established at points at which the configuration item is ready to be used as a basis for further work in which a major transformation of it will take place. A release consists of a specified set of products from one or more base-lined configuration items, which are issued as a set for a specific purpose. Releases should be authorized by the project or sub-project manager.

Configuration Management Plan.
The configuration management plan should be produced as part of the project initiation document (PID), for approval by the project owner at project initiation. Where
appropriate configuration management should continue throughout the life of the delivered end-product, and therefore the approach adopted should be transferable to the client organizations operational and maintenance sections at the end of the project. If other projects within the organization are using a configuration management method then this should be seriously considered for the current project, particularly if the two projects share any areas of interest. The following list is the recommended minimum scope required of a configuration management method. This should be adjusted to suit the needs of each particular project.

Synopsis & Purpose - This should provide a brief overview of the plan and highlight any differences in approach to existing site standards - with a justification thereof. It should also explain the aim of the activities defined in the plan. Any dependencies on configuration management plans from other projects should be identified.
References - This serves to identify all other standards to be used by the configuration management method.
Configuration Item Identification - This section should specify the naming and numbering conventions to be used for all types of configuration items.
Scope - This should outline the full range of tasks in the plan, in particular it should consider all areas that have links with associated projects or that may be bringing in prefabricated components. Any special operating requirements should also be considered. It should also define which items are to be managed under the plan and which are outside the plans control.
Definitions and Abbreviations - This is a short glossary; that should be produced to support the plan if necessary.
Responsibilities - The clearest representation is a responsibility matrix, showing which role should carry out each activity in the plan. The configuration administrator will feature often.
Filing - This section defines in detail the filing structure to be used for each category of configuration item. This should cover hardware, software, documentation, human and machine readable items.
Document Issue Procedures - This should define the procedures to be used for issuing and distributing copies of all managed documents.
Security - This should define the access security measures for the master copies of all configuration items.

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