Configuration
Management
What is Configuration
Management?
Configuration
Management may be thought of as product control.
Configuration
Management gives the Project Management Team precise control over the project's
assets. Each product brought under Configuration Management control is known as
a configuration item. The title given to the person (or group) operating the
Configuration Management method is Configuration Librarian.
Configuration
Management consists of four basic functions:
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Identification specifying and identifying all
components of the final product |
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Control the ability to agree and 'freeze'
configuration items and then to make changes only with the agreement of
appropriate named authorities. Once a product has been approved, the motto is
'Nothing moves, nothing changes without authorisation' |
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Status accounting the recording and reporting of
all current and historical data concerned with each configuration item |
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Verification a series of reviews and audits to
ensure that there is conformity between the project's products and the
authorised state of configuration items as registered in the Configuration
Management records. |
Configuration Management and Change Control
There
must be a close liaison between Configuration Management and Change
Control. A
key element is the ability to identify and control different versions of each
configuration item. Once a configuration item has been approved, that version
of it never changes. If a change is required, a new version of the
configuration item is created which will encompass the change. The new version
should be associated with documentation of the change that caused the need for
the new version.