Configuration Management Principles and Practice

Anne Mette Jonassen Hass

Addison-Wesley Professional, 2003 - Business & Economics - 370 pages

Configuration management (CM) is frequently misunderstood. This discipline is growing in popularity because it allows project participants to better identify potential problems, manage change, and efficiently track the progress of a software project. CM is not easy, but at the same time, it need not be difficult. This book gives the reader a practical understanding of the complexity and comprehensiveness of the discipline. Many current CM practitioners rely too heavily on commercial CM tools, and fail to understand the concept as a whole. With the deeper knowledge of CM principles taught in this book, readers will be better able to manage and deliver their next project. The book is included in the Agile Software Development Series because there is growing recognition that an effective configuration management strategy is the cornerstone of a truly agile project.

Contents

• Definition of Configuration Management Used in This Book: 3
• 11 Configuration Management Activities: 4
• Metadata: 5
• Quality Assurance Process: 6
• Audit: 7
• Inputs: 8
• Process Descriptions: 9
• Authorization: 11
• 13 Storage: 12
• Library: 13
• Main Processes: 15
• Process Descriptions: 16
• Connection with Other Activities: 17
• 14 Change Control: 19
• Inputs: 20
• Usage of Metadata: 21
• Consequence Analysis: 22
• Process Descriptions: 23
• Inputs: 25
• Roles: 26
• Version Control: 27
• Configuration Management in Maturity Models: 29
• CMM Maturity Levels: 30
• Definition: 31
• 22 CMMI: 32
• CMMI Process Areas: 34
• Definition: 35
• Capability and Maturity Levels: 36
• Achieving Capability Levels: 37
• Raising the Capability of the Configuration Management Process: 38
• 23 ISO 15504 SPICE AND BOOTSTRAP 32: 40
• Best Practices: 42
• Maturity of Configuration Management: 43
• Configuration Management in International Standards: 45
• 32 BS6488 DoD IEEE: 47
• DoD MilStd973: 48
• Introduction from the Guide: 49
• Description from the Guide: 50
• ISO 90003: 51
• 2000: 52
• Organizations Working with Configuration Management: 55
• Institute of Configuration Management: 56
• 42 Projects: 57
• Scoping the Configuration Management Task: 59
• Formalism for a Configuration Item: 60
• Degrees of Formalism: 61
• Formalism and Tools: 62
• Expansion from the Middle: 63
• 52 Examples: 64
• 53 Calculation of Profitability: 67
• Expenses: 68
• 54 Pitfalls in Connection with Scoping: 71
• Wrong: 72
• Too Late or Too Early: 73
• Objects to Keep Outside: 74
• Configuration Management Data: 75
• What Can Be Placed under Configuration Management: 77
• Physical Objects: 78
• Electronic Objects: 79
• Hardware: 80
• Tools: 81
• Support Functions: 82
• Infrastructure: 83
• Examples: 84
• 66 Deliveries for Planned Events Like Milestones: 85
• What One Needs to Know about a Configuration Item: 89
• Metadatabase Medium: 90
• Other Data Elements: 91
• Version: 93
• Storage Location: 94
• 73 Metadata for Authorization: 96
• Person Holding Overall Responsibility: 97
• Traces To and From: 98
• Tracing Registration: 99
• Produced With: 100
• 75 Metadata for Distribution: 101
• What One Must Register for a Configuration Item: 103
• Medium: 104
• Examples: 105
• 82 Release Request: 106
• Content: 108
• Stock Control: 109
• 83 Event Registration: 111
• Content: 112
• Created: 113
• Under Change: 115
• 84 Change Request: 116
• Life Cycle and Responsibility: 119
• Created: 120
• Approved: 121
• Examples: 122
• What Information Is Available for Configuration Items: 125
• Item Status List: 127
• Trace Report: 130
• 92 Configuration Management as Supplier of Measurements: 132
• Ideas for Process Improvement: 133
• Roles in Configuration Management: 135
• People and Configuration Management: 137
• Qualifications: 138
• 103 Understanding Team Roles: 139
• Putting Teams Together: 140
• Configuration Management Roles: 141
• Skills and Knowledge: 142
• Multiple Boards: 143
• 112 Librarian: 144
• Tools: 146
• Planning Configuration Management: 148
• Organizational Roles: 149
• Defining and Tracking Goals: 150
• 122 Person Responsible for Assets: 151
• References: 152
• References: 153
• Managing Configurations of Process Management Work Products: 154
• References: 155
• Managing Configurations of Environments and Tools: 156
• References: 157
• ProjectRelated Roles: 159
• Benefits: 160
• Benefits: 161
• Benefits: 162
• Benefits: 163
• Benefits: 164
• Benefits: 165
• Managing Configurations of Quality Assurance Work Products: 166
• 138 Person Responsible for Customer Contact: 167
• References: 168
• External Roles: 169
• References: 170
• 142 Subcontractor: 171
• Configuration Management in Practice: 173
• General Principles: 175
• Generic Content Lists: 177
• Change Control: 178
• Status Reporting: 179
• Identification: 180
• Authorization: 182
• Storage: 183
• Examples: 184
• Avoid Cheating: 185
• Configuration Management in Development Activities: 187
• Identification: 188
• 162 Coding: 189
• Authorization: 190
• 163 Integration: 191
• Tracing: 192
• 164 Test: 193
• Storage: 194
• Configuration Management Considerations: 195
• Status Reporting: 196
• Backup: 197
• Example: 198
• Managing Configurations for Project Support Functions: 199
• Example: 200
• Identification: 201
• 172 Configuration Management: 202
• Change Control: 203
• Connection with Other Processes: 204
• Identification: 205
• Status Reporting: 206
• Managing Configurations in Different Development Models: 207
• Configuration Management in Agile Development: 208
• Process Handling: 209
• Requirements Management: 210
• Communication and Documentation: 211
• Planning Considerations: 212
• Identification: 213
• Change Control: 214
• 183 Integrated Product Development: 216
• Organizational Considerations: 217
• 184 Iterative Development: 218
• Configuration Management Considerations: 219
• Identification: 220
• 185 Sequential Development: 221
• WModel: 222
• Identification: 224
• Managing Configurations for Different Product Types: 225
• Design Considerations: 226
• Identification: 227
• Configuration Management Considerations: 228
• Examples: 229
• Configuration Management Considerations: 230
• Storage: 231
• 194 SafetyCritical Products: 232
• Configuration Management Considerations: 233
• Identification: 234
• 196 Web Applications: 235
• Content Management: 236
• Identification: 237
• Change Control: 238
• Managing Configurations under Special Conditions: 239
• Organizational Considerations: 240
• Configuration Management Considerations: 241
• Change Control: 242
• 202 Multiple Stakeholders: 245
• Describe the Fulfillment: 246
• Planning Considerations: 247
• Identification: 248
• Status Reporting: 249
• Managing Configurations for CrossOrganizational Functions: 251
• Identification: 252
• Status Reporting: 253
• Storage: 254
• Examples: 255
• Change Control: 256
• 214 Internal Asset Development ProductLine Approach: 257
• Examples: 258
• Identification: 259
• Change Control: 260
• Status Reporting: 261
• Configuration Management Considerations: 262
• Change Control: 263
• Improving Configuration Management: 265
• Getting Started on Configuration Managementup to Capability Level 1: 267
• Collecting Best Practices Internally: 268
• Look Ahead: 269
• Track and Control Changes: 270
• Minimum Documentation: 271
• 223 Experiences in Implementing Configuration Management: 272
• SIA SpA: 273
• Istiservice Spa: 274
• Event AS: 275
• Sysdeco AS: 276
• Planning Configuration Managementup to Capability Level 2: 277
• The Plan Itself: 278
• Template: 279
• Scope: 280
• Organization: 281
• Interface Control: 282
• Identification: 283
• Change Control: 284
• Schedule: 285
• Diagrams and Charts: 286
• Techniques and Methods: 287
• Processes for Configuration Managementup to Capability Level 3: 289
• Connection with Maturity Models: 290
• Process Model: 291
• 242 Configuration Management ProcessesOverview: 292
• Special Requirements for Configuration Management Processes: 293
• Continuous Improvement of Configuration Managementup to Capability Level 4 and 5: 295
• Processes in Use: 296
• Companies at Capability Levels 4 and 5: 297
• Metrics in General: 298
• Measuring Methods: 300
• 253 Analyzing Metrics for Control and Improvement: 301
• Statistics: 302
• VariationWhat Is Normal: 303
• Tool Support for Configuration Management: 305
• 261 Classes of Tools for Configuration Management: 306
• ProjectRelated Support: 307
• Who Should Use Which Tool?: 308
• Buy It or Do It Yourself: 309
• Financing: 310
• Willingness to Change: 311
• Requirements: 312
• Integration with Other Tools: 313
• Usability: 314
• Financial Status: 315
• Support Facilities: 316
• Changing Tools or Processes: 317
• Configuration Management Process Model A Software Code Example: 319
• Configuration Management Process Model A Tracing Example: 333
• Agile SCM: 343
• Glossary: 349
• Bibliography: 351
• Index: 357

Bibliographic information

• Title: Configuration Management Principles and Practice; Agile software development series
• Author: Anne Mette Jonassen Hass
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional, 2003
• ISBN: 0321117662, 9780321117663
• Length: 370 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Management; Computers / General; Computers / Software Development & Engineering / General; Technology & Engineering / General