Chapter -4

Configuration Management
SEng4203

Lecture notes
ASTU, 2024 1
CHAPTER OUTLINES

 Configuration Management
 Change Control
 Management and organizational issues
 Management responsibilities
 Documentation

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 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

 Large, complex systems undergo many more changes than relatively small
systems, and management of changes in large systems is nontrivial.
 Therefore, the concept of CM was developed to manage changes in large
systems.
 The goal of CM is to manage and control the numerous corrections,
extensions, and adaptations that are applied to a system over its lifetime.
 It handles the control of all product items and changes to those items.

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SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

 Software Configuration Management (SCM) is the process of

managing and controlling changes to software systems throughout
their lifecycle.
 It involves the systematic management of software configuration
items (SCIs) and the associated documentation, ensuring that changes
are planned, implemented, tested, and tracked in a controlled manner

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 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT…
 SCM accrues two kinds of benefits to an organization as follows:
 SCM ensures that development processes are traceable and systematic so that
all changes are precisely managed.
 Consequently, the product is always in a well-defined state
 SCM enhances the quality of the delivered system and the productivity of the
maintainers

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 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT…

 The objectives of SCM are to:

 Uniquely identify every version of every software at various points in time.
 Retain past versions of documentations and software.
 Provide a trail of audit for all modifications performed.
 Throughout the software life cycle, maintain the traceability and integrity of the
system changes

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 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT…
 Projects benefit from effective SCM as follows

1. Confusion is reduced and order is established.

2. To maintain product integrity, the necessary activities are organized.
3. Correct product configurations are ensured.
4. Quality is ensured and better quality software consumes less maintenance efforts.
5. Productivity is improved, because analysts and programmers know exactly where to
find any piece of the software.

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CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT…

 6. Liability is reduced by documenting the trail of actions.

 7. Life cycle cost is reduced.
 8. Conformance with requirements is enabled.
 9. A reliable working environment is provided.
 10. Compliance with standards is enhanced.
 11. Accounting of status is enhanced.

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 CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT…
SCM Spectrum of Functionality

Fig 4.1Technical dimensions of SCM systems

 CHANGE REQUEST

 A history of CR includes the answers to the following questions:

1. Why are changes made?

2. When are the changes made?
3. Who makes the changes?
4. What changes are made?

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 CHANGE CONTROL

 Change management in software maintenance refers to the process of

managing and controlling changes made to software systems after they have
been deployed and are in use.
 It involves planning, evaluating, implementing, and tracking changes to
ensure they are carried out in a controlled and systematic manner.
 The goal of change management in software maintenance is to minimize
the risks associated with changes, ensure the stability and reliability of the
software, and meet the evolving needs of users and stakeholders.

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CHANGE CONTROL……

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 Change Control……
 Change control refers to the process of managing changes to software systems,
applications, or codebases.
 It involves a systematic approach to controlling modifications to software to ensure that
they are properly evaluated, approved, implemented, and tracked.
 The primary objective of change control is to minimize risks, maintain software quality,
and ensure that changes are effectively managed throughout the development lifecycle.

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 Change Control……

 The change control process typically includes the following steps:

 Change identification: Changes can arise from various sources, such as user feedback, bug
reports, new requirements, or improvements.
 The first step is to identify and document the proposed change.

 Change request submission: The change request, often in the form of a formal document or
ticket, is submitted to the change control authority or team.
 It should include relevant details, such as the reason for the change, desired outcomes,
impact analysis, and supporting documentation.
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 Change Control……

 Change evaluation and impact analysis: the change control team evaluates the proposed change
and performs an impact analysis.
• This analysis assesses the potential effects of the change on the software system, including
functionality, performance, security, and dependencies.
• It also considers resource requirements and potential risks.

 Change approval or rejection: based on the evaluation and impact analysis, the change control
authority approves or rejects the change request.
• Approval may be conditional, with specific criteria or constraints that need to be met before
implementation.

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Change Control……

 Change implementation: If the change is approved, a plan for implementation is

developed.
• This plan includes details such as the development tasks, testing requirements,
deployment considerations, and rollback strategies.
• It ensures that the change is implemented in a controlled and systematic manner.
 Change testing: Depending on the nature of the change, appropriate testing activities
are performed.
• Testing helps identify any issues or unintended consequences introduced by the
change.

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Change Control……

 Change deployment: once the change has been tested and deemed ready for
deployment, it is introduced into the production environment.
• This may involve activities such as code deployment, database migrations,
configuration updates, or infrastructure changes.
• Proper version control and release management practices are essential to track and
manage the deployed changes.

 Change monitoring and review: after deployment, the change is closely monitored to
ensure that it performs as expected and does not introduce any negative impact.
• Performance metrics, error logs, user feedback, and other monitoring mechanisms
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help identify and resolve any issues that arise from the change. 7
Change Control……

 Change documentation and communication: throughout the change control process,

documentation is updated to reflect the implemented changes.
• It includes updating system documentation, release notes, user manuals, and any other
relevant artifacts.
• Communication with stakeholders, such as users, developers, and project managers, is crucial
to keep them informed about the change and its implications.

 Change closure and post-implementation review: once the change has been successfully
implemented and reviewed, it is formally closed.
• A post-implementation review is conducted to assess the effectiveness of the change, gather
feedback, and identify lessons learned.
• This information helps to improve future change control processes. 1
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Management and organizational issues

• Configuration management involves managing and controlling the changes made to

software systems, including their documentation, code, and related artifacts.

• While configuration management aims to streamline the development process and

ensure the stability and integrity of software systems.

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Management and organizational
issues…
 There can be various management and organizational issues that need to be addressed.
Some of these issues include:
 Lack of Clear Configuration Management Plan: Organizations may face challenges if
they don't have a well-defined configuration management plan in place.
• Without clear guidelines and procedures, it becomes difficult to manage and control
software changes effectively.
• A comprehensive plan should outline roles and responsibilities, change control
processes, versioning and release strategies, and tools to be used.

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Management and organizational
issues…
 Inadequate Change Control Processes: Without robust change
control processes, organizations can encounter issues such as
unauthorized or uncontrolled changes, conflicting modifications, and
difficulty in tracking and auditing changes.
 It is essential to establish a structured change control process that
includes proper evaluation, approval, and documentation of change
requests.

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Management and organizational
issues…
 Lack of Collaboration and Communication: Configuration management
requires collaboration and communication among various stakeholders, including
developers, testers, project managers, and end-users.
• Inadequate communication between teams can lead to misunderstandings,
delays, and inconsistencies in managing software changes.
 Resistance to Change: Introducing configuration management practices into
an organization may face resistance from team members who are accustomed to
existing development processes.
• Some individuals may resist adopting new tools or following prescribed
procedures.
• It is important to address this resistance through training, clear
communication of benefits, and demonstrating how configuration
management can streamline development efforts and improve software
quality. 2
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Management and organizational
issues…
• Tooling and Infrastructure Challenges: Configuration management often
relies on specialized tools and infrastructure to manage software versions,
track changes, and facilitate collaboration.
• Integrating configuration management tools with other development tools
and workflows can be complex and require careful planning and
coordination.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Configuration management practices should be
scalable and adaptable to accommodate the evolving needs of the
organization and the software systems.
• As projects grow in complexity or the development team expands, the
configuration management process should be able to handle increased
demands without introducing bottlenecks or excessive overhead.
• Flexibility in accommodating different development methodologies, such as
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agile or waterfall, is also crucial. 3
Management and organizational
issues…
 Training and Skill Gaps: Effective configuration management requires
skilled personnel who understand the principles, tools, and best
practices associated with managing software changes.
• Organizations may face challenges if there is a lack of trained
personnel or a knowledge gap within the team.
• Providing comprehensive training and mentoring programs can
help address these skill gaps and ensure that the team members
are equipped to handle configuration management tasks
effectively.

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Management Responsibilities
 Management responsibilities play a crucial role in overseeing and ensuring the
effective implementation of configuration management practices within an
organization.
 Key management responsibilities in configuration management:
 Establishing Configuration Management Policies: Management is
responsible for defining and establishing configuration management policies and
guidelines that align with organizational objectives and industry best practices.
 Developing a Configuration Management Plan: Addresses version control,
change control, release management, documentation management, and other
aspects of configuration management.
 Resource Allocation: Management is responsible for allocating appropriate
resources, including personnel, tools, and infrastructure, to support
configuration management activities. 2
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Management Responsibilities…
 Providing Training and Education: Management is responsible for ensuring that
team members receive adequate training and education on configuration
management practices.
• This includes providing training on configuration management tools, processes, and
methodologies.
 Enforcing Change Control Processes: involves establishing a structured change
management process, ensuring that change requests are properly evaluated,
approved, and implemented.
 Monitoring and Auditing: includes periodically reviewing configuration
management activities, conducting audits to identify gaps or deviations, and taking
corrective actions as necessary.

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Management Responsibilities…
 Continuous Improvement: involves analyzing the effectiveness of
existing processes, identifying areas for improvement, and
implementing changes to enhance efficiency and quality
 Collaboration and Communication: includes promoting cross-
functional collaboration, facilitating communication channels, and
ensuring that information regarding software configurations and
changes is shared transparently among relevant stakeholders.
 Risk Management: includes assessing the impact of changes,
understanding potential risks and dependencies, and implementing
measures to mitigate risks that could impact software development and
delivery.
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Reading Assignment

 Documentation and tools in Configuration

management

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Discussion..

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