Configuration management and issue defect management data
The key reason behind the complexity and difficulty of these complex product development projects is the continuously changing environment. Product development`s key element is compatibility with the specific system requirements, but these are continually changing. Show
It can lead to a shift in needs which again influences the ability to manage system configurations. It also requires complex, multiple developments and testing of different elements. Therefore, at the middle or later stage of the project, the need/requirement can change based on the test results. If the company fails to anticipate any specific needs that can affect the budget and make fundamental changes to the system, they run the risk of producing a flawed product. Remember… It is critical to make sure all information and changes are known, identified, controlled, and accounted for, and made available for every colleague and department involved. Do also make sure to establish a work environment with specific cultural values, like reliability, well-organized structures, and instantly available, up-to-date information. Configuration management is a topic that is very complex. So, advanced planning is very important to make this work. During the project planning stage – and perhaps as part of your own test plan – make sure that configuration management procedures and tools are selected. As the project proceeds, the configuration process and mechanisms must be implemented, and the key interfaces to the rest of the development process should be documented. As you’re no doubt aware, in software engineering, software configuration management (SCM) refers to a process for maintaining computer systems, servers, and software in a desired, consistent state. Sometimes called software change management or IT automation, the idea is to have a system in place to track and compare changes made across a system throughout the development process and also identify who made these revisions. The purpose is to make project management easier, minimize errors, increase traceability, and improve overall software quality. The benefits of a SCM process are:
In this article, I’ll take you through the different steps of a SCM process, who needs to be involved, and what tools are available to help. The 5 steps of a SCM planThe software configuration management process is a series of steps designed to track and manage all the defects, resources, codes, documents, hardware and budgets throughout a project. SCM is an interdisciplinary process involving people at every level, including DevOps, developers, project managers/owners, SysAdmin and testers. 1. Planning and IdentificationThe first step in the process is planning and identification. In this step, the goal is to plan for the development of the software project and identify the items within the scope. This is accomplished by having meetings and brainstorming sessions with your team to figure out the basic criteria for the rest of the project. Part of this process involves figuring out how the project will proceed and identifying the exit criteria. This way, your team will know how to recognize when all of the goals of the project have been met. Specific activities during this step include:
2. Version Control and BaselineThe version control and baseline step ensures the continuous integrity of the product by identifying an accepted version of the software. This baseline is designated at a specific time in the SCM process and can only be altered through a formal procedure. The point of this step is to control the changes being made to the product. As the project develops, new baselines are established, resulting in several versions of the software. This step involves the following activities:
Baselining a project attribute forces formal configuration change control processes to be enacted in the event that these attributes are changed. 3. Change ControlChange control is the method used to ensure that any changes that are made are consistent with the rest of the project. Having these controls in place helps with quality assurance, and the approval and release of new baseline(s). Change control is essential to the successful completion of the project. In this step, requests to change configurations are submitted to the team and approved or denied by the software configuration manager. The most common types of requests are to add or edit various configuration items or change user permissions. This procedure includes:
4. Configuration Status AccountingThe next step is to ensure the project is developing according to the plan by testing and verifying according to the predetermined baselines. It involves looking at release notes and related documents to ensure the software meets all functional requirements. Website feedback has never been easier, even your clients will love it. Try free for 14-days Configuration status accounting tracks each version released during the process, assessing what is new in each version and why the changes were necessary. Some of the activities in this step include:
5. Audits and ReviewsThe final step is a technical review of every stage in the software development life cycle. Audits and reviews look at the process, configurations, workflow, change requests, and everything that has gone into developing each baseline throughout the project’s development. The team performs multiple reviews of the application to verify its integrity and also put together essential accompanying documentation such as release notes, user manuals, and installation guides. Activities in this step include:
Who is involved in the software configuration process?The SCM process is multidisciplinary, involving just about every member of the software development team. Configuration ManagerThe configuration manager is in charge of determining who is responsible for what throughout the development process. They make sure everyone follows the SCM process across the project and have the final say on all change requests. Project ManagerThe project manager’s role is integral to the SCM process. They set the timeframe of the project to ensure that it meets completion deadlines and they also generate reports about the team’s progress. Another important role of the project manager is to ensure that every member of the team is following the predetermined guidelines for creating, making changes to, and testing the software. Software DevelopersDevelopers are responsible for writing code during development as well as accommodating any approved change requests. AuditorThis role is in charge of all audits and reviews and must make sure that the final release is complete and consistent. What are the advantages of using configuration management tools?There are a number of tools available to help facilitate the software configuration management process. The purpose of these tools is the automation of traditionally manual tasks, allowing for greater accuracy, speed and control. More specifically, they can help with:
Are there any downsides to using a software configuration management tool?There are some things to consider before embracing an SCM tool, including:
Final Word on Software Configuration ManagementAbove I presented a general outline of what you need to know to set up a software configuration management process to track, control, and manage your projects. SCM tools, such as Ansible or TeamCity, help automate many aspects of the SCM process and can be a great return on investment. You can see our pick of these in the 10 best software configuration management tools article. Or, keep on learning by listening to this podcast: THE GENERATION OF AUTONOMOUS AUTOMATION AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE (WITH BERTOLD KOLICS FROM MABL) or giving this list a read: 10 LATEST SOFTWARE TESTING TOOLS QAS ARE USING IN 2021 What are the issues in configuration management?Five challenges in managing configuration changes. Identifying major security flaws and their criticality. ... . Making configuration changes at regular intervals and measuring their impact. ... . Comparing configurations without automation. ... . Validating every change made to configurations.. What are the 4 steps associated with configuration management?To prevent any gaps or oversights, approach the configuration management process in four distinct steps.. Step 1: Create a configuration management baseline. ... . Step 2: Don't let the baseline become obsolete. ... . Step 3: Continuous auditing. ... . Step 4: Test, test, test.. What are the 5 pillars of configuration management?The five CM functions are:. Configuration Management Planning and Management.. Configuration Identification.. Configuration Change Management.. Configuration Status Accounting.. Configuration Verification and Audit.. What is configuration data management?Configuration management (CM) is a systems engineering process for establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional, and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.
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