Configuration Management

Definition

• Policies, processes, and tools for managing changing software systems

• Ensures teams can track what changes and component versions have been incorporated into each system version

Four Core CM Activities

1. Version Management

2. System Building

3. Change Management

4. Release Management

Development Phases with CM

1. Development phase

2. System testing phase

3. Release Phase

Baseline

Controlled collection of component versions that make up a system

Repository

Shared database of versions and meta-information

Branching

Creating new development paths from existing code

Merging

Combining separate versions from different branches

Mainline

Sequence of baselines representing system versions

Workspace

Private area for modifying software

Version control benefits

• Enables rollback

• Parallel development

• Change tracking