{"id":1475,"date":"2016-07-25T12:42:49","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T19:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leanqualitysystems.com\/?p=1475"},"modified":"2016-07-25T12:42:49","modified_gmt":"2016-07-25T19:42:49","slug":"configuration-management-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leanqualitysystems.com\/configuration-management-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Configuration Management, Who Needs It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ConfigurationConfiguration Management<\/em> is the foundation of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), which has been adopted by many organizations worldwide, primarily those involved in the development of software applications.<\/p>\n

Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), specifically the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, hired the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn. to study and update CMM.<\/p>\n

In 2002, they released version 1.1 of Capability Maturity Model\u00ae Integration (CMMI), a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. The latest version of CMMI, v1.2 was introduced in August 2006, and encompasses three disciplines \u2013 CMMI Development, CMMI Services and CMMI Acquisition.<\/p>\n

CMMI can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. It helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.<\/p>\n

For example, the U.S. Navy now uses CMMI in design engineering, manufacturing, repair and overhaul, and new construction. However, many people and organizations still do not under stand the importance of CMMI, or for that matter, Configuration Management<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Wikipedia defines Configuration Management<\/em> as the \u201csecurity features and assurances through control of changes made to product design, hardware, software, firmware, documentation, test, test fixtures and test documentation throughout the development and operational life of a system.\u201d<\/p>\n

In relationship to software, Configuration Management<\/em> is also defined as the \u201ccontrol and adaptation of the evolution of complex systems. It is the discipline of keeping evolving software products under control, and thus contributes to satisfying quality and delay constraints. Software configuration management<\/a> (or SCM) can be divided into two areas. The first (and older) area of SCM concerns the storage of the entities produced during the software development project, sometimes referred to as component repository management<\/a>. The second area concerns the activities performed for the production and\/or change of these entities; the term engineering support<\/a> is also often used to refer to this second area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Configuration Items are components of Configuration Management<\/em>. In the movie \u201cIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark\u201d starring Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones, and archeologist and adventurer was hired by the U.S. Government to find the Ark of the Covenant. After seeing the movie, I researched the Ark of the Covenant and found it described in the\u00a0Hebrew Bible\u00a0as a sacred container, holding the Ten Commandments.<\/p>\n

In the Bible, God had some specific instructions, or Configuration Items<\/em> for Moses when it came to the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 25:10).<\/p>\n

The Ark\u2019s key characteristics given to Moses by God provided a detailed description of the requirements. The following is an example of God\u2019s \u201cStatement of Work\u201d (SOW):<\/p>\n