Introduction to Configuration Management

Configuration Management and standards

Configuration Management gives the identifiability and traceability of a product at various stages of the product life. The requirements specific to configuration management are specified in various standards and Models with minor variations.

• A Level 2 Process Area for CMMI - Configuration Management (CM)
• Clause 7.2 of AS 9100 Rev C- Configuration Management
• Clause 7.5.3 of ISO 9001:2008 - Identification and Traceability
• A specific standard to deal with Configuration Management - ISO 10007

Configuration Management Process

Configuration Management process is broadly described in ISO 10007 which calls for the following steps of configuration management. These steps will help the organization to ensure the product released is of right configuration and in case of any errors, the exact point of error is traced. Also, this will help to improve the product, based on various stages.

Configuration Management Planning

A documented configuration management plan outlining the configuration management procedures being used, and describe the roles and responsibilities to manage the configuration. This plan shall be documented, controlled and approved. Wherever possible, the plan must refer to the organizational procedures.

Configuration Identification

A list of configurable items shall be selected based on various factors such as statutory and regulatory requirements, product design stages, criticality in terms of risks etc. These ites are to be selected based on their management of physical and functional characteristics being managed.

Change control

The changes to the configuration items must be controlled and documented. The process and records for changes shall include justification for change, evaluation of consequences of changes, and approval of changes. This changes shall always be base lined at periodic changes to the physical and functional characteristics of the product. 

Configuration status accounting

The configuration status accounting activities throughout the life cycle of the product in order to support and enable an efficient configuration management process. Ideally, at any point of time, the product configuration is the last baseline and the changes done after the baseline.

Configuration audit

Periodic audits are to be conducted on the configuration based on the docmented procedures, to ensure the product meets the configuration requirements are not. Genreally two types of configuration audits are conducted. 

Physical configuration Audit :  To ensure that the product is meeting the physical charecteristics as specified in the product configuration information

Functional configuration audit : To ensure that the prodcut has achieved the functional performance as defined in the product configuration information