Configuration management is all about identifying, defining and mapping all. Selected items of system hardware or software or combinations of hardware and software, in which the government or acquiring activity has configuration management concern, are designated as configuration items cis. Simple useful rules for defining configuration items the. Specify when each configuration item is placed under configuration management. Configuration items cis are the focal point of a cmdb. Software configuration management is the process of identifying and defining the software configuration items in a system, controlling the release and change of these items throughout the system lifecycle, recording and reporting the. Every configuration item must have a category and possibly subcategories that define what type of item it is. Different types of assetsconfiguration items in freshservice. Administration settings asset extensions settings software configuration items use the software configuration items node to add.
Simply put, for software development, a baseline is a static i. A toplevel configuration item is a ci used as the starting point for organizing and promoting a set of related configuration items an example of a toplevel ci is a. Simple useful rules for defining configuration items. Software configuration management is defined as a process to systematically manage, organize, and control the changes in the documents, codes, and other entities during the software development life cycle. A configuration item is an entity designated for configuration management, which may consist of multiple related work products that form a baseline. Understand how to define scm and discuss how to accomplish it. Configuration management represents the one true source of the configuration items. To summarize, the entire configuration management process can be viewed as. A configuration item is anything that can be configured and that is absolutely necessary for the success.
This system aims to avoid the introduction of errors related to lack of. So, what better way to look at configuration items than by defining what is it that we configure. This definition appears somewhat frequently and is found in the following. Defining asset extension fields for software configuration. What is configuration management and how does it work. For example, source codes, property files, binaries, servers, and tools can all be configuration items for a software firm.
About configuration baselines and configuration items. This document provides a practical guide for integrating software configuration management disciplines into the management of software engineering projects. The goal of scm is to improve the speed of and quality by catching errors early and enabling quick fixes when they occur. Configuration item configuration management systems. Use configuration items and configuration management. Software configuration item an overview sciencedirect topics. These requirements vary depending on the role an organisation plays for example. What are hardware configuration items and how are they. Each element in the it environment is an individual entity requiring accurate capture of its attributes.
In software engineering, software configuration management scm or sw cm is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software, part of the larger crossdisciplinary field of configuration management. The software updates metadata is stored in the site database as a configuration item. Csci the thing that a change control request is requesting to be changed. The configurationmanagement system oversees the life of the cis through a combination of processes and tools by implementing and enabling the fundamental elements of identification, change management, status accounting, and audits. Lets look at how configuration items cis are defined by some leading itsm sources. Software configuration management is a process to systematically manage, organize, and control the changes in the documents, codes, and. A ci is a software model that contains the attributes of the represented entity. Configuration management manages configurable items. Cis may vary widely in complexity, size and type, from an aircraft, electronic or ship system to a test meter or round of ammunition. The cmdbasset management module in freshservice shows you a complete list of all the assets and configuration items that have been linked within your it service desk.
For the remainder of this post i will now refer to configuration items as cis and. Configuration items software configuration items are not only program code segments but all type of documents according to development, e. Where we do not know which one is the right version and which document is compatible with the other. The representations of these entities in the cmdb are configuration items cis. Mar 28, 2017 simply put, for software development, a baseline is a static i. In other words, version numbers and configuration item registration codes help in uniquely identifying configuration items. Ci a component of a system that is treated as a self contained unit for the purposes of identification and change control. All configuration items cis are uniquely identified by ci. Software configuration management scm is a software engineering discipline consisting of standard processes and techniques often used by organizations to manage the changes introduced. Software configuration management is a process independent of the development process largely because most development models cannot accommodate change at any time during development.
A component of a system that is treated as a self contained unit for the purposes of identification and change control. Software configuration management scm is the discipline for systematically controlling the changes that take place during development. For example, the family hardware could contain classes such as, modem, router, repeater, and bridge. Configuration items are a way to store information about services, computers, software, software updates, users and other undefined imported objects in the service manager database in service manager. The definition of the pbs is expanded throughout the early software definition. Official definition of csci computer software configuration. Software configuration management scm is a set of processes, policies, and tools that organize the development process. Department of energy quality managers software quality. Configuration items have specific attributes as well as relationships that are often. Configmgr configuration baselines a beginners guide. Configuration item article about configuration item by. Specify the important characteristics of each configuration item.
Examples of cis include individual requirements documents, software. What are hardware configuration items and how are they used. You can also change the column order of the display and refresh. Configuration item ci a configuration item is an entity in. Complete listing of all changes since the last baseline. The configuration management process seeks to identify and track individual configuration items cis, documenting functional capabilities, and interdependencies. Configuration items have specific attributes as well as relationships that are often unique for configuration items underneath them in the particular system. In software engineering, software configuration management scm or sw cm is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software, part of the larger crossdisciplinary field of configuration.
Two itsm practices, asset management and configuration management, guide you towards successful component management. Jan 05, 2017 common configuration types include software, hardware, communications, location and documentation. The sccm configuration process associates software with sccm collections. Families are broad categories of configuration items such as hardware, software, and services. Software configuration items are placed under scm control at different times. The software updates configuration items are sent to child sites by using database replication. A configuration item is anything that can be configured and that is absolutely necessary for the success of your project. Software configuration management is the process of identifying and defining the software configuration items in a system, controlling the release and. Classes are more specific categories within the broader family category. Role of code configuration management in devops pluralsight.
In configuration manager, baselines are used to define the configuration of a product or system that is established at a specific point in time. Sci is defined as software configuration item somewhat frequently. Without a clear definition of what qualifies as a ci, you will constantly struggle with deciding whether to put certain kinds of data into the cmdb. Apr 11, 2020 what is software configuration management. Software configuration management in software engineering. The term configuration item refers to the fundamental structural unit of a configuration management system. Software configuration management is the process of identifying and defining the software configuration items in a system, controlling the release and change of these items throughout the system lifecycle, recording and reporting the status of configuration items and change requests, and verifying. Configuration items can overlap and exist at many levels of granularity. Devops code software configuration items best read on. These practices may overlap, but they arent the same.
Cis may be a single module such as a monitor or tape drive. In addition to its purpose in the implementation and management of a change, each configuration items listing and definition should act as. Cis typically include it services, hardware, software, buildings, people, and. When synchronization has finished successfully, wsus synchronization manager creates status message 6702. Software items configurationmanaged items can now represent software items. The purpose of the baseline is to have a static reference. Software configuration management scm is the process of identifying and defining the scis in the system and coordinating the changes made to these items a formal definition. Configuration items help in identifying the components of a system. Examples of configuration items include software and applications, locations and. To deploy software from an sccm server, the user or device must be a member of an sccm collection associated with an.
Scm is the process of identifying and defining the items in the system, controlling the change of these items throughout their life cycle. Oct 12, 2016 configuration items in system center service manager. Simply put, a ci is an instance of an entity that is part of your environment and has configurable attributes specific to that instance. From the perspective of the implementer of a change, the ci is the what of the change. This model defines the types of cis along with their attributes and relationships. Example characteristics of configuration items include author, document or file. To create catalog items for sccm software deployment or to configure your instance to revoke software through sccm, you must first associate that software with a collection through an sccm configuration. Cis vary widely in complexity, size, and type, ranging from an entire service or system including all hardware, software, documentation, and support staff to a single software module or a minor hardware component. Simple useful rules for defining configuration items the it. Dec 06, 2019 this is a challenge for most organizations. About configuration baselines and configuration items github. Examples of cis include individual requirements documents, software, models, and plans. Selected items of system hardware or software or combinations of hardware and software, in which.
Scm helps in identifying individual elements and configurations, tracking changes, and version selection, control, and baselining. The purpose of the baseline is to have a static reference point for changes that occur once the baseline is crea. They are used in service management, change management, configuration. Jan 25, 2018 software configuration management scm is a set of processes, policies, and tools that organize the development process. All configuration items cis are uniquely identified by ci registration codes and version numbers. Administrators, technicians, and software developers can use configuration management tools to verify the effect a change to one configuration item has on other systems. Configuration item article about configuration item by the. The entity must be uniquely identified so that it can be distinguished from all other configuration items. A configuration item is a product hardware andor software that has an enduser purpose. Apr 09, 2017 a configuration baseline in configmgr is a collection of one or more conditional checks called configuration items. Configuration management this is the technical surveillance over the life cycle of items to identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of configuration items. Prior to software deployment, the software configuration items must be subjected. An aggregation of hardwaresoftware, or any of its discrete portions, which satisfies an end use function and is designated by the government for configuration management.
Software configuration management is a process to systematically manage, organize, and control the changes in the documents, codes, and other entities during the software development life cycle. The primary goal is to increase productivity with minimal mistakes. Configuration items can be any individual, location or device connected to your. Common configuration types include software, hardware, communications, location and documentation. Use the software configuration items node to add, edit, or delete fields that appear as columns within the vcmmxa console view. The term configuration item ci refers to the fundamental structural unit of a configuration management system. They are used in service management, change management, configuration management, incident management and a variety of other processes related to directing and controlling change. Software configuration management is a process independent of. Configuration items in service manager microsoft docs. Definition an aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process. Defining asset extension fields for software configuration items.
These attributes are recorded in configuration documentation and baselined. Introduction to software updates configuration manager. Definition an aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the. Each of these configuration items are evaluated upon a defined schedule for the purpose of reporting on compliance and for auditing purposes. Official definition of csci computer software configuration item im looking for the most official definition of csci configuration item not just what it is but what we have to deliver can expect when a contract defines subsystems which shall be developed as configuration items. Definition an aggregation of hardware, software, or both, that is designated for. A ci is used to index related process records in the cmdb. What is the meaning of baseline in software configuration. Altering a specific baseline version of a configuration item creates a new version of the same configuration item, itself a baseline. In information technology, a configuration item is a component of a system that can be identified as a selfcontained unit for purposes of change control and identification. Jan 10, 2019 configuration management represents the one true source of the configuration items. Configuration items are a way to store information about services, computers.
Im looking for the most official definition of csci configuration item not just what it is but what we have to deliver can expect when a contract defines subsystems which shall be developed as. Im looking for the most official definition of csci configuration item not just what it is but what we have to deliver can expect when a contract defines subsystems which shall be developed as configuration items. In itil terminology, configuration items ci are components of an infrastructure that currently is, or soon will be under configuration management. Define software items, add software items to builds, and define configuration rules for software items. A configuration item, or ci, is anything uniquely identifiable that can be changed independently. Devops code software configuration items best read on itpedia. Identify all items to define the software configuration.
Cis vary widely in complexity, size, and type, ranging from an entire service or system including all hardware, software, documentation, and support staff to a single. Configuration baselines in configuration manager contain a defined set of desired configurations that are evaluated for compliance as a group. Administration settings asset extensions settings software configuration items. Computer software configuration item article about. By default, freshservice comes with a set of assetci types that cover all the. A configuration item ci is any service component, infrastructure element. Its all about ensuring that we do not get into the pile of documents. A hw support provider may need to manage change at a part number level. Define configuration items continued selecting the right configuration items is a skill that takes practice very similar to object modeling use techniques similar to object modeling for finding. In configuration manager, baselines are used to define the configuration of a product or system that is established at a specific. It is abbreviated as the scm process in software engineering. Example characteristics of configuration items include author, document or file type, and programming language for software code files.