Configuration Management Planning

Definition

Configuration Management Planning

the configuration management task of planning the other configuration management tasks

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Configuration Management Planning is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Abstract
• Superclass: Configuration Management Task
• Subclasses:
  • None

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of Configuration Management Planning are to ensure that adequate plans exist for performing:

• Configuration identification
• Version Control
• Configuration Control
• Configuration Auditing
• Configuration Status Reporting

Preconditions

Configuration management planning typically can begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The endeavor has started.
• The configuration management team is staffed.
• The configuration management members are adequately trained in configuration management planning.

Completion Criteria

Configuration management planning is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The endeavor is finished.
• The final configuration management plan is archived or properly disposed.

Steps

Configuration management planning typically involves the configuration management team performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, and parallel manner:

• Plan Configuration Identification:
  • Determine criteria for identifying configuration items and identifying baselines.
  • Determine when configuration items and baselines should be identified.
  • Determine who shall perform configuration identification.
  • Determine the steps, techniques, and tools for performing configuration identification.
• Plan Configuration Control:
  • Determine the composition and responsibilities of the configuration control board.
  • Determine the criteria for placing a configuration item under configuration control.
  • Determine the contents of a change request form.
  • Determine the criteria for deciding who shall evaluate the impact of a proposed change.
  • Determine the criteria for deciding who shall evaluate the implementation of a authorized change.
  • Determine the steps, techniques, and tools for performing configuration control.
• Plan Configuration Auditing:
  • Determine the criteria for performing configurations audits.
  • Determine who shall perform the configuration audits.
  • Determine what shall be verified during a configuration audit.
  • Determine what shall be reported as a result of a configuration audit.
  • Determine who shall receive the configuration audit reports.
  • Determine the steps, techniques, and tools for performing configuration auditing.
• Plan Configuration Status Reporting:
  • Determine when (or how often) configuration statuses shall be reported.
  • Determine who shall report configuration status.
  • Determine to whom configuration status shall be reported.
  • Determine the steps, techniques, and tools for performing configuration status reporting.
• Document these plans for performing configuration management.

Techniques

Configuration management planning typically can be performed using the following techniques:

• Identification of baselines and their component configuration items.
• Baselining identified configuration items requireing change control.
• Change control via a cost/benefit impact analysis of each proposed change in terms of effort, schedule, and cost, etc.
• Audits of configurations in terms of content and readiness (e.g., for release).
• Status Reports of the status of the baselines and their component configuration items.

Work Products

Configuration management planning typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Configuration Management Plan

Guidelines

• Those who fail to plan are planning to fail.
• With proper planning, the probability increases that configuration management will be successfully performed and that no needed task will fall through the cracks.