Selection
of appropriate configuration items is the key to success of every configuration management operation. Selection of
configuration item requires careful evaluation and it is joint decision of management and customer.
Configuration
Identification includes
· Selection of
configurations items based on documented criteria.
· Determining the
type of documentation required to capture the important characteristics of each configuration item.
· Providing unique
identifiers for the configuration items
· Maintenance of
identified configuration items.
Identification
Criteria
We should
establish the identification criteria as early as possible. The following criterion is recommended for identifying
configuration items:
· Work products
which are delivered to the customer
· Work products
with multiple developers/users
· Deliverable of a
software lifecycle phase
· Work products
which are critical for the project
· Work products
which are expected to change over time
· Work products
which require logistics support and designated for separate procurement
· Based on
complexity and risk
· Configuration
environment and functionality (example tools )
· Physical
characteristics
See Types of
configuration Items for examples of configuration items.
Configuration
Documentation
The
configuration documentation should help to identify and define the configuration items functional and physical
characteristics.
Unique
Identification
At the
start of the project, it is important to establish an identification system to assign unique identifiers to each
configuration item. Identifiers should help to determine and specify the following things:
· Owner of
configuration item
· Name of
configuration item which can be combination of text, type and number
· Text :
Describing where the configuration items belongs (including external and internal interfaces)
· Type : Product
type of configuration item (example: JSC for code objects written in java)
· Number: It can
be used to distinguish between configuration items of the same type.
· Version of
configuration item
· Status of
configuration item
· Storage
location
· Storage
medium
Activities
of assigning unique identifiers may include version marking, labeling, serialization and changing product identifiers
to reflect the changes made.
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