Configuration management (CM) process in software testing

















How do you apply configuration management (CM) process in software testing?

Configuration management (CM) in software testing process clearly explained.

IEEE - Configuration Management is the process of identifying and defining the items in the system, controlling the change ofthese items throughout their lifecycle, recording and reporting the status ofitems and change requests, and verifying the completeness and correctness of items. [IEEE-Standard-729-1983, Standard Glossary for Software Engineering, ANSI/IEEE.]

CMM - Software Configuration Management involves identifying the configuration of the software (selected software worksproducts and their descriptions) at given points in time, systematicallycontrolling changes to the configuration, and maintaining the integrity and traceability of the configuration throughout the software lifecycle. The workproducts placed under software configuration management include the softwareproducts that are delivered to the customer (for example the softwarerequirements document and the code) and the items that are identified with or required to create these software products (for example the compiler). [CMM - Guidelines for Improving the Software Process]

RUP - The task of defining and maintaining configurations and versions of artifacts. This includes baselining, versioncontrol, status control, and storage control of the artifacts. [ Philippe Kruchten, The Rational Unified Process: An Introduction, Addison Wesley, 2003.]

CM clearly explain -A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to: identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of CIs; audit the CIs to verify conformance to specifications, interface control documents and other contract requirements; control changes to CIs and their related documentation; and record and report information needed to manage CIs effectively, including the status of proposed changes and the implementation status of approved changes.

Configuration elements: Specifications, drawings, source code, etc., that define the configuration of a CSCI.

Configuration control (IEEE)
An element of configuration management, consisting of the evaluation, coordination, approval or disapproval, and implementation of changes to configuration items after formal establishment of their configuration identification. (IEEE) See: change control.

Change control -
The processes, authorities for, and procedures to be used for all changes that are made to the computerized system and/or the system's data. Change control is a vital subset of the Quality Assurance [QA] program within an establishment and should be clearly described in the establishment's SOPs, See: configuration control.


Configuration management (CM) usually included the following practices:

  • Identify configuration items
  • Version control of configuration items
  • Release management
  • Build management
  • Controlling changes
  • Tracking status
  • Auditing
    Automate the build environment by introducing continuous integration, automatic testing etc. using tools such as CruiseControl.
    http://cruisecontrol.sourceforge.net/
    Software Configuration Management Standards



    828 IEEE Standard for Software Configuration Management Plans

    1042 IEEE Guide to Software Configuration Management

    IEEE 828 Software Configuration Management Plans

    IEEE 1042 Software Configuration Management

    EIA 649 National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management

    ISO/IEC 12207 Information Technology--Software Life Cycle Processes

    ISO/IEC TR 15271 Guide for ISO/IEC 12207 - (Software Life Cycle Processes)

    ISO/IEC TR 15846 Software Engineering-Software Life Cycle Process-Configuration Management for Software

    AECL CE-1001-STD REV.1 Standard for Software Engineering of Safety Critical Software

    BSI BS-6488 Configuration Management of Computer-Based Systems

    BSI BS-7738 Specification for Information Systems Products Using SSADM--(Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method)

    EIA CMB4-1A Configuration Management Definitions for Digital Computer Programs

    EIA CMB4-2 Configuration Identification for Digital Computer Programs

    EIA CMB4-3 Computer Software Libraries

    EIA CMB4-4 Configuration Change Control for Digital Computer Programs

    EIA CMB6-1C Configuration and Data Management References

    EIA CMB6-3 Configuration Identification

    EIA CMB6-4 Configuration Control

    EIA CMB6-5 Textbook for Configuration Status Accounting

    EIA CMB7-1 Electronic Interchange of Configuration Management Data

    ESA PSS-05-09 Guide to Software Configuration Management

    MIL-STD-483A Configuration Mgrnt. Practices for Systems, Equipment, Munitions, and Computer Programs
    Acronyms


    CA configuration accounting
    CC configuration control
    CI configuration item
    CID configuration identification
    CM configuration management
    CMP configuration management plan
    Main configuration items related to software testing:
  • Test plan
  • Test cases, scripts
  • All kind of software used for testing
  • Code used for all types of testing including code for automated tools like QTP, JMeter, LoadRunner.

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