2.7 Software configuration management  (Page 3/11)

Guidance for designing and implementing an SCM process can also be obtained from “best practice,” as reflected in the standards on software engineering issued by the various standards organizations. Moore provides a roadmap to these organizations and their standards. Best practice is also reflected in process improvement and process assessment models such as the Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (SEI/CMMI) and ISO/IEC15504 Software Engineering–Process Assessment (ISO/IEC 15504-98).

Planning for scm

The planning of an SCM process for a given project should be consistent with the organizational context, applicable constraints, commonly accepted guidance, and the nature of the project (for example, size and criticality). The major activities covered are: Software Configuration Identification, Software Configuration Control, Software Configuration Status Accounting, Software Configuration Auditing, and Software Release Management and Delivery. In addition, issues such as organization and responsibilities, resources and schedules, tool selection and implementation, vendor and subcontractor control, and interface control are typically considered. The results of the planning activity are recorded in an SCM Plan (SCMP), which is typically subject to SQA review and audit.

Scm organization and responsibilities

To prevent confusion about who will perform given SCM activities or tasks, organizations to be involved in the SCM process need to be clearly identified. Specific responsibilities for given SCM activities or tasks also need to be assigned to organizational entities, either by title or by organizational element. The overall authority and reporting channels for SCM should also be identified, although this might be accomplished at the project management or quality assurance planning stage.

Scm resources and schedules

Planning for SCM identifies the staff and tools involved in carrying out SCM activities and tasks. It addresses scheduling questions by establishing necessary sequences of SCM tasks and identifying their relationships to the project schedules and milestones established at the project management planning stage. Any training requirements necessary for implementing the plans and training new staff members are also specified.

Tool selection and implementation

Different types of tool capabilities, and procedures for their use, support SCM activities. Depending on the situation, these tool capabilities can be made available with some combination of manual tools, automated tools providing a single SCM capability, automated tools integrating a range of SCM (and perhaps other) capabilities, or integrated tool environments which serve the needs of multiple participants in the software engineering process (for example, SCM, development, V&V). Automated tool support becomes increasingly important, and increasingly difficult to establish, as projects grow in size and as project environments become more complex. These tool capabilities provide support for: