Planning Phase

Configuration Management & Application Lifecycle Management

Posted on by Ivan Walsh

Configuration management was first developed by the US Dept of Defense in the 1950s as a technical management discipline. The concepts have been widely adopted by numerous technical management models, including:

  • Systems engineering
  • Integrated logistics support
  • Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
  • ISO 9000
  • Prince2 project management methodology
  • Cobit
  • Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
  • Product lifecycle management
  • Application lifecycle management

Many of these models have redefined configuration management from its traditional holistic approach to technical management. Some treat configuration management as being similar to a librarian activity, and break out change control and change management as separate areas of discipline.

Others break out the traditional elements of revision control and engineering release into separate management disciplines; others treat CM as an overarching management discipline.

Ivan Walsh