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Configuration Management

5 minutes 5 Questions

Configuration Management in FDD involves the process of systematically handling changes to a system in a way that allows the system to maintain integrity over time. This is critical in FDD as it provides a mechanism for managing changes and maintaining stability in the system. It involves keeping t…

Guide: Configuration Management - Understanding and Exam Tips

Configuration Management is a vital component in Project Management, especially in the Agile environment.
What is it?
Configuration Management is the process of systematically handling, organizing, and optimizing the different parts of a system. In the context of agile projects, Configuration Management ensures consistency among product performance, functional, and physical attributes, while its original requirements, design, and operational information are identified, documented, and applied.
Why is it important?
Configuration Management helps to maintain control over the project's deliverables and their changes, thus preventing unnecessary variations and miscommunications. It allows the team to manage risks, quality, and project scope efficiently.
How it works?
Configuration Management generally has four steps: Identification, Control, Status Accounting, and Verification and Audit. These help in determining configurations, controlling changes, recording and reporting template and status, and validating and reviewing the configurations.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Configuration Management
1. Understand the core concepts: Configuration Management involves understanding what is to be controlled, how changes will be managed, who will implement those changes, and how the changes will be tracked and reported.
2. Familiarize the 4 key steps: Identification, Control, Status Accounting, and Verification and Audit.
3. Use real-world examples: Examiners sometimes utilize real project scenarios to test the application of Configuration Management knowledge.
4. Practice using mock exams: Mock exams help in understanding the style of questions and better prepare you for the main examination.

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PMI-ACP - Configuration Management Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Configuration Management

Question 1

In your agile project, a stable version of a software module has been mistakenly replaced by an experimental version in the production environment. The issue was detected after a week and has already caused disrupts in the overall process. How can configuration management resolve and prevent this issue?

By terminating the team member who made the mistake By re-writing the entire module from scratch By increasing the number of software testing before deployment By using version control and maintaining baseline configurations, reverting to the stable version would be possible and further audit trails can prevent this in the future

Correct Answer: By using version control and maintaining baseline configurations, reverting to the stable version would be possible and further audit trails can prevent this in the future

In this situation, after detecting the mistake, configuration management can help revert the experimental version back to the stable software module through version control and baseline configurations. This method allows you to keep track of each version of a software module and therefore revert to any previous version if needed. A proper audit trail (a record showing who made what changes and when) would also be helpful in preventing such a mishap in the future by enabling the team to understand how the mistake occurred and to create preventive measures. The other answers do not directly address the issue. Increasing the number of software tests before deployment could potentially prevent such an issue in the future, but it does not provide a solution to the immediate problem. Terminating the team member who made the mistake might be an overreaction and does not ensure that similar mistakes won’t occur in the future. Lastly, rewriting the entire module from scratch might not be feasible or efficient if there is a more straightforward solution, such as reverting the software to its stable version.

Question 2

A significant release of your software product is due in a couple of weeks. One of your team members realizes that he has accidentally overwritten a source code file of a stable software version with an unstable version. The stable version is critical for the upcoming release. How can the principles of configuration management help in this scenario?

Rewrite the entire source code file from scratch. Proceed with the unstable version and resolve issues as they emerge. Retrieve the stable version of the source code file from the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) that was backed up during the last approved change. Delay the release and focus on stabilizing the current unstable version.

Correct Answer: Retrieve the stable version of the source code file from the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) that was backed up during the last approved change.

The question refers to a common scenario in software development where an unstable version of source code accidentally overwrites a stable version. The best course of action in this scenario, according to the principles of configuration management, would be to retrieve the stable version of the source code file from the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). The CMDB is a repository that stores all critical information about each component of an organization's IT environment. This database is used extensively in configuration management to document changes and maintain stability in the software development environment. The other options, including rewriting the entire source code file from scratch, proceeding with the unstable version or delaying the release, may not be practical or timely in resolving the issue. Rewriting a whole source code from scratch may take an unpredictable amount of time and is prone to the risk of introducing new issues. Depending on an unstable version carries the risk of potential unresolved issues, while delaying the release might not always be a feasible choice due to business constraints. Therefore, the best solution in such situations, as suggested by configuration management principles, is always to have backup versions of your software files to revert to in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Question 3

During the development of a critical software feature, a client requested a change that was done hurriedly and deployed without proper documentation. This later caused serious operational errors. How could configuration management handle this situation?

By maintaining a documented configuration that records all changes, impact analysis of the change could be done and risk assessed before deployment By enforcing only manual changes to the feature By hiring more skilled software engineers By rejecting all future client requests

Correct Answer: By maintaining a documented configuration that records all changes, impact analysis of the change could be done and risk assessed before deployment

Configuration management handles changes in software development by maintaining a documented configuration that records all changes. This ensures that an impact analysis of the changes can be done, and the risk assessed before the deployment. A well-structured change management process helps avoid last-minute changes and allows for thorough review of the potential implications of the change. This is the ideal way to handle unexpected requests from clients that could impact the software's functionalityOn the other hand, rejecting all future client requests as suggested in one of the incorrect answers is not realistic, as clients' needs and requirements could legitimately change over time. The idea of only hiring more skilled software engineers is not necessarily a solution, as even the most skilled engineers can mishap if there isn't a strong process accompanied by clear and documented communication. Lastly, enforcing only manual changes to the feature is also not a good option, this does not ensure proper documentation nor does it mitigate the risks associated with unmanaged changes, it could also lead to human error. The most effective approach in this situation would be a solid configuration management that keeps track of all changes.

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