Wylie College

Configuration Management Plan

 

Version 2.0

 


Revision History

 

Date

Version

Description

Author

08/Jan/1999

1.0

Initial Release

Simon Jones

10/Feb/1999

2.0 

Extending plan 

 Simon Jones

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction         

1.1 Purpose     

1.2 Scope     

1.3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations     

1.4 References     

1.5 Overview     

2. Software Configuration Management

2.1 Organization, Responsibilities, and Interfaces     

2.2 Tools, Environment, and Infrastructure     

3. The Configuration Management Program         

3.1 Configuration Identification     

3.1.1 Identification Methods           

3.1.2 Project Baselines           

3.2 Configuration and Change Control     

3.2.1 Change Request Processing and Approval           

3.2.2 Change Control Board (CCB)           

3.3 Configuration Status Accounting     

3.3.1 Project Media Storage and Release Process           

3.3.2 Reports and Audits           

4. Milestones

5. Training and Resources     

6. Subcontractor and Vendor Software Control

Appendix A - ClearCase Administration Procedures

 


Configuration Management Procedures

1.                  Introduction

1.1               Purpose

The purpose of this document is to define the Configuration Management procedures to be followed by all software projects at Wylie College.

1.2               Scope

The document covers Configuration Management procedures applicable to all Wylie College projects.  Each project will also have its own Configuration Management Plan that describes additional procedures, defines project milestones, etc.

1.3               Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations

Wylie College uses the Rational Unified Process Glossary, and definitions from the section "UCM Concepts" in [UCM].

1.4               References

[UCM] Using Unified Change Management with Rational Suite.  Rational Software Corporation.

[CC-1] Managing Software Projects with ClearCase.  Rational Software Corporation.

1.5               Overview

Wylie College follows Configuration Management activities as described in the Rational Unified Process.  Wylie College has also standardized on Rational's tools for Unified Change Management (UCM).

UCM implementation will be as described in ClearCase UCM reference materials, except as noted in this document.

2.                  Software Configuration Management

2.1               Organization, Responsibilities, and Interfaces

Wylie College IT department staff perform the Configuration Manager role for all projects.  Each project at Wylie College will have one or more persons assigned to the Change Control Manager role.

2.2               Tools, Environment, and Infrastructure

Wylie College has standardized on the Rational Suite tools (Rational ClearQuest and Rational ClearCase LT) and UCM.  Wylie College has an existing set of PVOBs, one for each Product Family.  A Product Family is a group of inter-related projects which share a significant amount of common code.  Current Product Families, and their PVOBs at Wiley College are:

VOBs are backed up on a daily basis by the Configuration Manager.  The backup and restore tools and procedures, as well as other administration details, are covered in the Appendix: ClearCase Administration Procedures.

At the start of a project, the project's Configuration Manager creates a UCM Project within the appropriate Product Family's PVOB, and one or more component VOBs.  See [UCM] for details.  All component VOBs are expected to follow the standard product directory structure.  See the Course Registration CRegMain VOB for an example.

All projects are expected to use the following ClearCase policies (see [CC-1] "Considering Which Development Policies to Enforce"):

The following are activities and tool mentors from Workflow Detail: Create Project CM Environments, that provide guidance on setting up your CM environment:

Role Rational Unified Process Activities Rational Tool Mentors Notes/Tailoring
Configuration Manager Set Up CM Environment Linking Configuration Management and Change Request Management Using Rational ClearQuest and Rational ClearCase

Setting Up Policies

Establishing a Change Request Process

Defining Change and Review Notifications

Most of this activity has been performed already, in defining this CM Plan and in defining the PVOBs for each Product Family.
Software Architect Structure the Implementation Model Setting Up the Implementation Model
Setting Up the Implementation Model with UCM
This must be done within the framework of the standard product directory structure.  The Software Architect provides the input for this Implementation Model, but the actual setup is typically done by the Configuration Manager.
Integrator Create Integration Workspaces Creating an Integration and Building Workspace  
Any Role Activity: Create Development Workspace Creating a Development Workspace  

 

3.                  The Configuration Management Program

3.1               Configuration Identification

3.1.1          Identification Methods

UCM Projects are named with the official abbreviated name for the project.  For example, CReg for Course Registration System.

VOB naming is up to the project's discretion.

Each artifact identified as having a review level of "Formal/Internal" or "Formal/External" in the project's Development Case must be controlled in a project VOB by the end of the phase in which it is first created.  Once controlled, the procedures described in this document are applicable.

Project baselines will be named <project_name>_<iteration>_<date> where date is fomatted as MM_DD_YY.  For example, CReg_C1_03_07_99.

Baseline statuses will be as defined for default UCM.

3.1.2          Project Baselines

Baselines must be established at the end of each iteration.  Additional baselines may be established at the discretion of the project manager.

3.2               Configuration and Change Control

3.2.1          Change Request Processing and Approval

Wylie College follows the Rational Unified Process workflow details: Manage Change Requests and Change & Deliver Configuration Items, with the following refinements.

Artifact: Work Order is merged with Artifact: Change Request (CR).  Status of work orders is thus managed by tracking the status of CRs.

A UCM activity maps to Artifact: Change Request (CR). The term CR will be applied for the remainder of this document to refer to a UCM Activity.  Wylie College follows the default UCM ClearQuest schema.  

The activities and states used by Wylie College to manage CRs are as described in Concepts: Change Request Management.

The required fields for a CR are imposed by the ClearQuest schema, and so do not need to be documented here.  

The following defines the applicable activities and tool mentors.

Role Rational Unified Process Activities Rational Tool Mentors Notes/Tailoring
Any Role Activity: Submit Change Request
Activity: Update Change Request
Submitting Change Requests  
Change Control Manager Activity: Review Change Request
Activity: Confirm Duplicate or Rejected CR
Reporting Review and Work Status

Wylie College does not require the use of a Configuration Control Board.  Change Requests are reviewed and approved by one member of the project, the Change Control Manager, who is usually also the Project Manager, Team Lead, or Software Architect.

Project Manager Activity: Schedule and Assign Work   Artifact: Work Order is merged with Artifact: Change Request (CR).  Assignment of work is performed by assigning the CR. See Concepts: Change Request Management for details.
Any Role Activity: Make Changes Using UCM Change Sets  
Any Role Activity: Deliver Changes  Delivering Your Work "Any Role" (who made the changes) must ensure that the applicable review procedures have been followed, and the review has passed, prior to delivering any changes.

The applicable review procedures are specified in the Development Case.

Integrator Activity: Verify Changes in Build    

 

3.2.2          Change Control Board (CCB)

As noted above, Wylie College does not use Change Control Boards (also referred to as Configuration Control Boards). 

3.3               Configuration Status Accounting

3.3.1          Project Media Storage and Release Process

Wylie College follows the Workflow Detail: Manage Baselines & Releases as described below.

Role Rational Unified Process Activities Rational Tool Mentors Notes/Tailoring
Integrator Activity: Create Baselines Creating Baselines  
Integrator Activity: Promote Baselines Promoting Project Baselines  
Any Role Update Workspace Updating Your Project Work Area Using Rational ClearCase  
Configuration Manager Create Deployment Unit   Product releases are burned onto two sets of CDs - one set for offsite storage, and the other for the IT library.  This is the responsibility of each project's Configuration Manager.  Each product release CD must include a snapshot of the development, test, and integration environment at the time of the release, including executables, source code, test software, COTS libraries,  plug-ins, support tools, test tools, etc.

 

3.3.2          Reports and Audits

Details of the required reports are described by the Wylie College Measurement Plan.  An overview of activities and tool mentors from Workflow Detail: Monitor & Report Configuration Status is provided below.

Role Rational Unified Process Activities Rational Tool Mentors Notes
Configuration Manager Activity: Report on Configuration Status Reporting Defect Trends and Status
Viewing the History of a Defect
 

4.                  Milestones

Milestones are described in each individual project's Configuration Management Plan.

5.                  Training and Resources

The following Rational University Courses are recommended by role.

Course Roles
Developing Software with Rational ClearCase and UCM for Windows Any Role
Administering ClearCase Configuration Manager (ClearCase Administrator)

 

6.                  Subcontractor and Vendor Software Control

Wylie College does not currently subcontract software development.  However, we do incorporate Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) products into our systems which must be carefully controlled.  Each product release must include in the release notes the versions of all COTS products on which the system has been tested.  When possible, installation CDs for these COTS products should be filed with the IT librarian.

Appendix A                ClearCase Administration Procedures

TBD.  Issues to be covered include:

<Name the network Hosts and roles, including registry server host>

<Backup and restore tools and procedures>

<What periodic jobs are run - e.g. for scrubbing>