Configuration Management
A. Version control
- Version control provides a history of changes to code and other versioned artifacts.
B. Baseline management
- Establishes baselines which are snapshots of the software and its configuration
- Reference points for testing and help maintain stability during testing
- Testers can compare the baseline with the latest build to identify changes
C. Configuration identification
- Identifying and documenting configuration items, configuration management plans, naming conventions etc.
D. Change control
- Process for evaluating proposed changes which are prioritized and approved based on impact and alignment with business and project objectives.
- Prevents unauthorized changes and ensures following of processes and documentation
E. Configuration Status Accounting
- Documentation of versions, changes, approvals
F. Configuration Audits and Reviews
- Ensures that configuration standards are adhered to and meet required specifications
- Improves traceability
Summary and Benefits
- Configuration Management ensures proper version control of test artifacts, allowing testers to work with up-to-date assets.
- It helps manage test environments to match production, reducing risks caused by environmental discrepancies.
- By establishing baselines, it improves traceability between requirements, test cases, and defects, enabling better change management.
- Configuration Management aids in creating reproducible test scenarios and supports parallel testing efforts, speeding up the process.
“QA belongs to everybody!”. It’s a “whole-team approach.”