Configuration Management

Simple Definition for Beginners:

Configuration management is the process of managing and controlling changes to software, hardware, systems, and infrastructure in a controlled and systematic manner.

Common Use Example:

A company uses configuration management tools to track changes to its IT systems, ensure consistency across environments, and manage software versions effectively.

Technical Definition for Professionals:

Configuration management is a discipline and set of practices that focus on identifying, documenting, controlling, and tracking changes to configuration items (CIs) within an organization’s IT environment. This includes software applications, hardware devices, network configurations, infrastructure components, and system settings. Configuration management aims to ensure that IT assets are configured correctly, consistently, and securely throughout their lifecycle. Key aspects of configuration management include configuration identification, configuration control, configuration status accounting, configuration auditing, and configuration verification and validation.