Software Configuration Management (SCM) Best Practices

Forget One Size Fits All Software Configuration Management. Two-thirds of all software projects fail, according to the Standish Group's CHAOS study. Improper usage of software configuration management (SCM) is largely to blame. After project management, IT users cite software configuration management as the process that most needs improvement, according to Ann Haas in Configuration Management Principles and Practice.

Process improvement eludes many organizations due to the increasing complexity of their development environment which includes: multiple software development methodologies; the adoption of advanced parallel development; requirements from audit and regulatory compliance regimes; the impact of distributed development and outsourcing; and the increased adoption of agile and iterative development processes.

Most shops try to simplify by pursuing a one-size-fits-all approach to SCM, an approach that usually fails. They'll implement simple CVS version control for complex projects, or use complex NASA procedures for simple Web projects. The best alternative—right-sizing SCM to the project—requires both planning and a thorough understanding of which SCM disciplines to apply to the range of projects undertaken.

Written by Uttam Narsu, Former Forrester/Giga Analyst and SCM expert
Uttam Narsu is an industry expert on software configuration management systems. While an analyst at Giga and Forrester Research, Mr. Narsu worked with hundreds of differing software development environments and has put together these Software Configuration Management best practices in this compelling white paper.

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