1 / 24

Software Configuration Management: Selecting the Right Tool

Software Configuration Management: Selecting the Right Tool. Chetan Desai Software Project Management SWEN 5230 Dr. Boetticher. What is SCM?. History CM Origins SCM - Automation Mature Discipline. Why do I need it?. Reduce Costs Improve Productivity Encourage Reuse

Download Presentation

Software Configuration Management: Selecting the Right Tool

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Software Configuration Management: Selecting the Right Tool Chetan Desai Software Project Management SWEN 5230 Dr. Boetticher

  2. What is SCM? • History • CM Origins • SCM - Automation • Mature Discipline

  3. Why do I need it? • Reduce Costs • Improve Productivity • Encourage Reuse • Reduce Deployment Defects • Reduce Time-to-Market • Integral Part of a Mature Organization [CMM]

  4. But.. • Adoption of SCM tools in the software development market is only 20% [Ovum Research] • Lack of Awareness of the State-of-the-Art • Problems with Tool Adoption • Behavioral Factors [WeigersK] • Political Factors • Inability to See Long-Term Benefits

  5. Problem Definition • Suitability for an organization • “One size does not fit all” • Large Investment, Resource Commitment, return-on-investment • Select the most appropriate tool to obtain maximize return-on-investment (ROI) • The total number of tools in the market today exceeds 50

  6. Functionality (Requirements) • Dart discusses functionality and requirements • Does not address deployment • Modified diagram • Does not address entire industry spectrum • No distinction made based on industry

  7. Industry Spectrum • Organization Factors - “How small is small?” • small • who, what, when • small, local, single-organization involvement with less volatile requirements • large • communication control • large, multi-organizational, multi-site and with volatile requirements • Project Factors - Size, Complexity

  8. Functionality and Industry • Workspace • Simple (Workstation Directory), Intermediate (Hierarchical) • Workspace usage patterns • Small - Simple Workspace • Large - Intermediate Workspace (Enhances communication) • Merging • Managing conflicts • Largely manual effort • Small - Parallel development not necessary • Large - Support tools, Automated merge

  9. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Communication • Local Area Connectivity • Local network support • Wide Area Connectivity • “Virtual Software Company” • Small - Local network support • Large - Wide area connectivity

  10. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Components • Uniquely identifiable components • Applies to both - core function • Uniquely identifiable configurations • Small - Labeling • Large - Rules • Repository • Small - File Based Repository • Large - Database, structured storage (Efficient Retrieval)

  11. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Structure • System Model • Small - Parts List, Labels • Large - System Model • Construction • Build Management • Small - make • Large - Integrated/Automated build management

  12. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Deployment • Installation • Parameterization • Instantiation • Reconfiguration

  13. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Process • Extent of Process Support - Little or None, Enforced, Custom • Auditing • Change History • Trace Changes to Related Documents • Summary Charts and Reports

  14. Functionality and Industry (continued) • Accounting • Schedule Tracking • Gathering Metrics • Controlling • Access Control • Locks, Lists, Authentication • Small - Authentication governed by network • Large - Tool Authentication in Addition to Network Authentication

  15. Taxonomy • Onion Model • Levels • 1. Core functionality (simple version control) • 2. Simple process introduction • 3. Enforced process • 4. Complex, Global • Justification for Grouping

  16. SCM Tool Survey • SourceSafe • All Level 1 requirements implemented • Supports merging and parallel development • Level 1+ • $995.00 for 10 users • CS-RCS • All Level 1 requirements implemented • Supports merging and parallel development • Level 1+ • $3600.00 for 10 users

  17. SCM Tool Survey (continued) • Razor • Meets all Level 1 and Level 2 requirements • Does not meet any Level 3 requirements • Level 2 • $8030.00 for 10 users

  18. Results • CS-RCS, MS-VSS, Razor mapped to taxonomy • Caveat: Level 1+ for CS-RCS, MS-VSS • CS-RCS, MS-VSS • Low Operational Expertise • Developer-Oriented • Razor • Basic Change Management Processes

  19. Conclusions • CM is a key element in the development and maintenance of a software product • Investing in the most feature rich CM solution may not be the wisest solution • General Taxonomy Presented - Guide • Gradual Adoption

  20. Future Work • Practical Considerations • Develop “Tie Breaking” Criteria • Model Granularity • Develop Questionnaire • Usability, Performance, Platform, Technical Support Considerations • Case Studies Needed to Valid Model and ROI

  21. References • Dart, S. Concepts in Configuration Management System (June 1992), On-line at http://www.sei.cmu.edu/legacy/scm/abstracts/abscm_concepts.html. • Fruhauf, K. Software Configuration Management, State of the Art, State of the Practice (1999). • Buckholz, G., Making CM Work for Software Development. IT Professional (September-October 2001), 51-53. • Wiegers, K.E. Lessons Learned from Tool Adoption Software Development Magazine (October 1999). On-line at www.processimpact.com/articles/tool_lessons.pdf • Banachowski, S., Whitehead, J. An Observation of Fine Grain Usage Patterns for Two Configuration Management Tools (May 2001), Tenth International Workshop on Software Configuration Management.

  22. Questions • According to Ovum, what is the market penetration of SCM tool? • 20% • What are the core (fundamental) areas of SCM functionality according to this paper? • See “Onion Diagram” Level 1

More Related