Baseline (configuration management)
Encyclopedia
Configuration management
is the process of managing change in hardware
, software, firmware
, documentation
, measurements, etc. As change requires an initial state and next state, the marking of significant states within a series of several changes becomes important. The identification of significant states within the revision history of a configuration item
is the central purpose of baseline identification.
Typically, significant states are those that receive a formal approval status, either explicitly or implicitly (approval statuses may be marked individually, when such a marking has been defined, or signified merely by association to a certain baseline). Nevertheless, this approval status is usually recognized publicly. Thus, a baseline may also mark an approved configuration item, e.g. a project plan
that has been signed off for execution. In a similar manner, associating multiple configuration items with such a baseline indicates those items as being approved.
Conversely, the configuration of a project often includes one or more baselines, the status of the configuration, and any metrics collected. The current configuration refers to the current status, current audit, current metrics, and latest revision of all configuration items. Similarly, but less frequently, a baseline may refer to all items associated with a specific project. This may include all revisions of all items, or only the latest revision of all items in the project, depending upon context, e.g. "the baseline of the project is proceeding as planned."
A baseline may be specialized as a specific type of baseline. Some examples include:
s; albeit some milestones also signify approval.
Baselines themselves are valued not only for their ability to identify the notable state of work product(s) but also provide particular importance in their ability to be retrieved. Once retrieved, the state of the work product(s) in that subset share the same significance in their history of changes that this significance was observed. The baseline is then regarded with poignant qualities (either favorably or disfavorably). For this reason, baseline identification, monitoring, and retrieval are critical to the success of configuration management. However, the ease of retrieving any given baseline varies according to the system employed for performing configuration management which may use a manual, automated, or hybrid approach. Once retrieved, the baseline may be compared to a particular configuration or another baseline.
Most baselines are established at a fixed point in time and serve to continue to reference that point (identification of state). However, some baselines are established to carry forward as a reference to the item itself regardless of any changes to the item. These latter baselines evolve with the progression of the work effort but continue to identify notable work products in the project.
systems as labels or tags
, the existence of baselines is found in several other technology-related domains. Baselines can be found in UML modeling systems and business rule management systems, among others.
In addition to the field of Hardware and Software Engineering, baselines can be found in Medicine (e.g. monitoring health progress), Politics (e.g. statistics), Physics & Chemistry (e.g. observations and changes), Finance (e.g. budgeting
), and others.
Configuration management
Configuration management is a field of management that focuses on establishing and maintaining consistency of a system or product's performance and its functional and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.For information assurance, CM...
is the process of managing change in hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
, software, firmware
Firmware
In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...
, documentation
Documentation
Documentation is a term used in several different ways. Generally, documentation refers to the process of providing evidence.Modules of Documentation are Helpful...
, measurements, etc. As change requires an initial state and next state, the marking of significant states within a series of several changes becomes important. The identification of significant states within the revision history of a configuration item
Configuration item
The term configuration item or CI refers to the fundamental structural unit of a configuration management system. Examples of CIs include individual requirements documents, software, models, plans, and people...
is the central purpose of baseline identification.
Typically, significant states are those that receive a formal approval status, either explicitly or implicitly (approval statuses may be marked individually, when such a marking has been defined, or signified merely by association to a certain baseline). Nevertheless, this approval status is usually recognized publicly. Thus, a baseline may also mark an approved configuration item, e.g. a project plan
Project plan
A project plan, according to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, isPRINCE2 defines:In some industries, particularly information technology, the term "project plan" can refer to a Gantt chart or other document that shows project activities along a timeline. While common, this use is inaccurate...
that has been signed off for execution. In a similar manner, associating multiple configuration items with such a baseline indicates those items as being approved.
- Generally, a baseline may be a single work product, or set of work products that can be used as a logical basis for comparison. A baseline may also be established (whose work products meet certain criteria) as the basis for subsequent select activities. Such activities may be attributed with formal approval.
Conversely, the configuration of a project often includes one or more baselines, the status of the configuration, and any metrics collected. The current configuration refers to the current status, current audit, current metrics, and latest revision of all configuration items. Similarly, but less frequently, a baseline may refer to all items associated with a specific project. This may include all revisions of all items, or only the latest revision of all items in the project, depending upon context, e.g. "the baseline of the project is proceeding as planned."
A baseline may be specialized as a specific type of baseline. Some examples include:
- Functional Baseline: initial specifications established; contract, etc.
- Allocated Baseline: state of work products once requirements are approved
- Developmental Baseline: state of work products amid development
- Product Baseline: contains the releasable contents of the project
- others, based upon proprietary business practices
Capabilities of Baselines
While marking approval status covers the majority of uses for a baseline, baselines may also be established merely to signify the progress of work through the passage of time. In this case, a baseline is a visible stake through an endured collective effort, e.g. a developmental baseline. Baselines may also mark milestoneMilestone
A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts...
s; albeit some milestones also signify approval.
Baselines themselves are valued not only for their ability to identify the notable state of work product(s) but also provide particular importance in their ability to be retrieved. Once retrieved, the state of the work product(s) in that subset share the same significance in their history of changes that this significance was observed. The baseline is then regarded with poignant qualities (either favorably or disfavorably). For this reason, baseline identification, monitoring, and retrieval are critical to the success of configuration management. However, the ease of retrieving any given baseline varies according to the system employed for performing configuration management which may use a manual, automated, or hybrid approach. Once retrieved, the baseline may be compared to a particular configuration or another baseline.
Most baselines are established at a fixed point in time and serve to continue to reference that point (identification of state). However, some baselines are established to carry forward as a reference to the item itself regardless of any changes to the item. These latter baselines evolve with the progression of the work effort but continue to identify notable work products in the project.
Baselining Configuration Items
In the process of performing configuration management, configuration items (or work products) may be baselined so as to establish them with a certain status to interested parties. In this sense, to baseline a work product may require certain change(s) to the work product to ensure its conformance to the characteristics associated with the baseline referenced. This varies upon context, but in many cases this has the implication that the work product is "reset" to an initial (possibly inherently approved) state from which work may proceed.Baseline Control
In many environments, baselines are controlled such that certain subsequent activities against work products in that baseline are either prohibited or permitted. These activities are carefully selected and controlled, and again, depending upon the configuration management system, are also monitored. Consequently, baselines are ordinarily subjected to configuration management audits. Configuration Audits may include an examination of specific actions performed against the baseline, identification of individuals involved in any action, an evaluation of change within the baseline, (re-)certification for approval, accounting, metric collection, comparison to another baseline, or all of these.Application
Though common in software revision controlRevision control
Revision control, also known as version control and source control , is the management of changes to documents, programs, and other information stored as computer files. It is most commonly used in software development, where a team of people may change the same files...
systems as labels or tags
Revision tag
A revision tag is the term often used to define a textual label that can be associated with a specific revision of a project maintained by a revision control system. This allows the user to define a meaningful name to be given to a particular state of a project that is under version control...
, the existence of baselines is found in several other technology-related domains. Baselines can be found in UML modeling systems and business rule management systems, among others.
In addition to the field of Hardware and Software Engineering, baselines can be found in Medicine (e.g. monitoring health progress), Politics (e.g. statistics), Physics & Chemistry (e.g. observations and changes), Finance (e.g. budgeting
Baseline (Budgeting)
Baseline budgeting is a method of developing a budget which uses existing spending levels as the basis for establishing future funding requirements. The concept assumes that the organization is generally headed in the right direction and only minor changes in spending levels will be required...
), and others.
See also
- Software configuration managementSoftware configuration managementIn software engineering, software configuration management is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software. Configuration management practices include revision control and the establishment of baselines....
- Configuration managementConfiguration managementConfiguration management is a field of management that focuses on establishing and maintaining consistency of a system or product's performance and its functional and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life.For information assurance, CM...
- Configuration audit
- Traceability matrixTraceability matrixA traceability matrix is a document, usually in the form of a table, that correlates any two baselined documents that require a many to many relationship to determine the completeness of the relationship...