Configuration management-integration of software and hardware at top-level management

Configuration management, a discipline that identifies and documents functional and physical characteristics of developed hardware and software items, is addressed. A description is given of the problems of managing the configuration of products that involve extensive use of software. An automated tool is presented for integrating the status accounting of such products for top-level management. The tool, named CMDS (Configuration Data Management System) operates on an IBM PC. Its database entities may be configuration information design documents, contracts, changes and action items