Practical CM: Best Configuration Management Practices for the 21st Century (Year 2004 Edition with CD-ROM) [Plastic Comb]

David D. Lyon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

Product Information: Practical CM answers all those 'how-to' questions about CM that you hear asked in large and small businesses around the world and on the Internet CM forums. 'Best CM practices' for both manual and automated CM systems (hardware and software) are covered in exacting detail, and important concepts are summarized (italics) after the topic text coverage. This book is filled with figures, templates, lessons learned, Q&A, examples, and pitfalls to be avoided to assure that the CM 'newbie' as well as the CM veteran obtains the information they need. 'Practical CM' will provide you with the information you need to: Understand the CM Discipline Develop a CM solutions framework Learn Basic and Advanced CM processes Establish 'Best CM Practices' in your organization Automate Your Configuration Management Processes Implement Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Product Data Management (PDM) solutions in your Business Establish & Maintain Control of Your Hardware & Software Development Activities Improve Communications - Internal Organizations, Subcontractors, Vendors, Customers Employ Proven Risk Mitigation Techniques Enhance Process Control and Productivity Decrease Operating Costs

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As well as describing the process for planning, implementing and integrating PDM systems into existing business processes in order to get the most from hardware and sotware "best practices", this book includes templates and sample plans and forms" Quality World
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

This book has been superceded by ISBN: 0966124839, 'Practical CM III: Best Configuration Management Practices for the 21st Century'.

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Product Details

• Plastic Comb: 267 pages
• Publisher: Raven Pub Co; 4th edition (January 1, 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0966124820
• ISBN-13: 978-0966124828
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,613,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Software needs Confiruration Management to give productivity, August 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Practical CM: Best Configuration Management Practices for the 21st Century (Plastic Comb)

In the past, Configuration Management (CM) shared the dubious distinction, along with cod liver oil and dental fillings, as one of those things you know are "good for you" yet not very pleasant to go through. And whenever anyone raised the topic, the response was, at best, polite smiles or feigned interest and, at worst, open hostility. Ultimately, the concern centered around implementation costs: "how do we reap the benefits of CM without incurring such a dear price".

The answer, as David Douglas Lyon points out in this eminently readable text, lies in automating the CM process with well-adapted software tools. From a clear examination of the conventional, classical CM process in a manufacturing environment, he then proceeds to describe the stepwise implementation of the new CM process using tools such as Product Data Management (PDM) systems. The result builds on best CM practices and, through the use of specific procedures and guidelines, maps out the steps to implement a fully automated CM environment in a cost-effective manner.

This is a practical, "how-to" book written by an experienced practitioner. There is something here for every reader providing food for thought across the spectrum from basic to advanced level. The complete planning, implementation and integration process for a PDM system is clearly laid out in a series of templates and the annex material. As a roadmap and invaluable guide to implementing a configuration management program, Mr. Lyon devotes an entire annex to the development of a Configuration Management Plan and another to tool selection.

In sum, this volume serves as a valuable guide to those seeking to combine powerful, computer-based tools to complement a mature, proven configuration management process. This is recommended reading for those seeking a CM process appropriate to enter the Twenty First Century.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Systems Engineering Approach to CM, June 14, 2001

By 

Mike Tarrani "www.tarrani.com" (Deltona, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Practical CM: Best Configuration Management Practices (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

This is a brief, but information-packed, book on configuration management from a systems engineering perspective. If you are seeking a book on software configuration management you would do better with A Guide to Software Configuration Management by Alexis Leon, or my personal favorite (but out-of-print), Configuration Management for Software by Stephen Compton and Guy Conner.

The first chapter is a 1 page summary of change philosophy, followed by a chapter that sets the scope of this book with an in-depth treatment of how CM and engineering development interrelate, with an emphasis on design control. This segues into a chapter on developing a CM plan and tailoring it to your specific requirements. The fourth chapter covers CM basics (in my opinion this should have been chapter 1), and also provides some advanced techniques and approaches. This chapter draws heavily from MIL-STD-973 and the related EIA standard 649, both of which are excellent foundations of a good CM program. A highlight of this chapter is the section on configuration control boards (CCB), which covers in depth roles and responsibilities, as well as key processes such as problem resolution and the change life cycle from the CCB point of view. This section is further augmented by chapter 8, which sets forth the roles, responsibilities and processes of a problem resolution board (PRB). The CCB and PRB are key organizational components of a strong configuration management process and this information makes this book valuable.

Another strong chapter, 5, is devoted to transitioning to production. While this book is not specifically about software configuration management, this chapter provides guidance and techniques with respect to release management that are missing from most books on software configuration management. Chapter 6, which covers production and support, are also as applicable to SCM as it is to system engineering.

The appendices are invaluable. In particular, appendices A (configuration management plan preparation guidelines) and B (questions and answers) provide clarity to some aspects of CM that usually take years of experience to master.

This book will not replace any of my books on SCM, but it nicely augments them. It is definitely must reading for system engineering practitioners, and should also be in the reference libraries of IS/IT production support and data center management professionals.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superseded by ISBN: 0966124820, August 1, 2002

By 

David D. Lyon "Raven1" (Pittsfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Practical CM: Best Configuration Management Practices (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

I am the author of this book. Publication of this version (hard cover) has been terminated and the book removed from print due to failure of the publisher (Butterworth-Heinemann)to update it in a timely manner. This version is two years out of date (Year 2000 version).

This edition has been superseded and replaced by ISBN: 0966124820, 'Practical CM: Best Configuration Manageement Practices for the 21st Century', Fourth Edition, Year 2002 version, spiral bound with CD-ROM.