Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap [Hardcover]

Mario E. Moreira (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470862645 | ISBN-13: 978-0470862643 | Publication Date: June 28, 2004

SCM practices are recognised as core functional areas in assisting a project team to identify, control, audit, and report on all configuration items of a project.  Consequently they are then better able to control changes to the working environment.

Moreira presents a totally unique book, offering a “how-to” guide for SCM implementation for commercial and technology fields. A thoroughly practical approach; this guide includes examples and instruction of SCM tasks. 

This book has an easy to follow set of tasks that can be customized to assist a SCM professional in implementing SCM in a more efficient and expedient manner while also imparting SCM knowledge.

• Provides a customisable step-by-step process in implementing SCM
• Discusses typical SCM activities at project level and includes source control, change control, problem management, etc.
• Anyone who has to implement SCM in his/her company at every level will need this book and find its practical approach useful

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

While many other SCM (Software Configuration Management) related books provide focus on what SCM is, this book will guide you through SCM tasks. Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap provides the reader with the building blocks and concrete steps for implementing SCM. It does this by focusing on several areas:

• Aligns SCM tasks to the appropriate target levels within the workplace. The three target levels include: the Organization, the Application, and the Project level. This increases the chances of a more effective SCM implementation.

• Provides a customizable set of SCM tasks and templates for establishing a unique roadmap for implementing SCM. Within this book, each task includes step-by-step guidance to implement the SCM need.

• Provides a focus on distributed and offshore development since development is more distributed than ever before. This book can help you plan for and guide you through the strategies of establishing distributed development infrastructures.

The materials in this book may help you significantly reduce the time it takes to plan and prepare for an SCM implementation or an SCM task. It will be particularly useful for Software Engineers especially as a reference guide for junior and mid-level SCM persons (SCM managers, engineers, Release Engineers. Build Engineers, etc.)

About the Author

Mario E. Moreira has worked in the SCM field since 1986. He has experience with numerous SCM technologies and processes on a range of platforms in a variety of industries including commercial, government, and financial sectors. He has implemented various SCM technologies on over 75 applications/products which includes establishing global SCM infrastructures. He has experience in several process and quality related areas including SEI CMM. Mario has written many SCM-related articles and has spoken at several international SCM conferences. He has an MA in Mass Communication with an emphasis on communication technologies. Mario also brings years of project management, software quality assurance, requirements management, facilitation, and team building skills and experience.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (June 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470862645
• ISBN-13: 978-0470862643
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Having experience in the nitty-gritty of technologies, collaboration with a variety of levels of roles within an organization, and the business intuition of understanding the need, Mario E. Moreira brings years of experience bring value customers and the workplace. Mario's philosophy is "continuous customer interaction and short release and iteration cycles will help you to more effectively deliver business value, leading to more satisfied customers and company profitability".

What does Mario when he is not writing books? Mario is a Columnist for the CM Journal, a writer for the Agile Journal, an Author, an Agile and CM expert for CA, and has worked in the CM field since 1986 and in the Agile field since 1998. He has experience with numerous CM technologies and processes and has implemented CM on over 100 applications/products, which include establishing global SCM infrastructures. He is a certified ScrumMaster in the Agile arena having implemented Scrum and XP practices for product teams and organization level efforts. He holds an MA in Mass Communication with an emphasis on communication technologies. Mario also brings years of Project Management, Software Quality Assurance, Requirement Engineering, Architecture, facilitation, and team building skills and experience.

As mentioned, Mario is the author and of two books:

Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap (2004 - Wiley). While some books provide the "what", this book provides the "how" in SCM. It provides step-by-step guidance for implementing CM at the organization, application, and project level.
- "The cost of this book pays for itself many times offer because of jump-start it provides to many tasks in CM"
- "For every challenge in CM, there is a helpful section, template, or steps that will give me the guidance I need"

Adapting Configuration Management for Agile Teams (2009 - Wiley). This book adds a whole new dimension to support Agile work. Agile facilitates change based on value and CM enables the change in an effective way. This is a powerful combination.
- This book starts with both an Agile Primer and then a CM Primer.
- Then it focuses on the CM infrastructure to support Agile teams.
- The primary portion of the book provides specific guidance on adapting your CM practices for more suitability in an Agile context.
- It concludes with what Agile characteristics are important for technologies and how standards and frameworks can support Agile.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fills an important niche for SCM discipline, June 19, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap (Hardcover)

There are a lot of excellent books on SCM which explain the discipline and provide detailed operational advice. This one stands apart because it focuses on implementing SCM as a set of processes and procedures, and shows how to integrate it into your development environment.

Mr. Moreira leads you through every milestone of implementation from realistically assessing your needs and how to fit SCM into your development processes, to establishing an SCM infrastructure, to defining SCM tasks tailored to projects.

One of the best features of this book - and why it is invaluable to anyone who is seriously pursuing a viable SCM function - is the wealth of plans, templates, and process documents contained in the appendices and on the accompanying CD ROM. These will save a substantial amount of time to accomplish an implementation.

Other aspects of this book that I like include the chapters on SCM in general, the process- and task-oriented approaches, and the in-depth knowledge the author exhibits throughout.

If you are buying this book to guide you through an SCM implementation, or are merely exploring the level of complexity such an endeavor entails, I also recommend "Software Configuration Management Patterns: Effective Teamwork, Practical Integration" (ISBN 0201741172) because the patterns provided in that book add a layer of depth and refinement to an SCM implementation and ongoing SCM management.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the few SCM books that delves beyond process+procedure into deployment+support, July 27, 2005

By 

Brad Appleton (Arlington Heights, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap (Hardcover)

I pass this book around a lot at work! It's good stuff, and one of the only books of its kind. Most SCM books talk about the SCM function and process/procedure definition and design, or a particular tool. This book covers all that and more. It also talks about the team and the roles that make-up an SCM *organization*, how to manage it and how to deliver, deploy and support a complete SCM solution (not just a process but supporting tools and environment too).

The writing style is very clear and readable. Admittedly, the price of the book is a bit steep. The accompanying CD with the forms/templates/checklist will more than make up for the cost if you are someone who is trying to lead or manage an SCM team undertaking these responsibilities.

Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap is one of the few SCM books that give complete information beyond processes/procedures into the organizational aspects of CM: how to lead it, deploy it and support it across the organization and the development tools/environment.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very helpful! must have!, October 11, 2004

By 

S. Haque (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Software Configuration Management Implementation Roadmap (Hardcover)

Mr. Moreira is an accomplished writer. He writes with the ease of one who knows his material. His examples are eloquent and easy to understand. The thoroughness with which he approaches his topic reflects his mastery of the subject matter. If someone wants to implement software configuration management in their development process, this is the book to have!