The KONFIG^® Product Suite and the CMII^® Process:
An Overview of CM and CMII –
How CMII Enables Process Improvement

Executive Summary:

If you ask ten configuration management experts to define configuration management (CM), you are sure to get ten different answers. Much of the debate centers on where CM fits in an organization and what data CM encompasses - from strictly engineering data to any document, drawing, software source code, or other business items needing to be maintained - that is produced in day-to-day business operations. The fact of the matter is that with more and more government regulations and corporate liability, CM becomes the cornerstone of any business. CM not only helps ensure compliance with regulations and traceability for audits, but also ensures that what an organization does is right for their customers and stockholders.

CMII, developed by the Institute of Configuration Management (www.icmhq.com), takes a more detailed look at CM and stresses the importance of requirements leading the production of physical items. CMII also sees that facilitating change of those requirements as equally important. As the old adage goes, “the only constant is change.” CMII ensures that change is not only managed but also streamlined so organizations can react quickly in today’s dynamic environments.

CMII recognizes that there are two distinct cycles that define the project plan. The first is the requirements cycle and the second is the physical items cycle. CMII states that the cycle for building or modifying physical items must be separate from the definition of the requirements to which the physical item must conform. Both the requirements and physical item cycles are further broken down into steps that clearly identify creation and validation to ensure requirements are clear, concise, and valid, and that physical items conform to the requirements.

While CMII may not be on your list of acronym buzzwords yet, it is a means to an end when it comes time to achieve certifications such as CMMI, Six Sigma, ITIL, or ISO 9000. CMII along with the KONFIG Product Suite provides the organizational structure and data controls needed to enable organizations to reach higher levels of certification.

The KONFIG Product Suite by Auto-trol Technology (www.auto-trol.com) provides a comprehensive, web-based, enterprise capable CM solution. Utilizing KONFIG, organizations small and large can have a single solution for hardware CM (e.g., airplanes, ships, circuit boards), software CM, data and document management, product lifecycle management, and network configuration management in a seamless solution. This unified product approach is unique within the industry, ensuring that organizations around the world have a comprehensive, easy-to-use commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution for all of their CM needs.

This white paper explains, at a high level, the CMII process, how CMII is the foundation to meeting standards such as CMMI, ISO, and ITIL, and how the KONFIG Product Suite is an enabling tool for meeting these world-class standards.

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