Archive for category CMCrossroads
Why you’re wrong…
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Configuration Management, ITSLM, Plain Old Blog, Software Configuration Management on June 28, 2011
…if you think build, change, or release management are part of configuration management. Bob Aiello lit the blue touch paper (again) on the debate about ‘what is configuration management?’ and, once again, he seems to be trying to redefine configuration management to fit the role of Configuration Manager identified (incorrectly) in many organisations. This is absolutely the [...]
Building a CM system using Atlassian
Posted by Mark in Build Management, Change Management, CMCrossroads, Configuration Management, Plain Old Blog, Reviews, Software Configuration Management on May 7, 2011
I’m usually somewhat reluctant to make recommendations about specific tools, but every now and then something impresses me so much I feel I should at least draw attention to it. In the course of helping a client look for tools to support their development process I recalled that a couple of years ago I looked [...]
Truth spoken in jest
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Plain Old Blog on April 27, 2011
A situation similar to many I’ve encountered.
Contingent Configuration Management
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Configuration Management on March 21, 2011
We find, among all the terminology in the configuration management arena, many terms being added to the basic CM acronym; Agile CM, Product CM, Software CM, Traditional/Classic CM, and so on. Well, I’d like to offer my own—Contingent CM. The problem with many of the other terms is their absolutism; ‘this is the right way’, [...]
What problem does it solve?
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Tools 'n' Tips on March 8, 2011
This simple question will save you hours of pain. Whenever you are looking at a new methodology or technology. Whenever you are designing a new process or procedure. Ask yourself, ‘what problem does it solve?’. If you can’t come up with a clear well defined answer then the chances are you should not proceed with [...]
Challenges in community communication
Posted by Mark in Body of Knowledge, CMCrossroads on February 17, 2011
I do not think I am alone in finding it challenging to keep up with communities, even one as apparently specialised as software configuration management. This challenge is doubled when one is trying to contribute to these communities (and hold down a paying job). Perhaps my greatest personal challenge is a need to respond in [...]
Conversations and workshops
Posted by Mark in Body of Knowledge, CMCrossroads, General, ITSLM, Plain Old Blog, Principia Notifications, Tools 'n' Tips on December 10, 2010
I have, for some time, considered the possibilities of the Internet for the real-time exchange of ideas around the lifecycle management subject (config, change, release, problem, and project management, among others). In particular I have been pondering how to start a useful dialogue about the Lifecycle Management Body of Knowledge. I suspect that one of [...]
Back on the writing treadmill
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Plain Old Blog, Subversion on October 18, 2010
Well, after a break to work with a client for the past nine months I am back on the writing treadmill determined to complete two projects before 2010 rolls over into 2011. First, complete the Subversion Guru training course. There’s been a lot of interest but most people are deferring the buy option until the [...]
How do you copy 60m files?
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, General, Tools 'n' Tips on September 25, 2010
It is a problem you are bound to face sooner or later in your CM career, How do you copy 60m files?. Okay, you may not need to copy 60 million files, but anyone who has tried to copy millions of files between servers knows that it can be fraught with problems, especially if those [...]
Is Perl an essential skill of SCMers
Posted by Mark in CMCrossroads, Glue Software, PERL, Plain Old Blog, Tools 'n' Tips on September 21, 2010
Is being able to use Perl an essential skill for people working at the technical coal face of software configuration management? The obvious, and probably correct, answer is ‘probably not essential‘ but if you work in software configuration management it is well worth considering. Perl is fairly ubiquitous, there are few platforms that do not [...]
