Title: Distributed Configuration Management Solution in LIFESPAN Environment and Experiences of the VISCOUN
1Distributed Configuration Management Solution in
LIFESPAN Environment and Experiences of the
VISCOUNT Project
- Nigel Gibson
- BAeSEMA Limited
- www.baesema.co.uk
- nigel.gibson_at_baesema.co.uk
2Presentation Topics
- Company Background
- Virtual Software Corporations
- The VISCOUNT Project
- LIFESPAN
- VISCOUNT Project Benefits
3Company Background
- Jointly owned British Aerospace Sema Group
- 1,500 staff, revenues 160m
- Markets include
- C4I
- Naval Engineering
- Warship Prime Contracting
- Software Engineering
- British Aerospace buying out Sema Group
4What is a VSC?
- Organisation
- internal/external
- competitive/collaborative
- Geography
- local/international
- Relationship
- contractual/non-contractual
5Traditional Partnership Model
Customer
Supplier
Subcontractor
6VSC Partnership Model
Customer
Supplier
Third Party
Customer
Supplier
7VSC Key Attributes
- Collaborative process
- Disparate organisation
- Temporary structure
- Dynamically forming partnerships
- Each partner has clear area of expertise
- Mutual accountability
- One customer
8VSC Risks
- Differing business drivers
- Communications breakdown
- Lack of timely co-ordinated information
- Security
- Project/organisation
- Cultural Differences in
- Procedures
- Organisations
- Countries
- Different tools in different organisations
9VSC Benefits
- Quick project startup
- Minimal infrastructure investment
- Flat communication structure
- No complex management structures
- Each partner does what it does best
- Profitability optimised
- ...Improved productivity
10Distributed Configuration Mgt
- Important for an efficient VSC
- Differing information states
- private (no external read access)
- proprietary (general read access)
- shared (general read and write access)
- Common infrastructure
- Developers/managers ideally use the same tools
- Reality means reconciling differences/standards
..the above are addressed by the VISCOUNT project
11The VISCOUNT Project
- Improving distributed configuration management
- International partnership
- Testing different VSCs in the real world
- Improving LIFESPAN configuration management
tool support for VSCs - VISCOUNT is a VSC!
12THE VISCOUNT PROJECT
CM Tool
Goals
Productivity Organisation Communication Specialisa
tion
PROCESSES
METRICS
VSC
VSC
MEET
CONFIGURATION
VSC
SUPPORT
Customers
MANAGEMENT
ADDRESS
VSC
VSC
Risks
REQUIREMENTS
TECHNOLOGIES
Quality Consistency Security Local Data
13The VISCOUNT Partners
- BAeSEMA - UK
- VTT, Valmet - Finland
- debis - Germany
- SIA - Italy
- Glasgow Caledonian University - UK
14VISCOUNT Project Details
- Esprit Framework IV supported
- 27 mths duration
- Phased, prototype approach
- Gather requirements
- Technology analysis
- Implement prototype
- Test usability
- Develop new prototype
15VISCOUNT Project Areas
- Product Development
- BAeSEMA
- User Organisations
- Valmet, SIA, debis
- Technology Analysis
- GCU, VTT
- Process Improvement, Metrics
- VTT
16VISCOUNT is a VSC!
- Collaborative approach, single customer
- Dynamic partnerships
- Project tasks
- Exploitation by partners
- Concentration on core area of expertise
- Geographically dispersed
- Mutually accountable
17(No Transcript)
18LIFESPAN Background
- 20 years in Configuration Management
- Developed for internal use
- Targeted at external market
- Originally VAX-based
- 150 customer sites - 3000 users
- UK defence electronics focus
- Customers in defence, telecoms, power,
transportation
19What is Configuration Management?
z
z
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z
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z
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20The Real Definition...
The discipline of identifying all components in
a continually evolving system for the purpose of
maintaining integrity, traceability and control
over change through its lifecycle. BS 6488 -
Configuration Management of Computer-Based
Systems
- Disciplines for
- Configuration identification
- Baselining
- Status Accounting
- Procedures for controlling change
- Quality process improvement
- Development, production maintenance
21Scope
- Requirements
- Designs
- Code
- Test specifications
- Platform specifications
- User documentation
- Standards
Whole Lifecycle Support for all Project Objects
22Why Automated CM?
- Management of complexity
- Risk reduction
- Security of data assets
- Containment of costs
- Conformance with standards
- Productivity improvement
- Quality improvement
...an Essential, Integral Component of your
Project
23What is LIFESPAN ?
- Automated CM system
- Straightforward operation
- Proven in use
- Secure, predictable file based control
- No complex set up
- Platforms OpenVMS, Unix Microsoft Windows
- Easy to use
- Workflow management
- Teamworking support
24LIFESPAN - Key Facilities (I)
- Version control
- Configuration control
- Change control
- Fault reporting
- Software build management
- Release management
25LIFESPAN - Key Facilities (II)
- Impact analysis
- Process support
- Reporting audit trails
- Archive system
- Configurability
26Integrate your environment
User Interfaces Fully object oriented Iconic
manipulation Drag drop Optional interface
for VT terminals
- Application Programming Interface
- Class Library
- Automate CM operations
- Tool interface
GUI CLIENT
API
CommandLine Interface Automate common
operations Fast project take-on
- 3rd Party ToolIntegration
- Flexible I/O
- SCCS
- Metriflame
LIFESPAN SERVER
Interface
CLI
Query
Reporting Fast online reports Ad hoc,
repeatable queries Detailed or summary
27Client-Server Architecture
Windows NTWindows 95/98
SERVER
VMS VAX, Alpha Solaris HP-UX Windows NT
Forms (VT100 compatible)
TCP/IP or DECnet
Solaris OpenLook Motif
OpenVMS DECwindows
HP-UX Motif
CLIENTS
28LIFESPAN - Change Control
29User Roles Privileges
30LIFESPAN s e-mail System
31Basic Configuration Item
Module
CM Data
MODULE TYPE
MODULE NAME
Latest Version
A
VERSION (HISTORY)
First Version
DESCRIPTION
Module Body
SOURCE
Program Code
eg
Text
2.1
A
FOREIGN
Binary
eg
Graphics
PROCESS MODEL
32Structured Configuration Item
Package
4.1
P
Package
L
1.4
3.7
X
2.6
N
33Example of Package Hierarchies
34Hierarchical Version Control
35LIFESPAN - Change Control
36LIFESPAN - the Key Benefits
- Comprehensive CM coverage
- Version control
- Configuration control
- Secure change control
- Fault reporting/tracking
- Build/release management
- Access/run on multiple platforms
- Highly secure database
- Effective process support
- Configurable access
- Impact analysis
Assuring Quality, Improving Productivity and
Control of the Development Process
37LIFESPAN Within VISCOUNT
- Configuration management key element within VSCs
- LIFESPAN strategy to support the new paradigm
- Improve features and usability
- Test technology and features
- User feedback paramount
38Improving support for VSCs
- Flexible process modelling
- integrate different processes across
organisations - Metrics support
- continuous process improvement monitoring and
control - Distributed Software Development
- process support
- configuration management support
39Support for metrics
- VTT Metriflame integration
- report based
- on-demand
- dont re-invent the wheel
- Adoption of GQM/Pr²imer methodology
40Integration with other tools
- Typical need within VSC
- disparate organisations
- different methods, tools and processes
- temporary hence no mandated conformity
- Configuration management tools
- STEP-like generic transfer model
41Technology Issues
- Process modelling
- Metrics
- Distribution mechanisms
- Web deployment
- Security
- Agent technology
- Interchange formats
42VISCOUNT Lessons Learned
- Leading edge not necessarily best (yet)
- Java not industrial strength for VSC support
- Security remains an issue
- Encryption problems
- Infrastructure demands!
- Iterative prototyping invaluable
- Incremental product development
- Limited, immediate, real user feedback
- VSCs Work!
- Project collaboration and focus remain high
43VISCOUNT Benefits
- VSCs
- Improved Service Velocity
- Quicker time to market
- Improved Customer satisfaction (reqts,
flexibility, speed) - Cost reduction in project development
- Improved quality
- VISCOUNT
- Proving different VSC implementations
- Improving VSC support tools
- BAeSEMA
- All the above, plus
- Improved LIFESPAN product
44Summary
- VSC - the organisational structure of the future
- VISCOUNT is testing and will exploit the VSC
concept - Fundamental benefits to business
- improved service velocity
- improved quality
- improved profitability
45THE VISCOUNT PROJECT
CM Tool
Goals
Productivity Organisation Communication Specialisa
tion
PROCESSES
METRICS
VSC
VSC
MEET
CONFIGURATION
VSC
SUPPORT
Customers
MANAGEMENT
ADDRESS
VSC
VSC
Risks
REQUIREMENTS
TECHNOLOGIES
Quality Consistency Security Local Data