"Configuration": decomposing a troublesome word

Thought for the day:

“Configuration” is used in the sense of:

A configuration item – a discrete object of a given type. The router, the server, the software, the application.

The “configuration” of the item itself - the value of its attributes, parameter settings, etc. The router's IPv6 support is turned off. The server has 6 hard drives, and "Wake on LAN" is turned OFF. The Apache installation is running on port 8080.

The “configuration” of the item with respect to other items: dependencies, associations, feeds, etc. Oracle Financials receives a feed from CA Clarity. Price Lookup at the POS register requires Enterprise Catalog to be on line.

In the real world, these definitions are miles apart. What are you to say when a risk management professional waves COBIT at you and tells you to "manage the configuration." What do they mean?

The ambiguity will drive you crazy unless you are very precise… and as I've stated elsewhere, you need multiple systems to solve the problem in its entirety.

Charlie