CPSM CPSM Configuration Management & Change Control 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is Software Configuration Management (SCM)?
- A method for scheduling releases
- A discipline for controlling the evolution of software systems by tracking and managing changes (Correct answer)
- A technique for optimizing database queries
- A process for onboarding new team members
Correct answer: A discipline for controlling the evolution of software systems by tracking and managing changes
SCM encompasses the practices of identifying, controlling, and auditing changes to software artifacts throughout the project lifecycle.
Question 2: What is a Configuration Item (CI) in the context of SCM?
- A bug report filed by a tester
- An aggregation of hardware or software designated for configuration management (Correct answer)
- A network configuration setting
- A project milestone
Correct answer: An aggregation of hardware or software designated for configuration management
A Configuration Item is any software artifact — code, document, or component — placed under configuration management control.
Question 3: Which SCM activity involves recording the state of configuration items at a specific point in time?
- Configuration identification
- Configuration auditing
- Configuration status accounting (Correct answer)
- Configuration control
Correct answer: Configuration status accounting
Configuration status accounting tracks and reports the current state and history of all configuration items and approved changes.
Question 4: What is the main purpose of a Change Control Board (CCB)?
- To hire new developers when requirements change
- To review, approve, or reject proposed changes to baselined project artifacts (Correct answer)
- To manage the daily sprint backlog
- To perform final user acceptance testing
Correct answer: To review, approve, or reject proposed changes to baselined project artifacts
A CCB is a formal body that evaluates change requests and decides whether to approve, defer, or reject them to protect the project baseline.
Question 5: What does 'version control' primarily help a software team accomplish?
- Automatically fix code defects
- Track changes to source code and allow retrieval of previous versions (Correct answer)
- Generate project status reports
- Schedule software releases
Correct answer: Track changes to source code and allow retrieval of previous versions
Version control systems record every change to source code, enabling teams to retrieve past versions, compare changes, and work concurrently.
Question 6: What is a software baseline in configuration management?
- The minimum performance the software must achieve
- A formally reviewed and agreed-upon specification used as a basis for further development (Correct answer)
- The starting budget for the project
- The initial team size
Correct answer: A formally reviewed and agreed-upon specification used as a basis for further development
A baseline is a formally approved snapshot of a configuration item that can only be changed through formal change control procedures.
What is Software Configuration Management (SCM)?