Effective configuration management of IT systems is crucial to any organization’s success. The settings for system network components (such as network devices, servers, operating systems and other physical and virtual assets) determines whether and how efficiently a system functions. Opening a settings menu in any software involves changes to configuration. Managing how these changes are made and controlled is vital since they can have far-reaching business implications such as resulting in a data breach or a complete system outage.
Managing configuration changes reduces the risk of outages by providing overall visibility of settings, change control and historical recording and tracking of configuration settings. It allows a single point of control for the entire system and displays a detailed view of configuration settings for all the elements that comprise it. It allows for strict control of configuration processes that enable the definition and enforcement of formal policies that govern status changes and allow them to be audited.
